The Healey-Driscoll Administration has announced a $20 million investment to retrofit 1,000 affordable housing units across Massachusetts. The initiative, part of the Climate Ready Housing program, is a collaboration between HLC, the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP), MassHousing, and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Massachusetts, according to the state’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (HLC) release.
The funding, drawn from the Affordable Homes Act of 2024, will support energy-efficient upgrades aimed at reducing energy use and costs, improving air quality, and enhancing comfort for residents. The program supports two approaches: comprehensive energy retrofits or the Zero Carbon Emissions Over Time (ZOT) model, which aligns with future upgrades.
Projects funded through this initiative span senior housing in Salem and Jamaica Plain, family housing in Allston, and single-room occupancy properties in Roxbury, contributing to the state’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The retrofits will include electrification, decarbonization, and renewable energy systems, which could reduce energy use by up to 80%, according to statements from Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll on the same release.
MHP Executive Director Clark Ziegler stated that the investment supports upgrades for over 1,000 housing units serving low-income families and individuals. MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay noted that improving existing affordable housing is essential for reducing heating and cooling costs while lowering fossil fuel dependence.
The Climate Ready Housing program will continue its next funding round in March 2026. Details on applications and deadlines are available on LISC Massachusetts’ program page.
