Fairmount Apartments, a more than 200-unit public housing complex in Hyde Park built in 1951, will receive $16 million in upgrades covering accessibility improvements, new cooling systems and community gardens. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced the investment alongside city, state and federal officials this week, framing it as proof that the city is serious about protecting the affordable homes it already has, not just building new ones.
According to wgbh.org, the funding breaks down as $5 million from the city, $10 million from the state and $1 million from the federal government. Kenzie Bok, administrator of the Boston Housing Authority, said Wednesday that the money comes from a joint effort between all three levels of government. Per the Boston Herald, the state's $10 million share was issued by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities through its High Leverage Asset Preservation program, while Boston's congressional delegation secured the $1 million in federal funding through the Community Project Fund.
What the Upgrades Will Actually Change
Wu said the investment will modernize unit exteriors, make 5% of apartments fully accessible, electrify heating and hot-water systems, and add cooling, according to the Boston Herald. The city's report notes that the plans include building envelope improvements along with green stormwater infrastructure meant to support long-term sustainability and climate resilience, according to Wu's office. The renovations are described as part of a multi-phase master planning process for Fairmount Apartments.
“Maintaining existing housing is just as important as building new homes,” Wu said, per wgbh.org's account of the announcement. She added that Boston must preserve and modernize existing affordable homes to make the city a home for everyone, and said she looked forward to working with residents to deliver upgraded homes for families.
Officials From Washington to City Hall Weigh In
U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, who represents the area covered by Massachusetts' 7th Congressional District, said Fairmount residents deserve safe, stable homes that reflect modern needs in accessibility, resiliency and sustainability. The funding announcement in Hyde Park also drew Juana Matias, Rob Consalvo and Bok, according to the Boston Herald's reporting on the event.
The city notes that Boston has built nearly 16,000 new housing units throughout its neighborhoods over the last five years, a figure city officials cited alongside the Fairmount announcement to underscore that preservation work is happening in tandem with new construction.
Part of a Wider Push Across Massachusetts
Fairmount's modernization fits into a broader statewide effort. The Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities has said construction upgrades are moving forward at 48 local housing authorities across the state, supported by investments strengthened through the Affordable Homes Act and other capital resources, according to mass.gov.
Boston has also moved on the affordable-rental front more broadly. The Wu administration announced more than $52 million in new funding for affordable rental housing projects citywide earlier this year, supporting 13 developments across nine neighborhoods that will produce 892 income-restricted rental homes, according to thebostonsun.com. That package includes the 294 Hyde Park Avenue project, which will create 48 mixed-income rental homes near the Forest Hills MBTA station, including homes for people experiencing homelessness, per the same report.
Elsewhere in Boston, older public housing stock has undergone similar deep retrofits. WinnDevelopment and the Castle Square Tenants Organization began a $40.1 million modernization of Eva White Apartments, a 102-unit low-income community for seniors and people with disabilities in the South End, in June 2025, according to winncompanies.com. That project, which includes super-insulated building envelope work, triple-glazed windows and electrified heating and cooling systems, is expected to cut energy use by between 49% and 67% annually, giving Boston officials a model for the kind of climate and accessibility gains they hope to replicate at Fairmount.
