Visit highlights joint focus on climate equity and effort to bring energy efficiency to housing authority buildings statewide
BOSTON, MA (December 20, 2023) – To highlight the benefits of energy efficiency in advancing a more equitable clean energy future, the Sponsors of Mass Save® and Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) hosted Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) Secretary Ed Augustus at Chestnut Manor in Arlington on Tuesday. The Arlington Housing Authority property, which serves more than 100 residents living with disabilities and senior citizens, received a $1.3 million investment in energy efficiency upgrades from Eversource, a Mass Save Sponsor, and ABCD.
“This $1.3 million renovation project at Chestnut Manor is an example of the low-income climate equity work that Community Action Agencies like ABCD engage in on a daily basis in hundreds of communities,” said ABCD President and CEO Sharon Scott-Chandler. “We are pleased to have been a partner in the Chestnut Manor project alongside the Arlington Housing Authority and Eversource, a Mass Save Sponsor who has been a great collaborator over the years.”
ABCD’s climate equity and impact program brings state of the art technology such as air source heat pumps, high efficiency cooling components and energy-saving window and door replacements to underserved and underrepresented communities in Greater Boston.
Now, Chestnut Manor residents – historically an energy burdened population – have climate-controlled units year-round. The improvements lower energy use, drive cost savings, and reduce the carbon footprint for Arlington Housing Authority. Additionally, replacing outdated windows and doors improved air flow and efficiency and are easier for residents to open and close. Chestnut Manor project upgrades include:
- 105 heat pumps
- 236 Low-E triple pane windows
- 102 Low-E triple pane slider doors
- 100 door kits
- 100 door sweeps
- Complete building envelope air sealing
“The Healey/Driscoll administration is committed to meeting its climate goals as part of the Green Communities Act and that includes in our public housing,” said Ed Augustus, Secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. “The weatherization and heat pump improvements being made in Arlington Public Housing not only reduce the carbon footprint in our housing, but it also enhances the lives of our residents, creating more livable communities where people can live in dignity.”
“The windows don’t leak and my curtains don’t blow around from the incoming draft,” said Sharon Elkins, who has been a Chestnut Manor resident for 14 years. “I just kept asking questions to help fellow tenants and make everyone more comfortable. I grew up in public housing, so being at Chestnut Manor is like coming home again.”
Through projects like Chestnut Manor, the Sponsors of Mass Save are committed to an inclusive and equitable clean energy future. Together with vendors ABCD and Action Inc., the Sponsors have delivered thousands of energy efficiency solutions to housing authorities across Massachusetts in 2023.
“An equitable energy transition that meets customers where needs exist is critical to achieving Massachusetts’ decarbonization goals and helping everyone share in the benefits of a clean energy future,” said Tilak Subrahmanian, Vice President of Energy Efficiency and Electric Mobility at Eversource. “We are proud to work alongside Action for Boston Community Development and our other partners to improve the lives of those who live and work here at Chestnut Manor and across the Commonwealth, bringing more affordable clean energy solutions to residents of Massachusetts. Energy equity and access to affordable housing go hand-in-hand, and organizations like the Arlington Housing Authority are natural partners as we all work together to usher in the unprecedented clean energy transition underway in Massachusetts.”
“The Low-Income Affordability Network (LEAN) projects have not only improved the quality of life for our residents, but they will also have lasting impacts in the years to come because of the millions of dollars saved in capital improvement funding,” said Jack Nagle, Executive Director, Arlington Housing Authority. “We are so thankful to all those involved and look forward to continuing to identify ways to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and address sustainability concerns.”
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About Mass Save®:
Mass Save® is a collaborative of Massachusetts’ electric and natural gas utilities and energy efficiency service providers including Berkshire Gas, Cape Light Compact, Eversource, Liberty, National Grid, and Unitil. We empower residents, businesses, and communities to make energy efficient upgrades by offering a wide range of services, rebates, incentives, trainings, and information.
We respectfully ask that Mass Save is referred to as “the Sponsors of Mass Save,” or “the Mass Save Sponsors,” to reflect the participation of all utility and energy efficiency service providers within the collaborative. For more information, please visit https://www.masssave.com/.
About ABCD:
A nonprofit human services action organization, ABCD provides low-income residents in the Boston and Mystic Valley areas with the tools, supports and resources they need to transition from poverty to stability and from stability to success. Each year, we impact more than 100,000 individuals, elders and families through a broad range of innovative initiatives as well as long-established, proven programs and services. For more than 60 years, ABCD has been deeply rooted in every neighborhood and community served, empowering individuals and families and supporting them in their quest to live with dignity and achieve their highest potential. For more, please visit bostonabcd.org.
About Arlington Housing Authority:
The Arlington Housing Authority (AHA) is proud of its distinction as the single largest provider of affordable housing in Arlington. Our mission is to provide clean, safe and affordable housing to low-income families and individuals through collaborative partnerships with community agencies while managing Housing Authority finances in a fiscally responsible manner. The Arlington Housing Authority provides housing to over 1,500 residents, which includes 713 units of State-Aided Public Housing units, and 427 Housing Choice Vouchers. The AHA housing portfolio includes senior housing units located at Chestnut Manor, Cusack Terrace, Drake Village, the Hauser Building, Mystic Gardens, and Winslow Towers; family housing located at Menotomy Manor; and Housing Choice Vouchers that help participants live in privately-owned dwellings throughout the community. For more, please visit https://arlingtonhousing.org/.
