HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman celebrated the completion of a $750,000 grant transaction under the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) with Wollaston Lutheran Church, aimed at improving energy efficiency and climate resilience at the Bauer House apartment community in Quincy, Massachusetts. Todman stated, “Today’s news is a milestone of HUD’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, marking the closure of our first grant transaction supporting climate resiliency and restoration projects in affordable housing.”
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multifamily Housing Programs, Ethan Handelman, expressed satisfaction with the partnership, saying, “We are pleased to complete this Green and Resilient Retrofit Program funding transaction with Wollaston Lutheran Church to help upgrade the property, reduce carbon emissions, and make residents’ homes safer and more energy efficient.”
The Bauer House, a 75-unit building for very low-income seniors, is undergoing renovations to enhance the HVAC system and air quality. Wollaston Lutheran Church will utilize the GRRP funding to replace the current natural gas heating and cooling system with a more efficient heat pump system.
The GRRP, funded under the Inflation Reduction Act, aims to provide funding for improvements in HUD-subsidized properties serving low-income families, seniors, and persons with disabilities. The program focuses on enhancing energy and water efficiency, indoor air quality, and climate resilience. It also aims to prepare properties for climate hazards and reduce residents' exposure to risks during disasters.
HUD has awarded a total of $544.4 million in GRRP funding to improve 109 properties in 38 states and the District of Columbia, benefiting over 12,600 rental homes. These projects vary from targeted upgrades to major net-zero renovations, with a focus on energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, and climate resilience. Additionally, more than 700 properties have enrolled in HUD’s free energy and water consumption benchmarking service to assess potential upgrades and ensure long-term affordability of housing units.
The GRRP is the first HUD program to invest in energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, climate resilience, and low-embodied-carbon materials in HUD-assisted multifamily housing. The program aims to not only improve the efficiency and sustainability of properties but also to preserve them as affordable housing in the long term.
