Healthy and Green Retrofit Pilot Program

The owners participating in this pilot program  will receive an energy assessment from a qualified decarbonization advisor who will identify specific retrofit opportunities tailored to their building.

Based on the results of the energy assessment, owners will collaborate with advisors to create a custom green retrofit plan for their building. The plan will detail components of decarbonization work such as:

• better insulation and air sealing
• improved ventilation 
• new appliances
• air conditioning
• and even the installation of rooftop solar panels

To achieve this work, building owners may receive:

• up to $50,000 per unit for construction costs, 
• assistance accessing energy efficiency financial incentives,
• construction management services including bidding and hiring a general contractor, 
• and construction oversight and inspections throughout the process.

Participating building owners agree that for a period of ten years:

• Tenants in good standing will not be displaced from their unit, and rents may not be unreasonably increased, as a result of the green retrofit work.
• Monthly rent for the retrofitted unit(s) must be affordable to households who make less than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). The allowable rents** are based on the number of bedrooms and updated annually.
• Additional terms apply.

The Program will lay the groundwork for future, scaled-up efforts to upgrade the city’s housing stock and achieve decarbonization goals. 

For the second cohort of this Pilot Program, the Mayor’s Office of Housing randomly selected 20 building owners to proceed with the eligibility process. Additionally, 15 alternates were chosen. Applications are now closed.

After being selected, eligibility will be confirmed by a Boston Home Center Program Manager. This includes verification of the owner's household income and finances, in addition to other eligibility requirements.

Pilot Program participants will begin working with advisors to create a custom green retrofit plan after eligibility is confirmed.

This pilot program launched in the fall of 2023. The Mayor’s Office of Housing selected 10 building owners for the first cohort through a random selection that took place on October 25. 

Applications for the second cohort are now closed. On May 8, the Mayor’s Office of Housing randomly selected 20 building owners to proceed with the eligibility process. Additionally, 15 alternates were chosen.

To participate in the Pilot Program, building owners must:

• Live in a two to four unit building that was built before 1999.
• Live in a building located in one of the 15 ARPA-eligible zip codes (02111, 02115, 02118, 02119, 02120, 02121, 02122, 02124, 02125, 02126, 02128, 02134, 02136, 02163, or 02215)
• Have an annual household income at or below 135 percent of Area Median Income (AMI)*. This includes rental income.
• Have less than $100,000 in financial assets, excluding Government approved retirement and education accounts 
• Have not received home repair financial assistance from any City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH) program within the past 10 years. This excludes the de-leading and home buyer assistance programs. Please note: The City of Boston’s Mayor’s Office of Housing was known as The Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) before December of 2021.
• Be current with all City of Boston and home accounts, including property taxes, utility bills, and mortgage, and property insurances.
• Offer rental units at a price affordable to tenants at or below 80 percent of AMI**.

Please note: Condominium units and condominium associations are not eligible for the Program. Additionally, buildings may not be located in a FEMA special flood hazard zone.

Decarbonization planning and retrofit work will protect occupants in affordable housing by:

• Improving indoor air quality and living conditions
• Improving comfort with better systems for heating and cooling 
• Increasing energy efficiency and reducing utility cost
• Increasing building resilience to mitigate the impacts of climate change, including heat waves and extreme weather events

Our funding is a forgivable, 0% deferred loan. The loan will be forgiven after 10 years. You must pay the loan in full if you move, sell, refinance, or transfer the title of your home before the 10 year term expires.

The Boston Home Center staff will handle everything for your retrofit project. They’ll gather bids (price estimates) from different general contractors. With you, they'll choose the best contractor for the job. They'll oversee the entire construction process from start to finish on your behalf, including making sure the contractor gets paid after checking their work.

Owners may also receive technical support for solar photovoltaics, battery storage, and electric vehicle charging. 

• Owners must complete all initial recommendations in all units, including Mass Save weatherization and installing cold-climate heat pumps to supplement or replace the existing HVAC system.
• Owners must work with tenants to coordinate and manage the impacts of the pilot program, including pre- and post-construction assessment and construction.
• Owners must provide contact information for tenants in-place during and after the retrofit, during the 10 year term.
• Owners and Tenants of the Property must be willing to cooperate with data gathering, including utility data and surveys.

• Forgivable loan with no monthly payments and to be discharged after 10 years if terms are met. Repayment shall be made in full if the owner moves, sells, or transfers ownership of their property, or undertakes a cash-out refinance of the home before the 10 year term ends.
• Property may not be converted to condominiums during the 10 year term.
• To maintain anti-displacement and affordability, no tenant in good standing can be displaced from their unit as a result of this work. Rents may not be unreasonably increased as a result of the green retrofit work.
• For a period of no less than 10 years from the date of Mortgage, monthly rent for retrofitted unit(s) must adhere to affordable rents at or below 80 percent of AMI. These limits are updated annually.

If you are a contractor and are interesting in bidding opportunities associated with this program, please visit the Healthy and Green Retrofit Program Bid Opportunities website.