Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds - Boston Housing Authority FY2025 Capital Expenditures

NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS

On or about March 21, 2025 the City of Boston will authorize the Boston Housing Authority to submit a request to the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the release of FY2025 Capital Fund Program (CFP25) and CFP 25-29 Five Year Plan funds under Section 9 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended, to undertake a project known as Capital Fund Plan CFP25 and CFP 25-29 Five Year Plan for the purpose of managing, maintaining and operating units of existing public housing.  Activities subject to this project are specifically related to the following Boston Housing Authority housing developments: Charlestown (55 Bunker Hill Street, Charlestown), Doris Bunte (1990 Columbus Avenue, Roxbury), Mary Ellen McCormack (10 Kemp Street, South Boston), Mildred C. Hailey, 30 Bickford Street, Jamaica Plain), and Ruth Barkley (1472 Washington Street, South End).  

Activities include exempt activities under Part 58.34 including but not limited to operating salaries, administration, engineering design fees, environmental testing for Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM) and Lead Based Paint (LBP). Capital project, maintenance and operations activities, which are Categorically Excluded Subject To 58.5 per 24 CFR 58.35 include rehabilitation of units (replacement of finishes, kitchen cabinets, bathroom fixtures, painting and mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection and life safety systems or components as needed), abatement of ACM and/or LBP affected by unit rehab or other project activities.  Additional Operations and Maintenance Activities include replacement of Heating System Equipment (boilers, heat exchangers, pumps and/or isolations valves) and Domestic Hot Water System Equipment (tanks, boilers, and/or circulating pumps and isolation valves) with fossil fuel free systems and/or electric heat pumps as needed to maintain heat, cooling and/or hot water for public housing residents. At Mildred C. Hailey, exempt activities also include maintaining and managing telecommunications leases for cellular equipment installed by private entities at this site. Proceeds of such leases are to be used for the betterment of public housing residents at the site and for assistance with maintaining roofing should the roofing require replacement.

CFP-25-29 Capital project activities include:

• Charlestown: Roofing repairs/replacement, repair/replacement of stair pan (treads and risers) stair runs, railings, landings and/or finishes, LBP abatement, intercom replacement and replacement of windows for improved energy efficiency.
• Doris Bunte: No planned capital project activities.
• Mary Ellen McCormack: Roofing repair/replacement, repair/repoint masonry facades and/or deep energy envelope retrofit (for improved energy efficiency), repair/replacement of stair pan (treads and risers) stair runs, railings, landings and/or finishes, replacement of DHW systems and controls as needed, replacement of intercoms and replacement of site electrical transformers
• Mildred C. Hailey: No planned capital project activities.
• Ruth Barkley: Roofing repairs/replacement, exterior envelope repairs and/or deep energy retrofit, masonry and window sill repair, window replacement, provide new mechanical ventilation in residential bathrooms (to alleviate potential mold), provide new plumbing DHW systems, replace emergency generator, provide added or replacement of security cameras and servers, repair/replace site sidewalks, paving and curbing (to prevent tripping hazards), repair/replacement of stair pan (treads and risers) stair runs, railings, landings and/or finishes, LBP abatement, and provide elevator system upgrades/modernization to improve elevator systems (and/or provide redundancy for residents with mobility issues where only one elevator exists). 

Contingent Project Activities, to keep occupied buildings habitable and safe for the residents, may include but not limited to the following projects:

• Roofing: roof replacement;
• Site: storm and sanitary piping replacement, replacing underground utilities, replacement of paving and curbing, replacement of exterior entry stoops, stairs and/or railings, repairing/replacing exterior balconies and railings;
• Envelope Repairs: repairing/replacing windows, replacing entry and apartment unit doors, repointing and/or rebuilding masonry facades and parapets (all work to be in kind), envelope upgrades to provide “deep energy retrofits” and energy efficiency upgrades;
• HVAC: replacing heating systems to include air-source or water source heat pumps (to be fossil fuel free per City of Boston Mayor’s Mandate) and/or unit convectors, replacing exhaust fans, replacing rooftop mounted ventilation systems, replacing HVAC equipment at Cooling Centers, replacing bathroom ventilation systems;
• Alternative Energy: providing new solar energy panels and equipment, geothermal wells, wind turbines and/or Cogen heat systems (funded by the MA Department of Energy DOE and/or other private or public utility entities);
• Plumbing: replacing Domestic Hot Water System Equipment (including tanks, fossil fuel free systems, circulating pumps and/or isolation valves), replacing H and CW risers and/or horizontal plumbing piping, replacing sewer and drainage system risers and horizontals;
• Electrical: replacement of transformers, switchgear, apartment load centers and/or electrical distribution, replacement of common area lighting, repair/replacement of intercom systems;
• Life Safety: replacement of fire alarm panels and/or system devices, replacement of emergency generators, replacement of fire pumps and/or fire suppression systems;
• Stair Halls: repair/replacement of stairpans, stair runs, railings, landings and/or finishes;
• HazMat: remove/abate asbestos containing material (ACM) and/or lead based paint (LBP);
• Elevators: replacement/upgrades/modernization to system controllers, hydraulic pistons, traction ropes and/or cables and elevator cabs;
• Apartments: replacement of kitchen cabinets, counters, finishes, bathroom fixtures, lighting and finishes as needed to upgrade the units.
• Building Structure: structural repairs/replacement to building foundation, repair and/or replacements to structural framing systems, repairs and/or replacement to concrete slabs.
• Security: upgrades to security camera system (camera replacements and/or new camera locations), keyless card/FOB access control and security equipment servers.
• Telecommunications Systems: Repair, new installation and/or replacement of telecommunication equipment, and radio antennas as may be necessary to maintain and manage leases or license agreements between the BHA and private providers and between the BHA and the City of Boston EMS, Police or Fire Departments. 

Estimated funding for CFP25 is $16,363,791 and for subsequent years in the CFP25-29 Five Year Plan are estimated to be $15,112,218 in 2026, $13,677,042 in 2027, $9,544,718 in 2028, and $14,412,174 in 2029. 

The activities proposed are categorically excluded under HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58 from National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. An Environmental Review Record (ERR) that documents the environmental determinations for this project is on file at City of Boston, Mayor’s Office of Housing, 12 Channel Street, Boston, MA where ERR can be examined and Boston Housing Authority, Capital Construction Department, 52 Chauncy Street, 2^nd Floor, Boston, MA where the record is available for review and may be examined or copied weekdays 9 A.M to 4 P.M.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the MOH Compliance Unit at james.quealy@boston.gov.  All comments received by March 20, 2025 will be considered by the City of Boston prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds.

ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION

The City of Boston certifies to HUD that Michele Wu in her capacity as Mayor consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied.  HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the Boston Housing Authority to use Program funds.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS

HUD will accept objections to its release of fund and the City of Boston’s certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases:

(a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Boston;

(b) the City of Boston has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58;

(c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or

(d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. 

Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be emailed to bosenvironmental@hud.gov.  Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period.