Better Buildings Challenge Multifamily Newsletter: October 2022

In This Issue:

• Key Announcements
• New York State to fund $250 million in electrification retrofits
• Spotlight on Partner Successes: Caritas Communities completes rehab of its 54-56 Spear Street development; East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation’s work in promoting healthy communities receives recognition

Key Announcements

• HUD has released a Request for Information in connection with the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP), a new initiative funded at $1 billion through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that aims to support energy and water efficiency and climate resilience upgrades, as well as support energy and water benchmarking efforts, at HUD-assisted affordable housing properties. The Office of Housing is seeking input on measures that have proven effective in affordable multifamily buildings, including:
  • Program design features
  • Energy-saving measures
  • Low-emission technologies
  • Resilience measures
  In addition, HUD is seeking input on ways in which it can best implement and incentivize benchmarking of energy and water consumption of assisted multifamily properties. Comments from the public are due by October 27, 2022.
   
• Learn more about the IRA’s potential impact in the affordable housing sector through the National Housing Trust’s recent policy brief on the topic.
   
• Check out these six outstanding state clean energy programs, recently highlighted by the Clean Energy States Alliance. Initiatives in the states of California, Connecticut, Maryland, New York, Oregon, and Washington were recognized for their innovative approach to expand the use of clean energy.
   

New York State to Fund $250 Million in Electrification Retrofits

In September, New York State announced the Climate Friendly Homes Fund (CFHF), which will provide $250 million in funding for electrification retrofits of affordable multifamily housing developments in the state. The program will be administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal and The Community Preservation Corporation.

Funding will be made available to owners of multifamily rental properties with 5 to 50 units that either:

1. Have existing regulatory agreements with housing and community renewal agencies of New York
2. Are located in Low-Moderate Income (LMI) census block groups

Eligible costs include the electrification of heating, cooling, and water heating systems and additional building envelope improvements, as well as certain soft costs. The program is expected to fund retrofits in at least 10,000 units of housing across the state.

The state is expected to begin accepting applications in the first quarter of 2023, at which time interested building owners will be able to submit eligibility documentation. A CFHF email notification list has been created for anyone looking to stay up to date on the program and the application process.

Spotlight on Partner Successes

• Better Buildings Challenge partner Caritas Communities has completed a series of energy efficiency improvements at its 54-56 Spear Street development. 54-56 Spear Street is a 22-unit single-room occupancy (SRO) home for formerly homeless individuals, which Caritas has upgraded with a high-efficiency condensing boiler and improved controls, weatherization, lighting and windows. This work helped reduce energy usage at the site by approximately 40 percent.
   
• Andy Madeira, CEO of Better Buildings Partner East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC), has been named in Enterprise’s Impactful 40 – a list of 40 individuals across the country who have had a strong positive impact in their communities. Through this recognition, Enterprise highlights EBALDC’s work in building healthy neighborhoods in East Bay and Oakland neighborhoods. See an example of this work in the recent Showcase Project of EBALDC’s Casa Arabella development.