Partners & residents gathering outside of Carol Ave in the 90’s
We are so excited to announce that we have officially secured funding from the State of Massachusetts to undertake a substantial renovation of the Carol Avenue Apartments in Brighton! This funding announcement is the culmination of over four years of efforts by the Allston Brighton CDC to find a feasible solution to the challenge of addressing a set of long-term repairs at the property that have been deferred for many years.
Carol Ave was a cooperative until the CDC purchased it from the shareholders in 2018. The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will support this rehab with federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and subsidy funds. The City of Boston also will provide support to the project with funds of its own. This project is also supported by the Low-Income Energy Affordability Network (LEAN), Resonant Energy, the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC), MassDevelopment, and Brookline Bank.
This renovation project at Carol Avenue Apartments is focused on green, sustainable, and climate-resilient design. To that end, much of the rehab scope is focused on strengthening the thermal envelope, decarbonization (eliminating fossil fuels), and improving ventilation. Carol Avenue Apartments will get a new roof, all new windows, and additional insulation in the roof and exterior walls. The property is switching from oil and gas to all electric heating, cooling, and domestic hot water. All new Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) will be installed throughout to provide fresh air, and exterior ducting will be added for bathroom fans. Lastly, rooftop solar photovoltaic panels will be installed, providing a renewable source of energy for the building’s electricity usage. All of these changes will provide a healthier and more comfortable environment for residents.
When construction is completed, the project will feature 33 fully rehabilitated units. Twenty‑five units will be restricted for individuals or families earning less than 60% of AMI, with nine units further restricted for households earning less than 30% of AMI. Thank you to everyone who made securing the funds possible. Special congratulations go out to our Director of Real Estate, Caitlin Robillard, whose tireless efforts to complete the funding applications represent a major success for the CDC.
