Governor Deval Patrick today announced that the state will target $2,513,973 in federal weatherization recovery funds to replace old, inefficient heating systems with new state-of-the-art units for public housing authorities in Chicopee, Hopkinton, Leominster, Lunenburg, Mansfield, Middleboro, Provincetown, Randolph, Reading, Spencer, Wakefield, Whitman, Winchendon, Winchester and Woburn.

Those heating system upgrade projects will generate jobs, and foster lower energy costs for public housing tenants while improving their living environment through the delivery of smart, clean, energy-efficient warmth.

This announcement is part of $25 million set aside for public housing energy upgrades out of $122 million in stimulus funds awarded to Massachusetts for weatherization services to low-income homes. Those American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds come to the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and are administered for DHCD by a statewide network of local non-profit agencies.

DOE program requirements call for the $25 million in public housing funds to be used for weatherization of housing where tenants pay for their own heat and earn under 60 percent of area median income. The balance of program funds will provide eligible private households with full-scale home energy conservation services. In total, it is estimated that the entire $122 million will be used to weatherize approximately 16,900 homes over the next three years.

Weatherization improvements can include air sealing and weather stripping; repairs or replacement of expired heating systems; attic, wall and floor insulation; and installation of storm or replacement windows.

With this latest award announcement, Massachusetts has now committed more than $19.5 million of the public housing set aside to fund heating system replacements in 62 local housing authorities across the Commonwealth.

Middleboro Housing Authority will receive $160,094.

Source: States News Service, October 28, 2010