Contact:
Dave Cavell, Strategic Consultant, BCDC
David.Cavell@gmail.com
(617) 584-5781
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Work Begins at 154-156 Boylston St. Property on Green, Affordable Housing Renovation
BROOKLINE, MA, June 24, 2025 — The Brookline Community Development Corporation (Brookline CDC) proudly held a groundbreaking ceremony on last Friday to mark the start of a transformative preservation project at 154-156 Boylston Street, a cornerstone of affordable housing in the community.
Elected officials, sustainability leaders, and community stakeholders gathered to celebrate the launch of the project, including Representative Tommy Vitolo, Select Board Member Bernard Greene, Director of Sustainability and Climate Initiatives Lauren Baumann, Preservation Act (CPA) Committee Member David Lescohier, Roger Blood of the Housing Advisory Board (HAB), representatives from the Town of Brookline’s Planning Department and Community Development , and members of the Brookline Community Foundation board.
The project will preserve and modernize this important affordable housing resource with a strong focus on climate resilience and healthy living. Planned improvements include new energy-efficient windows, enhanced insulation, electrification of building systems, and completely updated kitchens and bathrooms, which will provide residents with safe, comfortable, and environmentally sustainable homes.
“This renovation is not just about preserving housing, it’s about preparing our community for the future,” said Deborah Brown, board president for Brookline CDC. “By integrating deep energy retrofits, we’re ensuring that affordable housing can also be climate-friendly housing.”
The project is part of the Climate Ready Housing Program, a state-funded initiative administered by LISC Massachusetts and MA Housing Partnership that provides grants for deep energy retrofits in multifamily affordable housing. The program is designed to achieve very low carbon emissions while preserving long-term affordability.
In addition to Climate Ready Housing funds, the project is supported through multiple public and philanthropic sources, including the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), the The LEAN Multifamily Program (LEAN) and a generous grant from the Brookline Community Foundation.
Construction is now underway, with project completion anticipated by January.
