Special to the Record
The climate resilience project will protect the Chelsea Housing Authority’s most vulnerable residents – seniors and those with disabilities – by keeping them cooler in their apartments during extreme heat events.
The Chelsea Housing Authority (CHA), in partnership with the City of Chelsea, has installed a white solar-reflective “cool roof” on one of its largest public housing buildings – the Margolis Complex, which houses seniors and adults with disabilities. This new, cool roof combats the city’s urban heat island effect and reduces indoor temperatures for some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.
The “cool roof,” which was made possible by approximately $165,000 in CHA capital funding and an $85,000 Accelerating Climate Resilience grant awarded to the City by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), was accomplished by coating the Margolis complex’s existing roof with a white, solar-reflective surface that will reduce the building’s indoor temperatures and lower energy demand for cooling.
“The project prioritizes the city’s Margolis’ residents, who are most vulnerable to health risks caused by rising temperatures, such as dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke,” said Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez. “It’s about recognizing that every Chelsea resident deserves to be safe and comfortable in their home during extreme heat. Together with the Chelsea Housing Authority, we’re taking action to cool this city down, starting with those who need it most.”
Built in 1975 for seniors and adults with disabilities, the Margolis Apartments Complex is a thirteen-story, brick masonry construction high-rise federally-aided development with two elevators, a large community room, 143 one-bedroom apartments, & 8 two-bedroom apartments, totaling 151 units.
“The Chelsea Housing Authority is proud to work with the City of Chelsea as a partner to increase the quality of life and health of our residents,” said Director of Operations for Chelsea Housing Authority Matt Frank. “This is one of many examples of how the city has worked with CHA to upgrade our portfolio with direct positive health impacts being felt by our residents.”
Kristen Homeyer, Resilience Manager for the North Suffolk Office of Resilience & Sustainability leads Chelsea’s broader climate resilience initiatives, including community cooling strategies, green infrastructure installations, and public education campaigns.
“This project is a great example of how relatively simple, cost-effective interventions can have a profound impact on the public health of our most vulnerable residents and climate resilience,” said Homeyer. “By prioritizing cooling strategies in affordable housing – we’re also advancing equity and environmental justice in communities that are too often left behind.”
The Chelsea Housing Authority, which manages over 1,400 units of affordable housing across the city, sees this as a model for future building improvements.
“The white roof upgrade also pushes our current roof warranty to 14 years which qualifies it for future solar panels,” said Frank.
The MAPC’s Accelerating Climate Resilience program supports municipal efforts to implement equitable climate adaptation strategies across the Greater Boston region.