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Takoma Park recommends $657,675 to eight small multifamily properties for electrification and efficiency upgrades
Summary
Housing staff recommended awarding $657,675 in state energy grant funds to eight small multifamily properties to fund electrical panel upgrades, heat‑pump conversions, insulation, window and appliance replacement and one rooftop solar + battery project; awards require Phase 1 energy audits and will be finalized by grant agreements if council approves next week.
Takoma Park housing staff on June 2 recommended awarding $657,675 in Phase‑2 Multifamily Building Improvement Grant (MFBIG) funds to eight small multifamily properties to support electrification and energy‑efficiency upgrades.
Paloma Bridal LeFebre, housing manager in the city’s Housing and Community Development Department, told the council the round focused on buildings of roughly 30 units or fewer and used six scoring criteria: project need, cost‑effectiveness, building equity and tenant benefits, greenhouse‑gas reduction potential, prior grant history and likelihood of project success. Staff received 11 applications and recommended eight awardees.
Recommended projects include electrical panel upgrades (to enable electrification of dryers and cooktops) at multiple small properties (20 Ritchie Ave; 706 Kennebec Ave; 8308 Eastridge Ave; 8207 Houston Ct; 8316 Roanoke Ave), a comprehensive 15‑unit condominium renovation at 112 Lee Ave that staff said would leverage approximately $1.5M in additional county funding if awarded, a 28‑unit Montgomery Housing Partnership property conversion to high‑efficiency air‑source heat pumps (Sligo View Apartments), and a 26‑unit condo project (24 Manor Circle) planning rooftop solar and battery storage to become a grid‑interactive facility.
Paloma summarized the total: “Knowing the total project cost for all 8 would be a little over 2,000,000, we are looking to fund 657,675 with our multifamily building improvement grant.” She said the $657,675 award amount comes from state energy grant funding administered by the Maryland Energy Administration.
Councilors asked how the city would verify outcomes and whether awards unlock additional funding. Staff said Phase‑2 applicants must have completed Phase‑1 energy audits (or equivalent paid audits) and that some awards are structured to unlock county funds; staff estimated combined emissions reductions across the recommended projects at roughly 300 metric tons of CO2 annually (staff‑provided estimate), or about the equivalent of removing 75 cars from the road each year.
Next steps: the council will consider the recommended awards at next week’s meeting; if approved, staff will issue award notifications, execute grant agreements and begin project implementation in partnership with building owners and management companies.
Ending: The recommendation is part of an ongoing effort to increase small‑building electrification and tenant comfort while leveraging outside grants; councilors encouraged outreach and publicity to amplify successful projects and encourage wider adoption.
