Housing Corporation of Arlington (HCA), in partnership with the Town of Arlington, has been awarded an $80,000 Accelerating Climate Resilience (ACR) Grant from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) to launch Resilience for All: Creating Climate Resilient Spaces for Arlington’s Affordable Housing.
This project will enhance climate preparedness at Capitol Square Apartments, a 32-unit affordable housing property in East Arlington, by exploring the potential for solar-powered resiliency spaces where residents can stay safe and cool during extreme heat, storms, and power outages. The grant will fund a feasibility study for the installation of solar-battery backup generators, ensuring reliable power for critical community spaces.
“Climate change is already affecting the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Erica Schwarz, Executive Director of HCA. “Investing in climate resilience means peace of mind for our residents— including seniors, families with young children, people with disabilities—who are most at risk during heat waves and outages.”
In addition to the feasibility study, the grant will partially fund a Services and Civic Engagement Coordinator at HCA. This staff member will collaborate with the Town’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) 2.0 program and local Community Liaisons to engage tenants directly in climate preparedness planning, ensuring residents’ voices shape Arlington’s adaptation strategies.
“We are pleased to partner with HCA on this Accelerating Climate Resilience grant,” said Arlington Town Manager Jim Feeney. “This project is an important continuation of efforts to strengthen community-wide social resilience in the face of climate change. I'd like to thank our Sustainability Manager, Talia Fox, for her work helping HCA to secure this funding.”
The project builds on HCA’s ongoing decarbonization strategy, which includes planning for weatherization, deep-energy retrofits, and solar installations across its affordable housing portfolio. Together with the Town and technical partner Resonant Energy, HCA aims to model how affordable housing can serve as a cornerstone of climate resilience planning.
As part of the ACR program, HCA and the Town will also join MAPC’s Resilience Community of Practice, a peer-learning network for grantees to share lessons and strategies across the region.
