Top Story
October 2025 Recap
October was filled with member-led programming. Read the monthly review.
Retrofitting Affordable Housing for Net Zero
November 7, 2025
The real estate industry is at a critical point to decarbonize. Ultimately, the goal will be to reach net zero, but it can be difficult to know where to start or how to push forward.
Photo By ULI
Workshop participants tour an affordable housing development that is being updated and retrofitted for energy efficiency to help ensure long-term affordability of utilities for tenants.
To support efforts to reduce carbon in the built environment in Philadelphia, ULI Philadelphia partnered with the City of Philadelphia’s (the City) Division of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation (PHDC) to host a two-day technical assistance workshop on May 8 & 9, 2025, focused on best practices and lessons learned in retrofitting existing affordable housing developments to preserve their affordability and become carbon neutral. The primary goal of the workshop was to create a blueprint for DHCD, PHDC, and others in the affordable housing sector to successfully retrofit projects to achieve carbon neutrality while maintaining affordability. Workshop partners assembled a team of practitioners from across the country to present a range of case studies, facilitate conversations, and tour affordable housing developments, sharing best practices and lessons learned in retrofitting existing affordable multi-family housing stock nearing the end of subsidy terms to preserve affordability and become carbon neutral.
The workshop also included administrators from peer cities who have faced and overcome similar challenges in managing their affordable housing portfolios and who have structured local financing products to leverage other funds to support residential decarbonization.
This report was released on October 30, 2025 at an event with the workshop sponsors and more than 40 attendees at One Logan Square in Philadelphia. The report summarizes the cases studies presented from peer city participants, affordable housing development tours, and actionable recommendations for PHDC, DHCD, and others interested in retrofitting multifamily developments to achieve carbon neutrality.
Retrofitting Affordable Housing for Net Zero
Download the report PDFWorkshop and Report Release Event
-
Report release event held on October 30 at One Logan. Panel conversation with ULI, DHCD, PHDC, and Mission First.
Photo By ULI
-
Workshop participants stop in front of Kate’s Place, a supportive housing residence renovated by Project HOME.
Photo By ULI
-
Workshop participants tour the grounds of Villas Del Caribe, development by HACE Community Development, Philadelphia.
Photo By ULI
Retrofitting Affordable Housing for Net Zero Workshop Participants
- Vidhi Anderson, VP of Development, HumanGood, Philadelphia, PA
- Joe Backer, Senior Development, Officer Mayor’s Office of Housing, Boston, MA
- Neil Burger, Program Manager, Capital Projects Division, PHA, Philadelphia, PA
- Kelly Cary, Senior Development, Project Manager, Stone Sherick, Philadelphia, PA
- Jaclyn Helverson, Treasurer, PHA, Philadelphia, PA
- Laura S. Humphrey, Senior Director of Energy & Sustainability, L+M Development Partners, New York, NY
- Nidhi Krishen, Deputy Director for Climate Solutions, Office of Sustainability, Philadelphia, PA
- Naida Elena Montes, Ph.D., CDBG-DR Deputy Project Director, Office of the Director of Finance, City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Stacey Mosley, Senior Director, Development & Research Brandywine Realty Trust, Philadelphia, PA
- Andrew Niemynski, Residential Program Manager, Philadelphia Energy Authority, Philadelphia, PA
- Kenyatta “Ken” Parker, Energy Program Manager, Community Investment Corporation, Chicago, IL
- Alan Razak, Senior Advisor, AR Spruce, Philadelphia, PA
- Susanne Stone, Principal, Stone Sherick, Philadelphia, PA
- Derrick Tillman, Founder and President, Bridging the Gap, Development, Pittsburgh, PA
- Joel Wool, Deputy Administrator, Boston Housing Authority, Boston, MA
- Evelyn “Evy” Zwiebach, Director of Policy and Programs, Detroit, Enterprise Community Partners, Detroit, MI
Workshop Sponsor Organizations
- Mark Dodds, Deputy Director, Division of Housing and Community Development, Philadelphia, PA
- David S. Thomas, CEO, PHDC, Philadelphia, PA
- Saundra Malanowicz, Program Manager Division of Housing and Community Development, City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Rachel Mulbry, Director of Policy and, Strategic Initiatives, PHDC, Philadelphia, PA
The workshop and report release event were supported by ULI’s Net Zero Imperative program.
