Chinatown apartments to get nearly $12 million in federal funds for energy efficient upgrades

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The federal government is giving out some big money to help low-income families in Chicago and around the nation.

Housing and Urban Development Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman joined Mayor Brandon Johnson on Thursday to announce $11.76 million in renovations for the Archer Courts Apartments housing development in Chinatown

The grant was part of nearly $174 million in federal funding for HUD's Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, which aims to make homes more energy-efficient and climate-resistant for low-income Americans.

"I've been in this business for a while, and I see what I've seen too frequently, which is units that are in dire need of real repairs for people who are hard-working and deserving, and who need it, and have needed it for far too long," Todman said.

"It's appropriate that this Green and Resilient Retrofit Program is here to provide deep impact for Archer [Courts], and of course the Chinatown community

Archer Court was one of the city's first public housing developments when it was built in 1948. Building management said the federal funding will address aging heating and water systems, upgrade ventilation systems, and add a rooftop solar system.

HUD also awarded $5.68 million in funding for repairs to the Austin Renaissance Apartments on the West Side.