EAST BOSTON—Homeowners in troubled straits are getting help through loan-modification programs: "Diana Franco, director of home ownership for the nonprofit Neighborhood of Affordable Housing in East Boston, said two clients recently saved $800 or more on monthly mortgage payments while another obtained a below-market interest rate of 2 percent for the life of a loan." [Globe]
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HUB-WIDE—The area was again among the top 25 metros in number of Energy Star buildings: "Boston ranked No. 10, up from No. 12 in 2010. "During 2011, 161 buildings in the Boston area—with more than 44 million square feet of floor space—earned the Energy Star designation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates the buildings saved $61 million in energy costs and avoided emissions equivalent to electricity use in 4,000 homes." [Boston.com]