CLU Reports

These are CLU's reports starting with the most recent. Click here to download them.

Recommendations on Pre-Weatherization and Tiered Incentives shows that a small subsidy would allow low-moderate income residents to weatherize their homes, save more than the cost of repairs, recover the money they are paying into Mass Save, and weatherize the oldest, draftiest homes in the Commonwealth. (“Pre-weatherization” measures fix conditions that keep a house from being weatherized such as knob and tube wiring, appliances that emit carbon monoxide, and asbestos.)

Moving Towards Community Driven Energy Efficiency: An Evaluation of Green Justice Coalition’s Community Mobilization Initiatives shows that community organizations can make home weatherization accessible and affordable for low-income communities and communities of color; meet weatherization targets; and create some high-road jobs. The report concludes that utility companies need to adopt broader measures of cost-effectiveness so that we can keep bringing energy efficiency and good jobs to all of the Commonwealth’s communities. Click here for a summary of the report.

Who's Got the Power? draws lessons from the Green Justice Campaign that may be valuable for organizers nationwide.

An Industry at the Crossroads: Energy Efficiency Employment in Massachusetts finds that the state can save taxpayers money and create thousands of high-wage, high-road jobs through Responsible Employer standards, Community Mobilization outreach programs, and community workforce agreements. 

Massachusetts’ 3-Year Energy Efficiency Plans: Creating Access for All? documents barriers that low- to moderate-income residents and weatherization workers are facing as they try to get homes weatherized and get good jobs from the state's energy efficiency programs.

Green Justice Issue Brief lists four obstacles to climate security and equity in energy efficiency programs and presents a plan to overcome each obstacle.

The Green Justice Solution: A Win-Win Plan to Prevent Climate Crisis and Jumpstart an Equitable and Sustainable Economic Recovery analyzes the energy efficiency landscape in Massachusetts and presents a climate justice model for economic recovery and climate security. You can download the full 80-page report or the 8-page summary.

The NonProfit City analyzes the economic impact of Boston's teaching hospitals on the city's tax base and fiscal health.

Running on Fumes: Boston Taxi Drivers Struggle to Make a Living describes a taxi industry that is balanced on the backs of its workers.

Community Labor United has also issued three "framing reports" on inequality in Boston.

The Hourglass Challenge surveys Boston's economy from an organizing perspective. It shows that low and moderate-income residents and residents of color have borne most of the pain as the region has shifted to a service economy, and that shift has undercut local governments’ capacity to provide the supports those working families need to thrive. You can also download a power point presentation on this report.

Earnings, Poverty, and Income Inequality is a 2008 update of The Hourglass Challenge.

Earnings, Poverty and Income Inequality in Boston 2009 examines just-released US Census data and finds deep disparities by gender, race, and national origin including high poverty rates for Asians, high unemployment rates for African-Americans and Latinos, skewed health insurance coverage and homeownership,  -- while over half of the city's individual income goes to the top one-fifth of its residents.