Lynn Housing Authority Approves $1.9M for Fire Safety Upgrades

Funds will replace aging fire alarm systems at several public housing complexes

Apr. 7, 2026 at 11:19pm

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A close-up photograph of a sleek, rectangular fire alarm control panel with various buttons and indicators, set against a plain grey background, symbolizing the technical upgrades to improve fire safety in public housing.A modernized fire alarm control panel represents the vital safety upgrades being made to aging public housing complexes in Lynn, Massachusetts.Lynn Today

The Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development (LHAND) Board of Commissioners has approved approximately $1.9 million in emergency funding to replace deteriorating fire alarm systems at several public housing properties in Lynn, Massachusetts. The funding will cover upgrades at McGee House, Essex & Tilton, Shepard & Warren, and Caggiano Plaza, which will also receive new sprinklers.

Why it matters

Ensuring proper fire safety systems in public housing is critical for protecting vulnerable residents. The aging infrastructure at these LHAND properties posed significant risks, so the emergency funding approval is an important step to address these issues and improve overall safety.

The details

The LHAND Board voted to accept two emergency awards totaling $1.9 million for the fire alarm system replacements. One award of $572,482 will cover the McGee House (49 units), Essex & Tilton (47 units), and Shepard & Warren (28 units) properties. The other $1,388,475 award will fund the replacement of the fire alarm and sprinkler systems at the 107-unit Caggiano Plaza. In February, Caggiano Plaza suffered a sprinkler pipe burst on the 10th floor, temporarily displacing four residents.

  • The LHAND Board approved the emergency funding at their Monday evening meeting.
  • The bidding process for the projects is expected to begin in mid-April.

The players

Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development (LHAND)

The public housing authority responsible for managing and maintaining affordable housing properties in Lynn, Massachusetts.

Charles Mihos

Procurement and Facilities Department representative for LHAND who provided details on the fire safety funding and projects.

Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC)

The state agency that provided the emergency funding awards to LHAND for the fire alarm and sprinkler system replacements.

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What they’re saying

“The Board of Commissioners voted on the engineer for the project, to have them design the plans for the fire alarm at these properties.”

— Charles Mihos, Procurement and Facilities Department, LHAND

“EOHLC (Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities) was able to provide us with these parts of money, one for project number 163171 that is the McGee House, Essex & Tilton, and Shepard & Warren, and the other part of (the) money 163170 is Caggiano Plaza.”

— Charles Mihos, Procurement and Facilities Department, LHAND

“Good news is (that) hopefully we can get started on this project as soon as possible. I think that the bidding schedule was mid-April, the architects were going to begin advertising for this.”

— Charles Mihos, Procurement and Facilities Department, LHAND

What’s next

The bidding process for the fire alarm and sprinkler system replacement projects at the LHAND properties is expected to begin in mid-April, with the architects advertising for contractors at that time.

The takeaway

This emergency funding approval by LHAND demonstrates the critical need to address aging infrastructure and safety issues in public housing complexes. The upgrades will provide much-needed fire protection for vulnerable residents and help prevent future incidents like the sprinkler pipe burst at Caggiano Plaza.