Sustainability Blog
WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM UPDATE
Posted January 26, 2010
Author: Zachary T. Steadman
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program is designed to provide weatherization services to low-income families. This program allows qualifying homeowners to install energy efficiency measures in order to lower energy costs. According to the DOE, the Weatherization Assistance Program has provided weatherization services to more than 6.2 million families.
The DOE is now amending the eligibility provisions to provide further assistance to multi-unit housing. If a multi-unit building is under an assisted or public housing program and is identified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and included on a list published by the DOE, that building will receive certain benefits under the Weatherization Assistance Program without the need for further evaluation or verification. Through the Weatherization Assistance Program, Congress states that it is attempting to develop and implement an assistance program to increase the energy efficiency of dwellings owned or occupied by low-income persons, reduce their total residential energy expenditures, and improve their health and safety, especially low-income persons who are particularly vulnerable such as the elderly, the handicapped, and children. For further information, please see 42 U.S.C. 6861.
