AACOG Weatherization Assistance Program gets a boost!

CONGRESSMEN CUELLAR, RODRIGUEZ ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $26.5 MILLION TO MAKE HOMES ENERGY EFFICIENT IN BEXAR AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES

Congressmen Henry Cuellar and Ciro Rodriguez recently announced that the recent federal economic recovery bill continues to pump money into the Bexar County economy, this time with more than $26 million to help residents in the San Antonio area and adjoining counties make their homes more energy efficient.

The funding is headed to the City of San Antonio, which will receive $12.3 million, and AACOG, which will receive $14.3 million, for their Weatherization Assistance Programs. The program assists families in making homes energy efficient, including replacement of appliances, windows and doors, insulation, etc. These funds are available for families who live up to 200 percent of the poverty level, and priority will be given to households with small children under the age of 6, those with an elderly resident, or those with a disabled person. Qualifying households may receive up to $6,500. Read this entire article.

It is estimated that more than 3,000 families in Bexar and surrounding counties will benefit from these funds, which are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that Congress passed recently. This program is expected to stimulate the local economy with the creation of many jobs.

“This news could not come at a better moment for the City of San Antonio and surrounding counties. This is a win-win situation for all, for the residents whose homes will now be energy efficient and for the local economy,” said Congressman Cuellar. “In today’s challenging economy, these funds will create new jobs, strengthen our infrastructure, and provide a major boost to the Bexar County economy.”

“Making ourselves more energy efficient is one of the most effective things we can do to conserve energy immediately,” Congressman Rodriguez said. “This funding will be used for weatherization projects that will create jobs in our communities and help residents and businesses save money.”

Laurence Doxsey, Director of the Office of Environmental Policy for the City of San Antonio, said the City of San Antonio will partner with its electric utility to operate a program that targets residents that have had trouble paying their utility bills. Many of these residents receive subsidies to cover their bills, and these weatherization funds will help them reduce their costs with the intention that the reduced utility costs become manageable. The program will seek to include a neighborhood sweep concept, where target residents are clustered such that adjoining eligible residents can participate in the program.

“The forecast number of units that will be able to participate in the new City program will be an important boost for the quality of life for many households in San Antonio. This program will also be a boost for the businesses that provide weatherization-associated services, thus leading to the creation of more jobs in the area,” said Doxsey.

For more than 27 years, AACOG has been weatherizing homes throughout the 12-county region as part of the national Weatherization Assistance Program.

“We are extremely happy to be the recipients of $14 million in Weatherization Stimulus Funds for our region. With the additional stimulus funds, we will be able to provide additional free insulation, Energy Star appliances, air conditioning units, energy efficient doors and windows, and other conservation measures to low and moderate income residents that will result in lower utility bills,” said Gloria Arriaga, AACOG Executive Director.

Arriaga said AACOG is already signing up people and placing them on a first-come, first-serve waiting list. The City of San Antonio and AACOG will be working collaboratively to ensure that program implementation from both initiatives is complementary. For more information about the AACOG Weatherization Assistance Program, call (210) 362-5282, e-mail mrivero@aacog.com or visit www.aacog.com/housing.