Climate Change News - February 18, 2019 (Retired) | Newsletter

Since February 19, 2019, Climate Change News has been retired.

Please check out our current biweekly newsletter, Climate Change Solutions, for the latest in community and legislative climate action as well as the newest EESI fact sheets, articles, videos, and events.

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Briefing Recap: Built Infrastructure Communities Energy Efficiency - The Multiple Benefits of Federal Housing and Energy Programs

On February 8, Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA) and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a "101" briefing about federal programs that reduce housing and energy cost burdens for people in need. National policy experts who interact closely with state and local organizations provided an overview of key programs, including statutory authority and appropriations, and how they impact the lives of recipients. Panelists discussed how energy efficiency services result in lower home energy bills, which is critical for low-income families that spend a greater percentage of their income on energy.

Ellen Lurie Hoffman, Federal Policy Director at the National Housing Trust, said, energy is the number one driver of housing costs. She discussed Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA), which is managed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is a public-private partnership that provides affordable housing for more than 1.2 million low-income households across the country. She also covered the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), which is managed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It is the primary tool for the development of affordable multi-family rental housing and since 1986 has financed more than 2.8 million affordable apartments nationwide, at a rate of nearly 100,000 per year.

Eric Behna, Policy & Communications Manager at the National Association for State Community Services Programs (NASCSP), discussed DOE's National Weatherization Program (WAP). WAP is a federal, state, and local partnership and is the largest energy retrofit program in the nation. WAP is present in every county in the nation, throughout all 50 states, D.C., and 5 U.S. territories, serving all types of housing. WAP directly supports more than 8,500 jobs nationwide, as well as indirectly supporting many others through contractors and subcontractors.

Katrina Metzler, Executive Director at the National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC), discussed the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which is a block grant established by Congress in 1981 that enjoys bipartisan support. She said LIHEAP is the primary federal funding source for energy affordability that helps families meet their immediate heating and cooling needs. Nearly 6 million households were served in 2017.

Michael Furze, Assistant Director, Energy Division at Washington State Department of Commerce, said, his state's Weatherization Plus Health program (Wx+H) is a pilot program that helps families whose homes are unsuitable for typical Pacific Northwest conditions: homes that are drafty, cold, moldy, leaky, damp, and claustrophobic with non-ventilated wood stoves. Initial results of the Wx+H program are promising. The Pierce County Healthy Homes Case Study found that one year after Wx+H, 65 percent of homes reported respiratory improvement, 70 percent reported quality of life improvement, and there were 4 fewer urgent care visits, 15 fewer ER visits, and 6 fewer hospital admissions.

For a full recap of this event and archived video, click on this link

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