Iowa residents receive weatherization assistance

Iowa will be receiving almost $35 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus plan) to expand weatherization assistance programs. The money is being provided by the the U.S. Department of Energy.

Iowa will be receiving this aid, and is eligible for more if the state meets certain Recovery Act milestones, will help weatherize almost 7,500 homes across the state, thereby lowering energy costs for low  and mid income families and individuals.

The work will be overseen by a variety of groups across Iowa. For example, Community Action of Southeast Iowa, which is just one of the 18 agencies statewide that will help carry out the weatherization work, will be  receiving over $3 million of this aid over the next three years to assist families and individuals in Des Moines, Henry, Lee, and Louisa counties. The Community Action Executive Director said that this particular organization typically helps weatherize between 100 and 140 homes each and every year, and with the increased funding, they expect to now weatherize about 220 homes per year.

These programs can really reduce energy bills. Weatherization work can include insulating attics, walls, and crawl spaces throughout the home, weatherstripping windows and doors, improving windows and caulking, venting attics, minor foundation repairs, and furnace repair.

The Iowa weatherization assistance program will be available to help those families who are making 200 percent of the federal poverty level, which is equivalent to around $21,000 per year for a single person or around $44,000 a year for a family of four. This is an improvement from the past. as eligibility was previously 150 percent above the federal poverty guidelines, but the criteria has been expanded with the release of the ARRA funds.

If you are interested in this program, you can pick up applications at their local Community Action Neighborhood Center. Community Action Organizations and other participating agencies and charities across the state will play and key role in running these programs, and they will also need to submit monthly reports to ensure transparency and accountability for the stimulus dollars on ensure funds are spent on energy assistance.