Martinsville Bulletin, Inc.
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Martinsville, Virginia 24115
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| To weatherize 154 area homes |
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Friday, April 24, 2009
By PAUL COLLINS - Bulletin Staff Writer
Nearly $1.2 million will be available for Henry County, Martinsville, Pittsylvania County and Danville as the first half of funding for home weatherization improvements under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
John Saunders, housing services director for Pittsylvania County Community Action, which serves those four cities and counties, said that a total of $1,194,637 is designated for weatherization improvements to a total of 154 homes and mobile homes in an 18-month period.
That period started April 1, but only money for “ramping up,” for such things as planning and hiring additional crew and subcontractors, has been released so far, Saunders said.
How much of the money will be spent in each locality has not yet been determined, he said. That will depend on a combination of factors in each jurisdiction, such as the poverty/income level; condition of houses; the numbers of people who apply and qualify for help; and the numbers of households that are considered priorities, he said.
Priority will be given to households that earn no more than 75 percent of the state median income (for example $58,810 for a family of four), to the elderly (at least 60 years old), the physically or mentally disabled, homes with children up to 8 years of age, and households with the greatest energy conservation needs but where repairs can be done within the available funding, Sherman Saunders and Marsha G. Mendenhall have said.
Sherman Saunders is the executive director of Pittsylvania County Community Action, and Mendenhall is the director of planning and budget of Pittsylvania County Community Action and the interim coordinator of a division of the Southside Community Action Program, which serves Henry County and Martinsville.
Thursday, Mendenhall said she thinks “a large number of homes are eligible” for stimulus weatherization improvements in both Henry County and Martinsville. She was contacted after work and did not have more detailed information with her.
“The homes that get weatherized are going to have significant savings in energy costs,” she said.
Stimulus weatherization money may be used for such conservation measures as stopping air leakage; insulating and venting an attic; insulating a water heater; repairing leaky duct systems; repairing and replacing inefficient or unsafe heating and air-conditioning systems; installing carbon monoxide and smoke detectors; and other measures, according to John Saunders and other sources.
He said the stimulus home weatherization funds are in addition to the federal government’s regular home weatherization program, which is serving 38 to 40 homes in Martinsville, Henry and Pittsylvania counties and Danville in the fiscal year that will end June 30.
The stimulus home weatherization program increases the qualifying family income limits, making more households eligible, and it increases the amount that can be spent per home to an average maximum of $6,500 (including administrative and support costs).
Fifth District Congressman Tom Perriello said in a news release that nearly $8.8 million in federal stimulus money will be made available to weatherize more than 1,100 homes in the district. “Investing in home weatherization is a win-win situation because families can lower their home energy costs, which helps all consumers by taking pressure off the grid. Additionally, we can train a new green jobs workforce in energy efficiency technology.”
The news release adds, “Previously, Virginia has maintained a long waiting list for home weatherization grants but the Recovery Act funding will allow unprecedented investment in this program. Virginia will receive a total of $94 million for home weatherization from the stimulus bill.”
John Saunders said that after the first 18-month period, another nearly $1.2 million in federal stimulus home weatherization funds could be made available for Henry County, Martinsville, Pittsylvania County and Danville. Funding will depend on such things as how much money is spent throughout Virginia with the first 50 percent made available.
Applications for stimulus weatherization are available locally at Southside Community Action Program, 58 W. Church St., Martinsville. People who are disabled or who need more information should call Southside Community Action Program at 666-0313. People are urged to apply early because those who qualify will be served on a first-come, first-served basis, Sherman Saunders and Mendenhall have said.
John Saunders said that applications are coming in and being screened every day, and that before the stimulus weatherization funds, Pittsylvania County Community Action had about 175 applications on file from households seeking home weatherization. Also, more than 50 applications that had been turned down are being re-reviewed.
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