Energy efficiency upgrades can be inaccessible to some homeowners due to high upfront costs. Utility companies and others can mitigate this by implementing programs to provide income-qualifying homeowners with free or discounted energy efficient upgrades.
In 2022, Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) was awarded grant funding through the Affordable Housing Program (AHP) of the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of Cincinnati to develop a pilot in Kentucky, with support from FHLB member Peoples Bank. In partnership with Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company (LG&E and KU), MEEA has been using this funding to supplement LG&E and KU’s existing low-income utility program, WeCare, to offer deeper energy efficiency retrofits and age-in-place measures at no cost to the homeowner.
AHP Funding is a competitive grant initiative, designed to support projects serving the construction, acquisition and/or rehabilitation of very low to moderate-income homeowners. While writing the application, the MEEA team consulted with LG&E and KU to identify customers with the highest need and chose project commitments that would target those customers and make the project competitive among the applicant pool. The approval of the application led to the creation of the WeCare Plus program. The program serves owner-occupied single-family homes with at least one senior living in the home, and targets prioritized counties. Combined income for all those who live in the home must not exceed 50% of the Area Median Income.
Because verification of eligibility criteria requires collecting a lot of documentation, MEEA works closely with its partners to design a streamlined process for the customer. First, WeCare program implementers provide the MEEA team with a list of candidates based on building type, location and rehabilitation needs. Then MEEA works with homeowners to determine eligibility. WeCare Plus work is first informed by the initial energy audit but can also include health and safety measures identified through customer outreach, such as a grab rail in the shower or repairing a trip hazard. These upgrades allow families to age in place while reaping the benefits of the energy efficiency upgrades they receive from the WeCare and WeCare Plus programs.
To date, LG&E and KU has helped WeCare Plus identify 136 total candidates, and completed construction on 16 homes, resulting in $103,144 in rehabilitation costs, with $61,133 coming from AHP and the rest from WeCare. Some upgrades covered by AHP include insulation, ductwork rework and grab rail installation, allowing the customers to receive the financial and everyday benefits of a more efficient, accessible home.
A customer in the Shawnee neighborhood of Louisville shared, “It was a good program with great people. I am totally satisfied and would recommend it to anyone who would qualify."
“Everything they have done has turned out great,” shared a customer in the Taylor Berry neighborhood of Louisville, whose home received upgraded attic and basement insulation. “It takes a bit of a load off us elderly; anything extra takes a load off us. We think it’s a great program and hope to see it help others.”
If you would like to learn more about the WeCare Plus program, reach out to MEEA Associate, Market Solutions & Education, Miranda Andrade.