Low-income homeowners in Gainesville may be eligible for federal grant money to help make their homes more energy efficient.
Gainesville Regional Utilities will use $528,500 in federal energy-efficiency grants to more than double the number of low-income homeowners who can participate in the company’s Low-income Energy Efficiency Program, according to a news release.
With additional funding from GRU, LEEP is expected to use $800,000 to help 276 homeowners this year.
“It empowers our customers to walk them through an energy-efficiency program,” said Vanessa Aragon, a GRU residential efficiency program coordinator.
Last year, GRU helped 114 customers make their homes more energy efficient by replacing air conditioning and heating systems, adding insulation and replacing water heaters.
The program provides an average of $3,000 in improvements to each home.
But the program isn’t just a service to the community, Aragon said. LEEP also helps GRU by reducing the company’s energy demands.
To be eligible for the program, customers must own and live in the home and meet income qualifications based on current U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s low-income guidelines.
