Politics & Government

Allegheny County Launches Energy-Efficiency Program for Low-Income Homeowners

The pilot foreclosure prevention program is open to Allegheny County homeowners with Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) mortgages.

Allegheny County, partnering with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, have launched a pilot program to assist low-income homeowners with energy-efficiency improvements that could help cut down on utility bills.

The pilot "Energy Efficiency Foreclosure Prevention Initiative" program was created through a partnership with PHFA,ACTION-Housing and four utility companies: Columbia GasDuquesne LightEquitable Gas and Peoples Natural Gas.

The program will provide $1 million in energy-efficient improvement services to at least 200 Allegheny County homeowners with PHFA mortgages who meet income guidelines.

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Letters have been sent out to 1,341 households in Allegheny County. To date, 415 persons, or 31 percent, have responded to express interest, the county said in a news release.

Eligible homeowners will receive one comprehensive energy audit before improvements are made by a third-party contractor, all at no cost.

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The average anticipated value of the improvements is $5,000 per home.  The four utility companies have committed $750,000 in resources from existing programming along with PHFA’s $250,000 commitment.

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said in a news release that the partnership allows property owners to make energy-efficiency improvements on their homes and use the savings to stay current on their mortgages.

PHFA will provide homeowners with financial education training to help households make consistent mortgage payments.

Philadelphia recently piloted a similar program and Allegheny County's program launched Tuesday is based on that model.

Brian A. Hudson, Sr., PHFA executive director and CEO, indicated his hope that, if successful, the initiative could become a model program throughout Allegheny County, as well as across the state and nationally.

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