Thanks to Mohave County's Owner Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program

Evelyn sits in newly rehabbed home with friend

Thanks to Mohave County's Owner Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program. Evelyn not only has power to her home, it is supplied with green power! Evelyn is 85 years old and she has lived in her home in Yucca, Arizona for six years without hot water, air cooling, television or anything that would come with electrical power. She lives many miles from any electrical utility lines. Evelyn is disabled and uses a walker. The only electricity for her home, prior to now, was supplied by a very small solar system that powered a couple of light bulbs and a small RV pump so she could get some water into her house. The installation of a new solar system was partially funded by HUD Community Block Grant (CDBG) funded provided to Mohave County.

The housing rehabilitation program has assisted Evelyn to stay in her home for pretty much the rest of her lifetime. It is giving her the electrical power needed to survive the harsh conditions where Evelyn has resided for the past six years. According to Mohave County Grants Coordinator Barbara Blythe, "this is Mohave County's first complete solar project. Evelyn lives a long way from any electrical lines, and yet, we were able to take advantage of a $3000 rebate for Unisource Energy, the local utility company, for producing solar power. Unisource is mandated to supply a certain level of green energy options for consumers and is given green credits for every system that they can count against what they need to meet the state mandate. Unisource gives rebates within their service territory for both on-grid and off-grid systems. It's a good deal."

Other key players in making this solar project happen for Evelyn included Glenn with a solar company of Bullhead City and Curtis, a local general contractor. Glenn put in an "eight-inch pole with a huge foundation" to hold up the passive solar tracker. It transfers gas fluid throughout the day to move it from one side to another. When the sun shines on the ‘wake-up fin', the panels will slowly turn to the morning sun.

Glenn put all wiring underground from the tracker to the shed that houses the batteries and power system as well as the pressurized water tank system. According to him, the system will charge up on sunny days. "It still produces even with clouds," he said, "but only at about 60 percent." The system maintains the charges on the batteries which go to the inverter. "That feeds the house with 120-volt, 60 amp service."

Curtis said he has been a local general contractor for 11 years and has "been doing rehab for 10 of them. With this project, we put in a swamp cooler, a hot water heater, a new ramp to the front door and a new ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) toilet and walk-in shower with grab bars. I really like doing their project with the county. It's the type of thing that makes me feel good."

Mohave County Housing Rehabilitation Specialist Steve Chowns said, "We are very lucky to have such great contractors in our area. It's wonderful working with professional like Glenn and Curtis. They do great jobs, but they also have hearts. They care about the people we help. We just noticed that the new water pressure has shown us some sink plumbing that needs to be done. Curtis will handle it. He just throws that in as a freebie."

The county's rehabilitation programs are granted funded either through a HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), the State Housing Fund and State of Arizona Housing Trust Funds. "No property taxes are used for these services," he said. "We are 100 percent funded through the state and federal grants. We do the things that need to be done to keep people from being dislocated from their homes."

The primary focus of the assistance is to give residents "longevity in their homes" he said, "so they don't have to go into nursing homes or be put out on the street. We make ADA accommodations, repair heating, plumbing, etc. These projects are for people, like Evelyn, who have no other means of getting things done to allow them to stay in their homes."

Mohave County Owner Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program (http://www.co.mohave.az.us/ContentPage.aspx?id=114&cid=14)