HUD REGIONAL DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR BISHOP ANNOUNCES THAT OVER 700 AFFORDABLE HOMES IN WISCONSIN WILL BECOME MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT AS A RESULT OF RECOVERY ACT GREEN RETROFIT AWARDS
Awards will create green jobs and reduce energy costs

MILWAUKEE - Today, U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Deputy Regional Administrator Beverly Bishop announced that 726 homes throughout Wisconsin will become energy efficient as a result of additional funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s Multifamily Green Retrofit Program. The $9.5 million in new awards will create jobs and save money for residents of 4 affordable housing developments in the state. For a full list of new awards going to Wisconsin, please see below.

Today’s announcement is part of a major, national Recovery Act milestone: 100 percent of the program’s $250 million in grants and loans was obligated by the September 30, 2010, statutory deadline, marking a significant achievement for a program that was created only eighteen months ago. The entire $250 million, awarded nationally, is now dedicated to developments to provide nearly 20,000 homes around the country with energy efficient upgrades. In addition to the green improvements, the green retrofit grants and loans will also create jobs, and reduce utility consumption by more than 25 percent on average, saving these low-income properties $12 million annually on utility bills. A complete list of Recovery Act Green Retrofit Program awards being issued today can be viewed in full here.

The Green Retrofit Program is designed to create thousands of green jobs as workers retrofit older federally assisted multi-family apartment developments with the next generation of energy efficient technologies. Grants and loans provided through this program help private landlords and property management companies to cut heating and air conditioning costs by installing more efficient heating and cooling systems, and to reduce water use by replacing faucets and toilets. These Recovery Act funds also produce other environmental benefits by encouraging the use of recycled building materials, reflective roofing, and non-toxic products to reduce potentially harmful ‘off-gassing’ of harmful fumes. Funds are awarded to owners of HUD-assisted housing projects and can be used for a wide range of retrofit activities, ranging from windows/doors to solar panels and geothermal installation.

The Recovery Act included $13.61 billion for projects and programs administered by HUD, nearly 75 percent of which was allocated to state and local recipients only eight days after President Obama signed the Act into law. The remaining 25 percent is being awarded through competitive grant programs, including the Green Retrofit Program. To date, 100 percent of HUD’s Recovery Act grant funds are in the hands of local communities, being used to improve housing and neighborhoods, while creating jobs. HUD is committed to implementing Recovery Act investments swiftly and effectively as they generate tens of thousands of jobs, modernize homes to make them energy efficient, and
help the families and communities hardest hit by the economic crisis.

In addition, Secretary Donovan and the Department are committed to providing the highest level of transparency possible as Recovery Act funds are administered. It is vitally important that the American people are fully aware of how their tax dollars are being spent and can hold their federal leaders accountable. Every dollar of Recovery Act funds HUD spends can be reviewed and tracked at HUD’s Recovery Act website. The full text of HUD’s funding notices and tracking of future performance of these grants is also available at HUD’s Recovery Act website.

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