Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP)
HWAP provides each applicant household with Energy
Conservation Education, an energy audit on their home, and the necessary
installation of energy conservation materials (primarily insulation) for the
household to realize energy usage reduction. All households receive a safety
inspection of their heating unit. Generally the heating units require a “Clean
& Tune” to make it operate more efficiently which HWAP provides. Sometimes a
serious health and safety problem (such as a crack in the heat exchanger) is
discovered. Under these situations a new heating unit will be installed.
ACCAA serves Ashtabula, Lake and Geauga counties with HWAP funding. Applicants’ household incomes must be at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines to be income eligible. Income-eligible renters are also eligible to apply for HWAP, landlords must give permission and in some cases contribute a portion of the cost of certain measures installed in the rental unit. One thing to keep in mind when considering the use of this program is that this is not an emergency program and an appointment is needed.
Program Year 2005 Funding is $724,357.00 which will allow ACCAA to provide HWAP services to 183 income eligible households in Ashtabula, Lake and Geauga counties.
House Warming
The House Warming Program is funded by Dominion East Ohio
Gas. ACCAA receives the House Warming funding as a sub-grantee of Cleveland
Housing Network.
House Warming provides the same services as the Home Weatherization Assistance Program. ACCAA provides House Warming services to Ashtabula, Lake and Geauga county residents whose household incomes are at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines and who are Dominion East Ohio Gas customers. The planned House Warming production for 2005 is 100 units.
Community Connections
The Community Connections program is funded by the First
Energy Corporation.
Community Connections provides a wide variety of services for income-eligible households. To be eligible household incomes must be at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines and they must be customers in-good-standing of CEI or Ohio Edison. There are four major parts of the Community Connections program:
Energy Efficiency / Weatherization (EEW)
EEW provides Energy Conservation Education, compact fluorescent light bulbs, low-flow showerheads, refrigerator coil cleaning brush, electric water-heater insulation wraps, and waterbed insulated pads. EEW funds can also be used to provide sidewall and attic insulation in all-electric homes.
Appliance Replacement
Refrigerators and/or freezers that monitor inefficient can be replaced with Community Connections funding. ACCAA must have the old refrigerator and/or freezer removed when the new appliances are delivered. The object of the program is to remove high energy users from the grid. Window air conditioners can be replaced with energy efficient models if the resident has a doctor’s statement that the resident needs the air conditioner for health purposes. Repairs to central air conditioners can be made to make the air conditioner work more efficiently if a doctor’s statement is present.
Electric Repairs for Safety & Health
Community Connections funds can be used to provide dangerous wiring that eliminate safety and health risks from the residents and/or allow ACCAA to provide installation of insulation in the sidewalls and attic. ACCAA can also provide electric range and electric clothes dryer repair or replacement (which ever is less expensive).
Roof Repairs / Roof Replacements
Community Connections funds can be used to repair or replace roofs when the condition of the roof prevents us from installing attic insulation with any of our available energy conservation funding sources.
The Community Connections funding for 2005 is $250,000 for use in the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. service area and $25,000 for use in the Ohio Edison service area.
Area Agency on
Aging Home Repair
This program provides minor home repairs or
accessibility modification to elderly (60 years of age or older) residents of
Ashtabula County. This Home Repair program requires that the elderly
applicant pay a portion of the repair based on a sliding scale fee. Those
living below the Federal Poverty level do not have to share in the cost of the
repair.
Home repairs must be necessary to ensure the safety, sanitation, health and/or security of the residents and are available for home owners only. Accessibility modifications can be provided to home owners and to renters (with the permission of the landlord).
The funding for this program is provided to ACCAA through a State Block Grant to the District XI Area Agency on Aging. The 2005 funding for this program is $10,527.00 and will allow approximately 21 repairs or modifications.
NEW HOPE Transitional Housing Program
NEW HOPE is a
program that helps homeless families transition from a homeless
“emergency-assistance” dependant situation to obtaining and maintaining
permanent affordable housing through the participant families’ personal growth
and vocational development. NEW HOPE is intended to be dynamic
and fluid – a catalyst for personal change to the participant family.
The NEW HOPE program provides intensive case management to help the participant families set performance targets (goals) and plan milestones (action steps) to achieve their goals. Once a family has successfully accomplished some initial targets that are set by the case manager the NEW HOPE program can provide rental and utility assistance to help the family locate a suitable permanent housing unit. The rental and utility assistance can continue for up to 24 months as long as the family continues to work setting and accomplishing goals that will lead to independence and self-sufficiency.
Other assistance for the NEW HOPE participant families can include furniture, bed and bath linens, housewares, household paper products, household cleaning and laundry products and personal hygiene products as necessary.
Program Eligibility In order to qualify for the NEW HOPE program, the family must be homeless; be a family group with at least one minor child; have a household income at or below 35% of the area median; be physically and emotionally able and willing to participate in education, job training and employment; be legally able to sign binding contracts; have the ability to function independently; not be actively abusing drugs and/or alcohol; not be in an untreated abusive relationship; and not have untreated mental illness(es).
United Way
Home Maintenance and Repair
This program provides minor home maintenance,
repairs and accessibility modifications to any household in Ashtabula County
that is at or below 50% of the Area Median Income. Repairs are provided on
a first-come first-served basis. A waiting list is not kept for this
program.
Programs
Currently Under Consideration or In Design
Furniture Bank
Ashtabula County could use Furniture Bank that would take donations of good used furniture and clean linens and housewares items. ACCAA has been looking for a building that is dry, fairly clean and safe that an individual would want to donate the use of for this purpose.
We would accept items at the Furniture Bank at times specified by arrangements made with the individuals donating the items. ACCAA staff would not accept items that were not in good usable and clean conditions. ACCAA would accept mattresses and box springs only if we could contract with a firm in Cleveland to re-build them for less than a new set would cost.
The Furniture Bank would be available for families who are referred by any local agency. The referring agency should have visited the family’s home or know the family’s specific situation and be able to provide a furniture requisition with specific needed items listed on the requisition.
Affordable Laundromat
A major problem in our clients’ homes is unwashed clothing lying in piles. The primary reason for this problem is the cost of going to a Laundromat. It is cheaper to buy clothing at Goodwill than to take clothing to a Laundromat. This is the reason for an Affordable Laundromat concept that uses plastic slide cards that are sold on a sliding scale fee based on the individual’s or family’s household income. Grants are sought to off-set the cost of Laundromat operation and what the customers are able to pay. Donations of laundry products would be sought from manufacturers. ACCAA would also have to secure a capital grant for a location and equipment.
Home Buyer and Housing Counseling
ACCAA currently is able to provide Home Buyer Workshops but we are planning to become certified providers of Housing and Budgeting Counseling. ACCAA is currently seeking grants to provide funding for staff training and certification and to provide approved curriculum design and printing of needed materials.
Home Repair Funding
ACCAA is seeking additional home repair funding for low-income homeowners in Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake Counties. We are not able to provide weatherization to some eligible households because their homes need mechanical and/or structural repairs that would protect the integrity of the weatherization materials.
Affordable Energy-Efficient Homes for Homeownership Program
ACCHDO Inc. would like to secure funding to construct and sell energy-efficient housing to low- and moderate-income households. We currently have a design using a TECHBUILT SYSTEMS Inc. structure to be built by American Exterior builders.
|
Size of Household |
Total Gross of Household Income |
|
1 |
up to $15,315 |
| 2 | up to $20,535 |
| 3 | up to $25,755 |
| 4 | up to $30,975 |
| 5 | up to $36,195 |
| 6 | up to $41,415 |
| 7 | up to $46,635 |
| 8 | up to $51,855 |
For households with more than 8 members, add $5,220 per member
2009 West Prospect
P.O. Box 2610
Ashtabula, OH
44005-2610
(440) 998-4996
(800) 252-5249
Contact the
Weatherization/Housing Division by email:
accaahousing@accaa.org
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