Home Weatherization Addresses Energy, Health, and Environmental Problems

ST. AUGUSTINE – The ongoing Home Weatherization Assistance Program, administered by the non-profit St. Johns Housing Partnership (SJHP) in St. Johns, Putman, and Clay counties, provides free Home Weatherization services to income-qualifying households in Northeast Florida.

Benefits of home weatherization include:
• Reduced household energy usage and cost
• Improved housing conditions, which in turn improve health
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
• Increased resilience to climate change impacts

“Our goal is to reduce the monthly energy burden on low-income households by improving the energy efficiency of the home. Outcomes can be significant. Family savings, reduced energy usage, and lower bills reduced asthma and allergies, reduced moisture, fewer missed days from work and school, less out-of-pocket medical costs, and improved indoor air quality,” noted SJHP Executive Director Bill Lazar.

Low-income families pay an average of 18 percent of their annual income for energy, compared with 5 percent for other households. Preference is given to owner-occupied homes, elderly (60 years plus) or physically disabled residents, families with children under 12, and households with a high energy burden (repeated high utility bills).

Not taking advantage of the Home Weatherization Assistance Program is a missed opportunity for low-income residents, who spend more of their income on energy and whose health is more likely to be affected by asthma, cold, and heat.

To see if you or someone you know qualifies, contact SJHP today at (904) 824-0902, email [email protected] or visit www.sjhp.org.