Weatherization & Home Energy Efficiency

The Weatherization Assistance Program helps income-eligible families and individuals by reducing their heating/cooling costs and improving the safety of their homes through energy efficiency measures.

Because many of the intended beneficiaries of weatherization assistance are not homeowners, state weatherization assistance programs (WAPs) may include weatherization assistance to rental properties. However, the enhanced value of the weatherized property creates an incentive for a landlord to raise the rent, evict the tenant, and/or sell the improved property for a profit, at the expense of the WAP and in contravention of WAP goals. NCLC has conducted a review of State Landlord-Tenant Weatherization Agreements for specific provisions that help protect low-income tenants from these unintended consequences of weatherization.

Policy Analysis

Sign-on letter urging Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to support greater energy efficiency investments in multifamily affordable housing, April 17, 2012

Testimony for the U.S. House and Senate re: FY 2013 Appropriations for the US. Department of Energy Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Program, Mar. 30, 2012

NCLC et al. Initial Brief re: "Applications of CA Investor Owned Utilities for Approval of Energy Savings Assistance Programs and Budgets," Feb. 2, 2012

Reply Testimony of NCLC attorney Charles Harak before the CA Public Utilities Commission re: energy efficiency programs for multifamily housing, Dec. 9, 2011

Up the Chimney: How HUD's Inaction Costs Taxpayers Millions and Drives Up Utility Bills for Low-Income Families Report, August 2010

Statement of NCLC and Texas Legal Services Center for the June 18, 2009 Department of Energy Public Hearing on Proposed Rule Changes to the Weatherization Program, June 2009

NCLC And TLSC Comments to the Department of Energy on Proposed Rule Changes to the Weatherization Program, June 2009

Additional Resources

"Prepaid Utility Service and Revenue Decoupling" by National Resource Defense Council Energy Program Co-director Ralph Cavanagh and NCLC Senior Energy Policy Analyst John Howat published in the Electricity Policy Journal, May 2, 2012

U.S. Sets First Regional Energy-Saving Standards for ACs and Furnaces, June 2011

Bright Idea: New Energy-Efficient Lighting Standards

NCLC's Energy and Utility Publications and Resources