Low-Income Weatherization
The long-running Weatherization Assistance Program provides insulation and other weatherization installations for low-income families in Oklahoma. With $60.9 million in economic stimulus funding, installations are being stepped up dramatically, creating hundreds of new jobs across the state.
In addition to job prospects, the expanded program may create opportunities for some unemployed or underemployed Oklahomans to participate as clients and get their own homes weatherized to cut energy bills. (See "Eligible Households" below.)
Nineteen Oklahoma Community Action Agencies perform much of the work. Those agencies have typically had three to eight weatherization employees, but those numbers could double under the stimulus package, adding 75 to 200 people across the state. Agencies will be looking for people with general carpentry and construction skills, preferably with some weatherization experience as well.
Jobs with Contractors
Besides adding to their own personnel, agencies will be contracting some of the work, such as windows and heating and air, so those contractors should also be bringing on extra help. Budgets have roughly doubled from an average of $3,000 per home to a new ceiling of $6,500. That allows installation of high-efficiency heating and air conditioning and other improvements not possible in the past.
The State Energy Office, which oversees the weatherization program, says it hopes to minimize the negative effect of short-term stimulus funding on jobs by spreading some of the work over three years and by making sure employees learn valuable new skills that will help them get better jobs in the future if they can't stay on with Community Action Agencies.
Weatherizing 10,000 homes
The stimulus money should weatherize 7,000 homes over the next three years. That will be in addition to the 3,000 homes that will be funded under the ongoing program.
The process covers a wide variety of cost-effective energy efficiency measures, including heating and cooling systems, electrical system, and energy-consuming appliances. Other services include the installation of energy-efficient measures such as attic insulation, caulking and weatherstripping, air sealing and heating and cooling adjustments. An energy audit is conducted on each home to determine energy conserving measures that will be installed. Service providers also check major energy systems to ensure occupant safety.
More Weatherization Jobs
Larger scale weatherization work will take the form of energy retrofits of public buildings and schools funded through the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Education. One $42 million program is expected to create more than 700 jobs across Oklahoma, and other programs will add substantially to that total. Details should become available in the summer and fall.
In addition to direct installation jobs, the purchase of weatherization materials supports jobs at local manufacturers, merchants and other businesses in every county.
Eligible Households
The Weatherization Assistance Program is designed to increase the energy efficiency of dwellings owned or occupied by low-income persons, reduce their total residential expenditures, and improve their health and safety. The priority population is persons who are particularly vulnerable such as the elderly, persons with disabilities, families with children, high residential energy users, and households with high-energy burden.
The definition of "low-income" is expanded under the stimulus program to include households up to 200 percent of poverty level, or an income of up to $44,100 for a family of four. The traditional program had a lower cutoff of 150 percent of poverty level.
Contact your local Community Action Agency for more information and to apply.
For detailed application and eligibility information see Weatherization Assistance Program at the U.S. Department of Energy website.
For a video look at the weatherization program, see OK Horizon News: Oklahoma's Weatherization Assistance Program in Action.
Weatherization Program Contact:
Kathy McLaughlin
405-815-5339
800-879-6552
Email: kathy_mclaughlin@odoc.state.ok.us