Tennessee Weatherizes Record Number of Homes Under Recovery Program
More Than 10,900 Homes and Counting as Stimulus Program Continues
NASHVILLE – Tennessee is a leader in the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). Nearly 11,000 homes have been weatherized across the state through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) since July of last year. The state was recently recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy for its “dedication and extraordinary efforts” toward the goals of the Recovery Act. Only eleven other states were recognized. A network of 18 community and local government agencies has helped Tennessee reach its WAP goals.
“Our partners across the state have worked tirelessly to meet and even exceed the goals we set out for them last year,” said DHS Commissioner Gina Lodge. “More than 10,000 Tennessee families are reaping the benefits along with hundreds of energy auditors and contractors who were put to work through this program.”
In the past, Tennessee could weatherize only a few thousand homes a year with its average annual budget of $3-4 million for the federally funded program. The Recovery Act sent $99 million to Tennessee for this home energy efficiency program last September. As of August 31, more than $40 million had been spent and Tennessee currently ranks 6th in the nation for number of homes weatherized under ARRA. The program will continue until the funds are exhausted.
Cost effective weatherization measures, including adding insulation and weather stripping, are performed to make a home more energy efficient, thereby lowering a home’s energy burden and reducing the consumer’s utility bills. Eligibility for the program is based on established federal poverty guidelines, and income and cannot exceed 200 percent of the federal poverty limit (that’s $44,100/year for a family of four). Interested applicants may download a short application from the DHS website and submit it to their local Weatherization agency.
Tennessee developed a unique competitive bid process for WAP jobs to allow as many agency-approved, licensed contractors to participate and work in the program. The jobs are posted on-line at the TN DHS website, and bids are submitted to the local agency. The low bidder is awarded the job and payment is not made until the weatherized home passes a post-inspection energy audit.
In addition to the on-line job posting, TN DHS posts a weekly update of agency performance showing exactly how many homes each WAP agency has weatherized. Seventeen of the eighteen agencies have met or exceeded their goal for the year. For a breakdown by agency, see the following pages:
Weatherization Agency Homes Weatherized as of 10-1-10
BLOUNT COUNTY COMMUNITY 194 118% (percent of goal)
ACTION AGENCY
3509 Tuckaleechee Pike
Maryville, Tennessee 37703
(865)983-8411
Serving Blount County
BRADLEY-CLEVELAND COMMUNITY 166 105%
SERVICES AGENCY
P.O. Box 3297, 155 Sixth Street, S.E.
Cleveland, Tennessee 37320
(423) 479-4111 x 101
Serving Bradley County
CHATTANOOGA NEIGHBORHOOD ENTERPRISE, INC. 305 115%
1301 Market Street, Suite 100
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402
(423) 756-6201
Serving Hamilton County
Chattanooga Human Services weatherized 223 homes
CLARKSVILLE-MONTGOMERY COUNTY
COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY 282 134%
350 Pageant Lane, Suite 307
Clarksville, TN 37040
(931) 648-5774
DELTA HUMAN RESOURCE AGENCY 220 100%
P. O. Box 634 - 915 Highway 51 South
Covington, Tennessee 38019
(901) 476-5226
Serving Fayette, Lauderdale & Tipton Counties
EAST TENNESSEE HUMAN RESOURCE AGENCY 1,039 103%
9111 Cross Park Drive, Suite D100
Knoxville, Tennessee 37923
(865) 691-2551 or (800) 552-0127 x 4825
Serving: Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke,
Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Monroe, Morgan, Scott,
Sevier & Union Counties
HIGHLAND RIM ECONOMIC CORPORATION 144 108%
P.O. Box 208 - 213 College Street
Erin, Tennessee 37061
(931) 289-4101
Serving Dickson, Houston, Humphreys & Stewart Counties
KNOXVILLE-KNOX COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION
COMMITTEE 825 129%
2247 Western Avenue, PO Box 51650
Knoxville, Tennessee 37950-1650
(865) 637-6700
Serving Knox County
METROPOLITAN DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AGENCY 1,025 104%
701 South Sixth Street
Nashville, Tennessee 37206
(615) 252-8500
Serving Davidson County
MID-CUMBERLAND COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY 942 121%
233 Legend Drive, Suite 103, P. O. Box 310
Lebanon, Tennessee 37088-0310
(615) 742-1113 or 1137
Serving Cheatham, Sumner, Trousdale, Rutherford,
Robertson, Wilson & Williamson Counties
MID-EAST COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY 157 108%
P.O. Box 43 - 141 Odd Fellow Cemetery Road
Rockwood, Tennessee 37854
(865) 354-0450 ext. 223
Serving Loudon and Roane Counties
NORTHWEST TENNESSEE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL 536 108%
231 S. Wilson Street
Dresden, Tennessee 38225
(731) 364-3228
Serving Benton, Carroll, Crockett, Dyer, Gibson,
Henry, Lake, Obion & Weakley Counties
SHELBY COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES AGENCY 1,228 64%
100 North Main, Suite 1300
Memphis, Tennessee 38103-0513
(901) 545-4630
Serving Shelby County
SOUTH CENTRAL HUMAN RESOURCE AGENCY 733 105%
606 Lee Avenue, P. O. Box 638
Fayetteville, Tennessee 37334
(931) 433-7182
Serving Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Giles, Hickman,
Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Perry
& Wayne Counties
SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE HUMAN RESOURCE AGENCY 538 148%
1012 Resource Road, P. O. Box 909
Dunlap, Tennessee 37327
(423) 949-2191
Serving Bledsoe, Grundy, Marion, McMinn, Meigs,
Polk, Rhea & Sequatchie Counties
SOUTHWEST HUMAN RESOURCE AGENCY 538 104%
1527 White Avenue
Henderson, Tennessee 38340
(731) 989-5111
Serving Chester, Decatur, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson,
Madison & McNairy Counties
UPPER CUMBERLAND HUMAN RESOURCE AGENCY 943 141%
3111 Enterprise Drive
Cookeville, Tennessee 38506
(931) 528-1127
Serving Clay, Cannon, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson,
Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Warren, White &
Van Buren Counties
UPPER EAST TENNESSEE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AGENCY 939 100%
301 Louis Street, P. O. Box 46
Kingsport, Tennessee 37662
(423) 246-6180
Serving Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi,
Sullivan, & Washington
TOTAL = 10,977 104%
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