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Weatherization dollars expected to make area economic impact
Sizeable stimulus dollars for weatherization of homes will soon energize the area economy, Tri-County Community Action Inc. reported.
The federal economic stimulus plan is channeling $4 million to Crow Wing, Morrison and Todd counties. Locally, these dollars will put contractors and skilled laborers to work, increase sales of product such as insulation, windows, and furnaces, and reduce the energy consumption and costs for homeowners.
That was the announcement made by Joe Ayers, TCC executive director, the private nonprofit organization selected to implement the local plan. TCC, along with other community action agencies throughout the state and nation, have been doing weatherization since the early 1970s.
Weatherization helps low and modest-income homeowners by weatherproofing their homes. The first step is an energy audit of the home resulting in a recommendation for improving the energy efficiency through insulation, sealing and caulking, or heating air system improvements.
"These weatherization dollars will cut energy costs for homeowners, many who lost jobs or had their income reduced because of the recession," Ayers said in a news release. "The economic impact to private business will strengthen our communities. TCC will need to do more energy audits and use more contractors. These small businesses are hoping to add more employees to meet demand. The economic impact will help building supply companies."
One local contractor who has worked for TCC for the past two years said he is extremely busy and has recently added one employee, a man who was unemployed, TCC reported.
Bob Loidolt, owner of Loidolt Lumber Co.in Pierz-Genola, reported he already has a couple weatherization contractors working out of his lumber yard. He has worked with the TCC weatherization program for more than 20 years. In the news release, Loidolt said: "This is great thing�a real boost to our local economy."
"The impact to private business in our area is difficult to predict at this point," said Carol Anderson, executive director of Community Development of Morrison County. "One way to look at it - economists say that every dollar spent locally circulates seven times throughout the community."
A $4 million stimulus investment in the area plus the savings in energy costs for individual homeowners could jump start the local economy short term and offer long term benefits to people impacted by the recession, TCC said. Weatherized homes conserve energy. The average homeowner implementing energy conservation can reduce heating bills by 15-25 percent, TCC reported.
TCC expects to weatherize more than 600 homes by the end of next year.
Income guidelines have been raised, allowing more homeowners to qualify. Previously, homeowners could earn a maximum of 150 percent of the federal poverty line. That means a family of four could earn up to $33,075 a year to qualify. But now, the program will be available to families who earn up to 200 percent of the poverty line, which means a family of four can earn a maximum of $44,100.
TCC is a private nonprofit organization serving Crow Wing, Morrison and Todd Counties with offices in Brainerd, Little Falls and Long Prairie.
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