FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 24, 2012
MEDIA CONTACTS: Collin Nash & Sid Nathan | (516) 869-7794
Town Announces Increase in Financing Available to Participants of North Hempstead’s Green Homes Initiative
NORTH HEMPSTEAD, NY – In an ongoing effort to help residents save money by making their homes more energy-efficient, Supervisor Jon Kaiman and the North Hempstead Town Board announced that the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has increased the amount of financing available to homeowners to do energy-saving retrofits.
Under the Town’s Green Homes in North Hempstead imitative, which was announced last spring, homeowners of one- to four-family properties can now borrow up to $25,000 through NYSERDA to conduct energy-saving improvements—almost double the previous $13,000 loan amount.
In addition to the increase in available financing, it’s now possible to have the loan directly attached to the homeowner’s utility bill each month. The new loan program also guarantees that the loan stays with the property for which the loan originated and not the original applicant. This way, if a homeowner were to sell the property after conducting a retrofit, they would not have to pay the remainder of the loan since they would no longer be benefiting from the changes made. In that case, the new resident would continue paying off the balance of the loan while benefiting from the savings accrued by the energy retrofit.
Participation in the Green Homes in North Hempstead program requires a home energy audit, which is free of charge to families with an annual income below 200% of Area Median Income (AMI). For families that earn up to 400% of AMI, the audit will be partially subsidized.
To get started, one must first complete the Green Jobs-Green New York Audit Application which can be found on the Town’s website. The next step requires a summary of the homes energy usage over the previous year. The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) and National Grid both provide this information online and by phone.
Mail, email, or fax the application and 12-month energy usage summaries to: GJGNY Audit, PO Box 12129, Albany, NY 12212. Their fax number is (866) 335-6306. They can also be reached via email at GJGNY-Audit@csgrp.com.
Once the application is approved, a program-approved, accredited contractor will conduct an analysis of a resident’s home and prepare a report. The audit will detail recommended upgrades, associated costs, and estimated energy savings.
After the audit has been completed, contact the Town of North Hempstead Long Island Green Homes Representative at 311 or 516-869-6311 or NYSERDA (1-877-NYSMART) to learn more about how what financing options are available and how to begin the retrofitting process.
Long Island Green Homes has received extensive environmental, civic and community support from organizations that see this as a no-brainer initiative, beneficial for Long Island, the environment, and taxpayers alike.
For more information on this program, visit www.longislandgreenhomes.org or call the 311 Call Center by dialing 311 if you live within North Hempstead or (516) 869-6311 if you live outside of the Town.