From: Whipple, Deb (GOV)
Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 2009 4:18 PM
Subject: What the Governor is talking about today
What the Governor’s Talking about Today
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
In Kalamazoo, Governor Highlights Recovery Act Housing Help for Families
 
The governor this afternoon met in Kalamazoo with residents struggling to stay in their homes who are finding help through a federal program designed to keep families from becoming homeless and to help the newly-homeless find stable housing.
 
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development allocated more than $1.51 million in Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP) funds to the city of Kalamazoo and to the Affordable Housing Partnership (AHP), the lead agency for the local Continuum of Care collaborative overseeing and directing the program.  Statewide, the Recovery Act is providing more than $53.1 million for HPRP. 
 
The AHP estimates that HPRP funds will provide 200 to 225 households in Kalamazoo County with homelessness prevention assistance and 50 to 75 households with rapid re-housing assistance during the program’s two-year duration.
 
Key messages:
 
•  The downturn in the national economy has hit Michigan families hard, leaving many people on the brink of losing their homes.  Thanks to Recovery Act dollars and a dedicated group of state and local partners, people are finding the help they need to stay in their homes, take care of their families and get back on their feet.
 
•  Keeping Michigan families safe and secure in stable, permanent housing remains one of the top priorities of the Granholm administration.  The Recovery Act is helping us achieve that goal for thousands of Michigan residents.
 
Governor Helps Weatherize Lansing Home to Spotlight Home Weatherization Program
 
This morning, the governor assisted workers in weatherizing a Lansing home to highlight the benefits of the state’s Weatherization Assistance Program in helping to reduce energy costs and improve energy efficiency in the homes of low-income families throughout the state.  Michigan received more than $243 million in Recovery Act funds for weatherization projects in more than 30,000 homes over the next three years.
 
The Lansing home the governor worked on received added insulation in the attic and crawl-space, fresh caulk to seal doors and windows, and a new dehumidifier.  The total investment in the home was approximately $2,700.
 
The weatherization program works to permanently reduce energy costs for low-income families through the installation of household energy-efficiency measures while ensuring their health and safety.  The program is administered by the Michigan Department of Human Services and implemented in communities by the state’s 30 community action agencies.
 
Key messages:
 
•  The Recovery Act investment in Michigan’s weatherization program enables us to help thousands of citizens who are struggling to keep their homes heated and their budgets balanced during difficult times.
 
•  In addition to reducing home energy costs, the weatherization program creates jobs for local workers and provides increased opportunities for the Michigan-based businesses that make and sell the energy-efficient products being installed.
 
•  On average, weatherization reduces heating bills by 25 percent and overall energy expenditures by $350 to $400 per year.  Since the program began, 273,620 Michigan homes have been weatherized.  Reduced energy costs have allowed families to spend their savings on groceries, doctor bills and other needs.
 
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