The City of Kansas City, MO EnergyWorks KC (EWKC) program has provided more than 2,800 local residents and businesses with energy efficient upgrade loans since launching in 2010. While the majority of this federally-funded program ended this week, the City has contracted with NHS (Neighborhood Housing Services) to continue EWKC’s two core functions: a revolving loan fund and an interest buy-down fund for energy efficiency upgrades.
“We can make about 175 additional loans for energy efficient property upgrades with our remaining funding,” said Gerald Shechter, the city’s sustainability coordinator. “There are no income restrictions, and all existing homes and businesses in the Kansas City area may participate.”
Interested property owners must first complete an energy analysis on their home or business. A list of Kansas City energy analysis is available at www.kcenergy.org or by calling the Metropolitan Energy Center at 816-531-7283. The analysis will show owners what specific cost-effective, energy-efficiency improvements they can make to their property. Examples include insulation, air and duct sealing, lighting improvements and heating/cooling improvements.
From there, NHS will help property owners finance these improvements through its EWKC revolving loan fund and interest buy-down fund.
The revolving loan fund provides loans at reasonable interest rates and repayment terms for energy efficiency improvements. The fund has about $1.5 million in federal funds remaining, with the potential to make more loans as loans are repaid. The interest rate buy-down fund has about $800,000 remaining to help property owners reduce interest rates. NHS manages the federal loan funds, although borrowers may use any lending source.
The average EWKC loan received is $8,000.
EnergyWorks KC is a citywide program managed by the City’s Office of Environmental Quality and administered by NHS. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Neighborhood Program and is made available from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The program’s initial goal was to complete energy efficiency upgrades on 2,000 Kansas City properties from 2010-2013. It exceeded the goal by 140 percent. Because of the program’s success, the federal government extended the program an additional year.
For more information or to participate, call NHS at 816-822-7703.