Item 2-Memo on Weatherization Program Goals_Carol Biedrzycki — original pdf

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MEMORANDUM TO: Low Income Consumer Advisory Task Force FROM: Carol Biedrzycki, Chair DATE: August 14, 2015 SUBJECT: Special Called Meeting Thank you for agreeing to hold this extra meeting on Friday dedicated to the low income weatherization program. I look forward to seeing you on Friday at 11 a.m. in our usual meeting room at Austin Energy. Please note that the meeting agenda is posted only for discussion. No votes will be taken. To help organize our discussion on Friday I am asking you to consider starting the meeting with a discussion of the goals we would like the low income weatherization program to meet. I believe it will be helpful to have common ground for developing our recommendations. I have drafted broad goals which, when edited, will hopefully guide our discussion about the program and help us work out more specific solutions. I am suggesting that we take 15 minutes at the start of our meeting on Friday to review and discuss the Draft Low Income Weatherization Goals which follow. Please bring your suggested additions and edits to the meeting. I will open the meeting by going around the table for each member to express his or her thoughts on the goals. I am looking forward to this important discussion. DRAFT AUGUST 12, 2015 LOW-INCOME WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM GOALS To reduce the energy burden and energy costs for low‐income families, particularly for the elderly, people with disabilities and, families with children, by improving the energy efficiency of their homes. To reduce bad debt to the utility. To defer or avoid the need for capital investment in new generating facilities and to reduce the burning of fossil fuels for electricity generation and end use applications such as space and water heating and cooking. To provide the program at no out of pocket cost to eligible customers. To improve the healthfulness, safety and, affordability of housing for low and low-moderate income customers. To assure that the customers’ long term needs are met for refrigeration, lighting, cooling, and heating. To leverage utility and other available program resources to offer seamless home repair and weatherization services. To assure that an equitable level of program benefits is delivered to low-income customers. To achieve greenhouse gas reductions to support the city’s climate protection goals. To train and hire residents from disadvantaged communities and increase economic investment in those communities. To evaluate the program in consideration of the triple bottom line of sustainability equity (people), economy (prosperity) and environment (planet).