SECRETARIES DONOVAN AND CHU ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP TO HELP WORKING FAMILIES WEATHERIZE THEIR HOMES
HUD-DOE Agreement Will Help Spur a New Industry to Create Jobs for the Middle Class

PHILADELPHIA- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) SecretaryShaun Donovan and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chutoday announced a major partnership between HUD and DOE that willstreamline and better coordinate federal weatherization efforts to makeit much easier for families to weatherize their homes and spur a newhome energy efficiency industry that could create tens of thousands ofjobs.

Vice President Joe Biden, joined by Secretary Donovanand Secretary Chu, praised the announcement during his remarks at ameeting of the White House Task Force on Middle Class Families inPhiladelphia.

"Today in Philadelphia, I am proud toannounce that the Energy and HUD Secretaries are joining together in anhistoric partnership to create thousands of jobs in the retro-fittingand weatherization industry," said Vice President Biden. "Thispartnership is exactly the type of leadership and ingenuity we need toget this economy going again."

HUD and DOE have created ahigh level interagency task force to coordinate home weatherizationefforts under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and toleverage those funds to build a home energy efficiency industry in theU.S. that will: create or retain tens of thousands of jobs, lowerenergy costs of vulnerable low-income households, and reduce greenhousegas emissions.

"This partnership will help build anindustry and save or create thousands of jobs," said Secretary Donovan."In addition to saving and creating jobs, we have an opportunity tomake our affordable housing stock, as well as all housing, energyefficient with the funds provided through the President's RecoveryPlan. I look forward to working with Secretary Chu in the veryimportant partnership."

"This partnership will help putAmericans back to work while saving families hundreds of dollars ontheir energy bills," Secretary Chu said. "It reflects the Obama-BidenAdministration's commitment to moving swiftly to restore our economyand offer real help to hardworking families who are struggling to makeends meet."

HUD and DOE will allocate $16 billion ineconomic recovery funds to retrofit existing homes. HUD's programsinclude $4.5 billion to renovate and upgrade public and Native Americanhousing (a good portion of which will be invested in energyimprovements) as well as $250 million for energy retrofits of privatelyowned federally assisted housing. DOE will invest $5 billion inweatherization funds; $3.2 billion for a new Energy and EnvironmentBlock Grant that cities and states can use to retrofit homes; $3.1 forthe State Energy Program; and other programs.

Theseeconomic recovery funds provide an historic opportunity for the twoagencies to work together to accelerate deployment of energy efficientand green building technologies in millions of homes - and at the sametime to help create a highly qualified, highly trained, andhigh-performing workforce.

(source: HUD.gov)