The Council funded $400,000 to \u2018retrofit\u2019 500 one-to-four family homes, which will save $1,200 in energy costs per unit every year; program to create dozens of construction jobs throughout the City<\/p>\n
New York, November 16, 2010 \u2013 City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn announced a citywide initiative today that will save thousands of homes from $1,200 in energy costs per year. Partnering with the Pratt Center for Community Development and community-based development groups, the Council has provided $400,000 to improve energy efficiency of the City\u2019s one-to-four family homes. <\/p>\n
About one third of all New Yorkers live in these smaller residential buildings, which make up nearly 66 percent of all citywide buildings and generate nearly one third of all building-source greenhouse gas emissions. Retrofits in these buildings can save an estimated $1,200 in energy costs per year.<\/p>\n
This pilot program will allow Pratt Center and neighborhood community groups to reach out homeowners in targeted neighborhoods in four boroughs: Bedford Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, Soundview in the Bronx, Jamaica in Queens and West Brighton in Staten Island. Pratt and the community groups will inform homeowners of the benefits of audits and retrofits and help homeowners identify funding options that are appropriate for them. Also, by clustering retrofits in neighborhoods with similar building stocks, the program expects to achieve cost-savings for the improvements.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnergy efficiency and providing services for tenants have always both been priorities for the Council,\u201d said Speaker Christine C. Quinn. \u201cIt only would make sense that when we saw the opportunity to fund $400,000 to help hundreds of homes throughout the City, particularly for underserved neighborhoods in the outer boroughs, we jumped at the opportunity. This is a great initiative that I\u2019m proud to support and I want to thank Pratt Center for Community Development and all the neighborhood partners for making our City green \u2013 one home at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n
These retrofitting services include:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Improved Insulation
\n\u2022 Caulking
\n\u2022 Pipe Wrapping
\n\u2022 New Windows
\n\u2022 Upgrade Heating System<\/p>\n
“The Pratt Center developed Retrofit NYC Block by Block to support community action to make housing more affordable, create jobs, and improve the environment starting right here in New York City’s neighborhoods,\u201d said Adam Friedman, director of Pratt Center for Community Development. \u201cWe’re so grateful to Speaker Quinn for her commitment to green our communities and build a sustainable future for the whole city.”<\/p>\n
This program will also create an estimated 40 jobs in the City for installation work and indirectly create dozens of more jobs because of increased economic activity.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis program will not only help reduce energy costs for homeowners at a time when relief is desperately needed, but will also reduce Bedford-Stuyvesant\u2019s emissions impact on the environment while creating jobs to weatherize homes,\u201d said Council Member Al Vann. \u201cWhile some of these services would often be limited to those homeowners who can afford them, the City Council\u2019s funding will allow more homeowners on certain blocks to receive energy audits and other assistance at no cost. I am proud that Bedford-Stuyvesant is at the forefront of these efforts to make our city more environmentally responsible.\u201d<\/p>\n
This pilot was modeled after a successful program that Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation and Pratt Center created in Bedford Stuyvesant.<\/p>\n
“Over the last 30 years, Restoration has weatherized 9200 units of low income housing throughout Central Brooklyn through its Weatherization Assistance Program,\u201d said Colvin Grannum, President\/CEO of Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation. \u201cWe have seen first-hand how energy efficiency works to generate jobs, reduce utility bills and create healthy environments for low income families. Retrofit Bedford Stuyvesant Block by Block is intended to bring the multiple benefits of energy efficiency to all residents of Bedford Stuyvesant regardless of income. We thank Speaker Quinn for recognizing the benefits of the initiative and supporting it.”<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I approached Restoration\u2019s Weatherization Assistance Program for help, I was sick and I had no heat,\u201d said homeowner Theresa Braithwaite. \u201cThe WAP replaced my boiler, some windows and doors, insulated the pipes in my basement and insulated my walls, attic and roof. I am so thankful to Restoration\u2019s WAP and pleased that the work they did not only made my home more comfortable, but more environmentally sustainable.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Speaker was joined by Marilyn Gelber, President of the Brooklyn Community Foundation, the first public foundation focused entirely on grantmaking, resource development and community service in Brooklyn. This year, the Foundation launched an initiative, Brooklyn Greens, which created a collaborative between Pratt Center, Bed-Stuy Restoration, El Puente in South Williamsburg and the Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation to work on a range of neighborhood-based environmental sustainability projects, including an expansion of the Bed-Stuy Block-by-Block work being featured today. <\/p>\n
“Brooklyn Community Foundation\u2019s award of $750,000 to create the Brooklyn Greens initiative is focused on building a series of model neighborhood programs that give residents a real role in improving their local environment,\u201d said Marilyn Gelber, President of the Brooklyn Community Foundation. \u201cThe investment the Speaker has made in energy conservation in the Bed-Stuy community goes hand in hand with the work of the Foundation to promote a greener, healthier Brooklyn. When the private sector, philanthropies, community groups and government all pull in the same direction then things can really begin to happen. Today’s event is an important marker along that path.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to applaud Speaker Quinn and my colleagues for their leadership on this initiative,\u201d said Deputy Majority Leader Leroy Comrie (D-Queens). \u201cDuring this fiscally tough time, homeowners in New York City are facing difficult times in paying their mortgages and staving off foreclosure, particularly in the Southeast Queens community. Many of the homeowners in this community are also seniors living on fixed incomes. The energy efficiency housing program endeavor will greatly assist these homeowners realize much-needed savings.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are looking forward to bringing these valuable resources to the homeowners in Southeastern Queens, many of whom are immigrants and communities of color who stand to benefit from energy upgrades of their homes,\u201d said Seema Agnani, Executive Director, CHHAYA Community Development Corporation. \u201cWe are glad that Speaker Quinn and the City Council had the vision and insight to bring these resources to our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn these hard economic times, homeowners face skyrocketing maintenance costs and continually rising Con Edison bills,\u201d said Council Member Annabel Palma. \u201cThis weatherization pilot will not only offer real financial benefits to working families, but will help improve our city\u2019s overall environmental impact. Additionally, this energy efficiency project will create the kind of quality jobs that provide life long skills with great future earning potential.\u201d<\/p>\n
“Sustainable South Bronx is honored to be part of this project, transformation in underserved areas is so overdue and so promising,” said Miquela Craytor, the executive director for Sustainable South Bronx.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was thrilled to learn that this energy-efficiency housing initiative will be utilized in the Markham Area Energy Target Zone on Staten Island\u2019s North Shore. I applaud Speaker Quinn, the Pratt Center for Community Development and the Neighborhood Housing Services of Staten Island for their commitment to helping homeowners in underserved neighborhoods afford sensible, cost saving improvements to their homes, and creating local jobs for contractors and installers,\u201d said Councilwoman Debi Rose, Staten Island\/49th District.<\/p>\n
\u201cNeighborhood Housing Services of Staten Island is thrilled that the Speaker will support NHS\u2019s efforts to engage homeowners in our Markham Area Energy Target Zone,\u201d said Alfred Gill, Executive Director of Neighborhood Housing Services of Staten Island. \u201cOur Energy Target Zone will make the Markham Area, surrounding our Markham Gardens LEED project, one of the most energy efficient in Staten Island.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Council funded $400,000 to \u2018retrofit\u2019 500 one-to-four family homes, which will save $1,200 in energy costs per unit every year; program to create dozens of construction jobs throughout the City<\/p>\n
New York, November 16, 2010 \u2013 City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn announced a citywide initiative today that will save thousands of homes from $1,200 in energy costs per year.<\/p>\n
…<\/p>\n