Arizona Lands $47.5 Million to Weatherize Homes Against Energy-Draining Heat, Cold
This year, Arizona became the first state to get additional weatherization funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It received $47.5 million, or enough to retrofit at least 3,400 homes.
Shirley Moore was reluctant to invite people over to her home in Coolidge because she didn’t want them to be too hot or too cold. At 72, she didn’t have the income to pay her rising utility bills and had instead devised a system of strategically placed fans and blankets, depending on the season. But it wasn’t comfortable.
Then last summer, she heard about the state’s Weatherization Assistance Program administered by the Arizona Department of Housing. She filled out forms about her income and when she bought her home, added recent utility bills, and submitted her application to Community Action Human Resource Agency, an affiliate partner.
“I had to do something. I was having a lot of medical (issues) at that time and some of my prescriptions were unbelievably high. It was a struggle. There was never really any little extra to go here or there and I couldn’t save,” Moore said.