EPA, HUD Recognize Energy Efficient Rural Housing Project (DE)
LINCOLN, Del. (Aug. 17, 2011)
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
joined U.S. Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of
Agriculture and ING DIRECT here today in recognizing an innovative
rural housing project where soon-to-be homeowners are learning
construction skills and pitching in to help build their own energy
efficient homes.
The program called “Self Help
Housing” is operated by the Milford Housing Development
Corporation to support affordable housing for low-income families
in Delaware. Milford Housing Development Corporation is an
award-winning ENERGY STAR Partner and ENERGY STAR Builder. The
development in Lincoln includes 10 new homes for families who have
never owned their own home. The new homes will meet the most
stringent ENERGY STAR standards.
“President Obama created the White House
Rural Council recognizing the enormous potential in rural America
to spur jobs, innovation and local investment,” said EPA
mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “The
work that is being done in Lincoln exemplifies that potential
creating safe, healthy, and affordable and energy efficient
homes.”
“We’re proud to join EPA and ING
DIRECT in using our muscle to help to build a home in Crescent
Shores Community today - in addition to contributing HOME funds HUD
provides for affordable housing and homeownership programs in
communities like Lincoln,” said HUD Regional Administrator
Jane C. W. Vincent. “The energy saving measures in Crescent
Shores’ homes is one of the added benefits of working with
our federal partners like EPA—together we provide affordable
energy efficient homes that earn savings for homeowners while
making us good stewards of our natural resources and our
environment.”
Under the program, the new homeowners contribute
a minimum of 1,500 hours of actual building time, averaging a value
of more than $32,000 in sweat equity per home.
Work can include pre-construction preparation,
digging, nailing, installation and finishing. Under the program,
the soon-to-be homeowners work together and no one will move in
until all 10 of the houses are finished. When they are complete,
the new residents can take pride in their craftsmanship and their
community. They also have gained valuable trade skills that can be
taken into the job market.
HUD awarded $40,000 in HUD HOMEfunds (HOME Investment
Partnerships Program) funds to the Milford Housing Development
Corporation to assist in developing the Crescent Shores Community.
The monies were used to provide gap financing to increase the
affordability of the homes.
HOMEis the largest federal
block grant to state and local governments for affordable housing
for low-income families.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural
Development program has awarded $300,000 to Milford Housing for
affordable housing projects statewide, including these new rural
homes. The Self-Help Housing program was created by USDA Rural
Development and has approximately 100 grantees nationwide. MHDC is
the only grantee in Delaware.
In addition, 50 volunteers from ING DIRECT, in
Wilmington, were on hand today helping homeowners with home
building as a part of ING DIRECT’s Orange Days of
Giving.
ENERGY STAR was created by EPA and the U.S.
Department of Energy to help Americans save money and protect the
environment through energy-efficient products and practices. In
2010, with Energy Star Americans saved $18 billion in energy costs
and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to annual
emissions of 33 million vehicles. More information on the Energy
Star see: https://www.energystar.gov/.