KINGSTON, NY - The Ulster County Legislature on Tuesday night approved a $194,000 contract with the Ulster County Community Action Committee to equip manufactured homes (often referred to as "mobile homes") with energy-eff icient heat pumps as part of County Executive Jen Metzger’s Better Homes for All initiative, which helps low- and moderate-income households make bill-saving energy improvements. The County is partnering with Ulster County Community Action, which administers the federal Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) for Ulster County, to implement the Mobile Home Resilience Grants Program and make the improvements.
The targeted grants through the Mobile Home Resilience Grants Program help households transition from expensive propane heating to eff icient electric heat pumps that provide year-round climate control (both heating and cooling) at a lower cost. Combined with improved insulation funded through the federal Weatherization Assistance Program, the program will reduce utility bills for seniors and families while also eliminating climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions from propane use.
Upgrades will include insulation improvements, electrical system updates where needed, and the removal of outdated fossil fuel heating systems. New high-eff iciency electric heat pumps will be installed to provide both heating and cooling while also improving indoor air quality through built-in filtration systems.
“Through Better Homes for All, we’re helping seniors and families who are struggling with high energy costs while at the same time reducing their carbon footprint and improving the health and comfort of their homes," said County Executive Jen Metzger. “The Mobile Home Resilience grants meet a real need for manufactured homes, which are a common form of aff ordable housing in rural areas and help address a gap in state energy eff iciency programs that do not extend to this type of housing. I want to thank the Legislature for supporting this initiative, as well as our partners, Ulster County Community Action and the Bank of Green County's Charitable Foundation."
The $194,000 contract approved by the Legislature will be funded in part by a $50,000 grant from Bank of Green County Charitable Foundation to Ulster County to support this program.