SHERMAN, August 8, 2016 – TCOG Executive Director, Susan B. Thomas, PhD, announced today the award of $473,000 from Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) to serve Denton, Collin, Hunt and Rockwall counties with weatherization services.

TCOG currently serves 15 counties with weatherization services and recently applied for the addition of Denton, Collin, Hunt and Rockwall counties. “It made sense to go after the funding for the additional counties as they are contiguous to the counties we are serving now. Plus, we felt confident in our ability to absorb the work, and we have a great working relationship with TDHCA,” stated Allison Minton, Client Services Department Director. The additional funding will provide weatherization services for up to 70 homes located across the 4-county area.

Since the Weatherization Assistance Program’s inception in 1976, more than 7 million homes in the United States have received energy-efficiency improvements, such as heating and cooling upgrades, the addition of insulation, weather-stripping to doors and windows, and much more. Leading technologies and testing protocols are used to determine which applications will produce the most energy savings.

TCOG’s Weatherization program has weatherized on average over 125 homes per year with over 4,500 homes weatherized to date. The savings achieved as a result have been between 20% and as high as 50%. A local Texoma client whose home was weatherized saw a reduction in her annual energy costs from $1,071 to $568, representing a 47% savings. Lower utility bills creates more disposable income for the client.

Dr. Thomas stated, “The investment made through weatherization improvements has a real impact on the lives of families we serve and that’s what TCOG is all about; improving quality of life. With this additional funding we look forward to bringing these improvements to the homes and lives of families living in Denton, Collin, Hunt and Rockwall counties.”

The Weatherization Program is funded by federal funds from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Department of Energy (DOE). Eligible families must be at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. TCOG encourages anyone interested living in Denton, Collin, Hunt and Rockwall counties to contact the Weatherization program for more information on how to apply. TCOG is also seeking applicants living in the counties of Grayson, Fannin, Cooke, Lamar, Hopkins, Rains and Red River. Call TCOG today to see if your family is eligible for assistance.

The Texoma Council of Governments is a voluntary association of the local governments in Cooke, Fannin, and Grayson Counties. Established in 1968, the Texoma Council of Governments promotes economy and efficiency in the coordinated planning and development of the tri-county region through its community and economic development activities. Either directly, or through contractors, the Council provides housing, utility assistance, and weatherization services for low-income citizens in the region and assists the elderly through a variety of Area Agency on Aging programs. The Council also facilitates the delivery of grant funding for homeland security and criminal justice.