October 2019: Weatherization Month

WHEREAS, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Weatherization Assistance Program provides an economic boost for low-income individuals through lower energy costs and reduced arrearages, thus assuring less dependency on public assistance; and,

 

WHEREAS, weatherization is a cost-effective investment of taxpayer dollars, as for every $1 invested in the program, it returns over $4 in energy, health, and safety benefits; and,

 

WHEREAS, the MDHHS Weatherization Assistance Program, using federal, state, local, and private dollars, benefits households and communities across the nation by providing cost-effective, energy efficient retrofits to homes occupied by eligible, low-income Americans; and,

 

WHEREAS, heating costs are reduced by 30 percent on average, saving families at least $283 per year, making money available for other basic necessities such as groceries, doctor bills, prescriptions and other needs, thereby making families more self-sufficient; and,

 

WHEREAS, households that have been weatherized experience health and safety benefits such as improved air quality, and they also receive smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors if they are not already present throughout the house; and,

 

WHEREAS, weatherization reduces residential and power plant emissions of carbon dioxide while also making low-income communities more resilient to the effects of climate change; and,

 

WHEREAS, the MDHHS Weatherization Assistance Program provides an economic boost for communities by providing employment opportunities as well as improved energy efficient housing stock and neighborhood conditions;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim October 2019 as Weatherization Month in Michigan.