U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio) announced Wednesday his office has secured $10.6 million through the fiscal year 2024 federal appropriations process to support 13 community projects in San Antonio, $1 million of which will go toward CPS Energy’s Casa Verde weatherization program.
The funding will be used to expand the reach and impact of the Casa Verde program, utility officials said in a released statement. The Casa Verde Program helps low-income households around San Antonio get energy-saving updates to their home. The $1 million grant is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant and will provide home repairs for 500 homes, making them eligible for weatherization.
“This program has changed the lives of many CPS Energy customers, especially during our extremely hot summers and during the coldest days in winter,” said Rudy Garza, president and CEO of CPS Energy. “I would like to express my gratitude to all of the elected officials at the local, state and federal levels who have worked with us to grow these community initiatives. I extend a special thanks to Congressman Castro for his consistent contributions to these efforts.”
Last year CPS Energy celebrated weatherizing 30,000 homes through the program. Each home goes through a process that involves finding air leaks, adding caulking and weatherstripping and putting in insulation and energy-efficient light bulbs. The program also was broadened to include multifamily units in addition to single-family homes.
The program is a “great example of how smart infrastructure investments can protect the environment and uplift San Antonio families,” Castro said.
“Every year, I’m glad to nominate community projects from across San Antonio for well-deserved federal funding to expand their work,” he said. “The Casa Verde program has a great track record of helping families save on their energy bills while improving energy efficiency, and I was glad to work with CPS Energy to get $1 million in this year’s appropriations package to serve more homeowners across our city.”
The Casa Verde funding is included in HR 4366, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which was passed last week through both houses of Congress and signed by President Joe Biden. CPS Energy submitted the grant application as part of its Vision 2027 strategic plan, which includes the pursuit of grants and other new revenue sources.
CPS Energy plans to invest $82.5 million in Casa Verde over five years to weatherize up to 16,000 homes. Casa Verde is part of CPS Energy’s renewed energy efficiency plan, the Sustainable Tomorrow Energy Plan (STEP), which calls for an additional 410 megawatts of energy demand savings over five years. It was approved by the utility’s board of trustees and the City Council in 2022 for $350 million in funding.
Casa Verde participants receive, on average, $4,500 in home weatherization improvements and energy assessments of their homes to determine what improvements will have the greatest impact on energy savings.
CPS Energy customers interested in applying for Casa Verde can fill out the application here. To learn more about the Casa Verde program customers can call 210-353-CASA (2272), email CasaVerdeSA@cpsenergy.com, or visit the utility’s website, which offers information in English and Spanish.
