5 WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE

Eligibility, 2605(c)(1)(A), 2605(b)(2) - Assurance 2 5.1 Designate the income eligibility threshold used for the Weatherization component Add Household Size Eligibility Guideline Eligibility Threshold 1 All Household Sizes HHS Poverty Guidelines 200.00% 5.2 Do you enter into an interagency agreement to have another government agency administer a WEATHERIZATION component? Yes No 5.3 If yes, name the agency and attach a copy of the Internal Agreement or Contract. 5.4 Is there a separate monitoring protocol for weatherization? Yes No WEATHERIZATION - Types of Rules 5.5 Under what rules do you administer LIHEAP weatherization? (Check only one.) Entirely under LIHEAP (not DOE) rules Entirely under DOE WAP (not LIHEAP) rules Mostly under LIHEAP rules with the following DOE WAP rule(s) where LIHEAP and WAP rules differ (Check all that apply): Income Threshold Weatherization of entire multi-family housing structure is permitted if at least 66% of units (50% in 2- & 4-unit buildings) are eligible units or will become eligible within 180 days Weatherize shelters temporarily housing primarily low income persons (excluding nursing homes, prisons, and similar institutional care facilities). Other - Describe: Mostly under DOE WAP rules, with the following LIHEAP rule(s) where LIHEAP and WAP rules differ (Check all that apply.) Income Threshold Weatherization not subject to DOE WAP maximum statewide average cost per dwelling unit. Weatherization measures are not subject to DOE Savings to Investment Ration (SIR ) standards. Other - Describe: Other - Describe: Section 2605 (b)(1)(C) of the LIHEAP statute authorizes grantees to "provide low-cost residential weatherization and other cost-effective energy related home repair" and section 2605 (k) allows grantees to use LIHEAP funds for "low-cost residential weatherization or other energy-related home repair for low income households." 1. Use of LIHEAP funds for low cost/no cost energy conservation activities. Additionally, LIHEAP funds may be used for cost-effective, efficiency-related fuel switching. The Montana Computerized Energy Audit is used to determine the SIR of any fuel switch. 2. Montana utilizes Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) income eligibility limits of up to 200% the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPL) provided under DOE WAP regulations contained in 10 CFR Part 440. Poverty income guidelines are revised annually and published in the Federal Register. 3. Final inspections are required on every LIHEAP completion, but Quality Control Inspections performed by a BPI-Certified Quality Control Inspector are not required for LIHEAP completions. 4. Re-Weatherization Requirements: A dwelling can be re-weatherized if the dwelling prior weatherization date is greater than 5 years. 5. Emergency heating system situations might need or require residential weatherization at a previous weatherized home before 5 years, agencies can submit a work order plan to address the situation. Residential weatherization services provided at a previous weatherized home within 5 years will require pre-approval. 6. Montana tends to utilize 15% of LIHEAP weatherization funds for training and technical assistance as allowed under CFR 440.23(e). 7. Equipment purchased with LIHEAP Weatherization funds which is no longer needed by the subgrantee who initially purchased it will be offered to other Montana LIHEAP Weatherization subgrantees at no charge. If no other LIHEAP Weatherization subgrantee in the state accepts the equipment, the subgrantee who initially purchased the equipment shall sell it at fair market value (FMV). All proceeds from the 8. sale of equipment purchased with LIHEAP Weatherization funds will be reinvested into the LIHEAP. Window or door egress can be corrected as a Health and Safety Minor Repair measure when weatherization activities directly cause egress compliance to apply. LIHEAP funds can be used to replace, repair, or install doors and windows to comply with egress codes when a door or window doesn't pay back as an energy conservation measure in CDS Energy Audit, provided the WAP installed measure directly causes the egress requirement to apply. This is restricted to situations where a code-compliant egress window or door is not currently installed, is inoperable, or is removed. The wall framing must be able to support the replacement or installation of a door or window, i.e. an existing header is present in the wall. (Health and Safety Minor Repair is allowed up to a total of $1600 in aggregate. 9. Unsafe (including non-mobile home and non-EPA approved) secondary solid fueled heat sources (wood, coal, and pellet stoves) can be replaced using LIHEAP Weatherization funds. This requires prior written departmental approval. 10. When budget constraints do not allow completion of all "Major Measures" which meet an SIR of 1.0 or greater, the lowest SIR measure may be eliminated without need for deferral if using LIHEAP Weatherization funding. 11. Subgrantees can spend LIHEAP funds to co-fund a measure. 12. The Average Cost Per Unit (ACPU) weatherized is $15,000. 13. Subgrantees have the option to use the Department of Energy Optional Regional Weatherization Priority Lists (PL) for Single Family Site- Built (SB) and Manufactured Homes (MH) projects to facilitate greater impacts. 14. Weatherization work needed to make the dwelling weatherization ready 15. Allowable costs include, but are not limited to: Staff time to identify eligible dwellings and arrange initial inspections. Staff time for inspection and audit of dwelling to determine scope of weatherization readiness work to be done to be come weatherization ready. (Time will be charged even if no remediation work is completed.) Staff time for work associated with remediation of issues that prevent the dwelling form being weatherized. Eligibility, 2605(b)(5) - Assurance 5 5.6 Do you require an assets test? Yes No 5.7 Do you have additional/differing eligibility policies for : Renters Yes No Renters living in subsidized housing? Yes No Renters with utilities included in the rent? Yes No 5.8 Do you give priority in eligibility to: Older Adults? Yes No Individuals with a disability? Yes No Young Children? Yes No House holds with high energy burdens? Yes No Other? Health and safety Yes No If you selected "Yes" for any of the options in questions 5.6, 5.7, or 5.8, you must provide further explanation of these policies in the text field below. 5.6 The following are the maximum non-business resources allowed: $14,358 for a single person 1. $21,966 for a two-person household 2. Add $1,465 for each additional member up to $29,290, maximum per household 3. Resources include, but are not limited to the following: cash on hand; 1. certificates of deposit; 2. checking/savings accounts; 3. market value of stocks, bonds, and/or other negotiable resources; 4. equity value of real property which is not the primary residence; and 5. contract for deed (countable resource if can be sold). 6. The household may also have business assets whose equity value does not exceed $25,000. 5.8 In determining which eligible households will receive weatherization services and in what order, households in each of the governor's substate planning districts will be ranked according to priority to the following: The highest priority is given to households in each service area with the highest energy burden. 1. When calculating the energy burden of households containing any of the following the energy usage shall be multiplied by 1.25: an elderly household member (age 60 or older); a disabled household member; or a household with a member who is a child under age 18. 2. Households with the same energy burden are prioritized by highest usage. The grantee conducts significant outreach in all twelve state planning districts to identify and recruit those eligible for weatherization assistance. The grantee maintains a computer data base containing demographics data identifying those eligible for weatherization assistance. This information is used to target and refine outreach activities to ensure the five groups are served. Priority numbers must be clearly displayed on the client file or the Job Order and Worksheet. Lower priority jobs may be assigned in conjunction with higher priority jobs in the same geographic area to eliminate duplication of transportation and scheduling costs or to coordinate with other state, federal or privately funded energy conservation programs. Homes that have not been previously weatherized are to be prioritized before re-visiting a home that has had prior weatherization services within the last 5-10 years. If there exists a weatherization related imminent threat to the health or safety of an eligible household, their home may be designated a higher priority. To be so designated, it is the obligation of the household to provide proof if an imminent threat to the health or safety of the household to the subgrantee who must request emergency designation from the grantee. (Access Agreements) No weatherization work will begin on a dwelling until the occupant and/or owner of the dwelling completes the DPHHS-EAP-013 “Montana Weatherization Assistance Program(s) Access Agreement”. Copies of the signed DPHHS-EAP-013 must be provided to the occupant and/or owner of the dwelling and the original signed copy must be maintained in the agency’s weatherization file. Benefit Levels 5.9 Do you have a maximum LIHEAP weatherization benefit/expenditure per household? Yes No 5.9a If yes, what is the maximum? $0 5.10 Do you use an Average Cost per Unit (ACPU). Yes No 5.10a If so, what is the ACPU amount? $15,000 Types of Assistance, 2605(c)(1), (B) & (D) 5.11 What LIHEAP weatherization measures do you provide ? (Check all categories that apply.) Weatherization needs assessments/audits Energy related roof repair Caulking and insulation Major appliance repairs Storm windows Major appliance replacement Furnace/heating system modifications/repairs Windows/sliding glass doors Furnace replacement Doors Cooling system modifications/repairs Water Heater Water conservation measures Cooling system replacement Roof top solar Community solar projects Compact florescent light bulbs Other - Describe: Fuel Switch If any of the above questions require further explanation or clarification that could not be made in the fields provided, attach a document with said explanation here.