4/13/2017
Kevin O'Connor, Chief Executive Officer, RUPCO
Challenge: Rising utility costs are beyond the control of the average homeowner and even minor increases can significantly affect those with low incomes. But figuring out how to offer energy efficiency solutions to those homeowners and get them to take action poses challenges, particularly in Latino communities.
Homeowners with low to moderate incomes often live in older houses with poor insulation, aging appliances and energy inefficient heating and cooling systems. These residents are the most adversely affected by rising energy costs, but assisting them with effective solutions can be challenging. This is particularly the case in Latino communities, where many have little or no English, speak various dialects and cannot read their native language. Reaching Latino residents in geographically diverse areas when budgets and staff are limited also significantly complicates efforts to provide them with much-needed assistance in lowering their energy costs.
RUPCO, a housing and community development nonprofit in the Hudson Valley, specializes in housing for seniors, people with disabilities, working families and artists. One of RUPCO's primary objectives is to assist homeowners with energy-efficient and renewable energy solutions. More than 16 percent of residents in the Mid-Hudson region identify as Hispanic or Latino, and we deployed our Green Jobs-Green New York Program (GJGNY) to connect with them.
GJGNY is New York state's top independent marketing contractor for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The agency's Home Performance with EnergyStar Program promotes conservation, efficiency and residential energy upgrades, or retrofits. To reach the low- to moderate-income non-English-speaking residents in Latino communities, we hired bilingual staff members as program liaisons. To encourage Latinos to contact the liaisons, GJGNY places an advertisement in the monthly magazine, La Voz. RUPCO also created a step-by-step online video on how to complete applications for the program.
GJGNY prints all its materials in English and Spanish to get its energy message out widely. While many adults in Latino households do not read English or Spanish, their children can usually translate for their parents. Bilingual "door knockers" target the relevant communities, canvassing key neighborhoods door-to-door and leaving doorknob hangers to broadcast their message. RUPCO also engages the Mano-a-Mano community group of Latino-focused agencies in the campaign.
Each month, RUPCO broadcasts its energy program message to 40 county agency and nonprofit representatives. They in turn pass the information on to their constituents, mostly non-English-speaking residents who can benefit from the program. Additionally, by engaging with this group every month, RUPCO is gaining trust among these partners, fortifying its reputation as a willing and helpful service provider. As a result of these efforts, RUPCO received $50,000 from New York State Assemblyman Kevin Cahill to address Latino communities in his district in 2016.
Churches play a pivotal role in bridging the gap to Latino families. RUPCO collaborates with both clergy and key Latino business leaders to disseminate information about energy-efficiency and homeownership opportunities. As facilitators, these leaders introduce RUPCO staff to community members, helping to establish trust and broaden visibility. RUPCO also formalized valuable partnerships with businesses and agencies such as Solarize Hudson Valley, GRID Alternatives Tri-State, government officials, local environmental groups and other community-based organizations.
Green Jobs-Green New York is currently the highest performing of the state's 12 community based organizations (CBOs). In 2015, we performed 22 percent of all CBO retrofits. Between 2011-2016, GJGNY collected 5972 residential referrals, completed 2182 energy audits, negotiated 433 retrofits, held 492 public outreach events, presented at 509 partner meetings and referred 269 households on to the EmPower NY program, which provides free energy efficiency solutions to low-income homeowners. GJGNY also boosted the local economy. The program spent $4.39 million for completed projects and another $584,000 in NYSERDA subsidies to contractors and installers. As of November 2015, the environmental impact of retrofits reduced CO2 emissions by 184 metric tons. Put another way, this work saved 20571 kWh (the equivalent of 361 tree seedlings grown for one year) and 3205 MMBTU (4,377 trees planted and grown for a year).
Most significantly, GJGNY's work has paved the way for future collaboration and funding for energy-efficiency projects related to RUPCO's other programs. In 2016, RUPCO received a $1 million NYSERDA Cleaner Greener grant for our E2: Energy Square housing proposal for midtown Kingston. RUPCO also received $750,000 in a community development block grant award for home buying and rehabilitation with a solar focus in Ulster County. RUPCO won a similar grant for Kingston for $100,000 the previous year. NeighborWorks America matched this funding with $25,000 to contribute to 10 solar installations in Kingston for low income households with GRID Alternatives Tri-State, the nation's largest not for profit solar installation company.
From this experience, RUPCO learned how essential collaboration is to meeting ambitious goals. Allowing local affiliates to run with the ball paves the way for reputation building and introductions particularly within the Latino communities. RUPCO also recognized that it had to rely significantly on backend support with bilingual staff and marketing materials. A true partnership effort with groups trusted by the target audience—in this case the Latino community—goes a long way to opening the door to energy-efficiency opportunities. Finally, consistent funding for the long-term yields results and warrants an extended commitment to energy-efficiency programs and incentives for those most in need.