Energy-Saving Housing Upgrades Left Hanging by Government Delay
- Author: William Asher
- Posted: 2025-03-17
A group that helps provide affordable homes got a loan from the government, a loan from the state, and some money from private groups to do this work. They wanted to add things like solar panels to make the buildings use less energy.
But now, everything has stopped. The reason? The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a part of the federal government, has not given out a loan of $5.4 million that it had said it would. This money was very important for the project.
Aaron Gornstein, the head of the group planning to do the renovations, said they can't do anything right now because of this delay. People who work to provide affordable housing are confused and upset because HUD hasn't told them why there's a delay. They think it might be because the program supports using green energy, which is something President Trump does not support.
A person who speaks for HUD said they're looking at the program again to make sure it really helps provide affordable housing. They said the previous government spent too much on making things energy-efficient and that took away resources from other important work. They're trying to find other ways to help communities without focusing on solar panels.
The renovation of the two buildings in Chicago is now uncertain. This delay could also affect many other projects across the country that were counting on loans from HUD.
The program, called the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, is supposed to help renovate older buildings for people who are poor, old, or veterans. It was part of a bigger plan to make homes more energy-efficient and better able to deal with climate change.
Some people say focusing only on the energy-saving part misses the fact that these renovations help make housing more affordable in the long run. It can lower costs for the owners and help keep rent lower for the people living there.
Because of the delay, nearly 300 projects are at risk. And it's not only HUD pulling back funds. The Environmental Protection Agency also stopped a big program for clean energy and fighting climate change.
For the two buildings in Chicago, the renovation plans were big. They included new windows, a new roof with solar panels, new heating and cooling systems, toilets, and appliances for each apartment.
Now, with the government money on hold, all these plans are stuck, affecting not only the people living in these apartments but also potentially stopping 2,300 jobs from being created. People involved in the project are looking for other ways to find the money, but it's a tough situation.
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