Portland Observer, June 3, 1982 Section II Page 3
City provides weatherization loans
Putting money back in the pock
et* o f P o rtla n d home and business
o w n ers is th e a im o f th e C i t y ’ s
Energy Saving C e n te r, established
in N o v e m b e r, 1980. U sing the 4 M
and 8 per cent weatherization loans
o ffe re d through the Energy Saving
C e n te r, P o rtlan d ers are o fte n able
to save enough on th e ir m o n th ly
heating bills to pay for the weatheri
zation im provem ents they are ad d
ing to their homes.
O n e satisfied cu s to m e r, O oerge
Linn o f N .E . Portland, reports a 35
per cent d ro p in heating bills a fte r
he ad ded in s u la tio n , fu rn a c e im
provem ents and storm w indow s to
his h o m e , using the lo w -in te re s t
loan o ffe re d by the E nergy Saving
C e n te r. Says L in n , “ T h e results
were ju st w h at we had hoped fo r:
our house is much m ore c o m fo rta
ble and the therm ostat is set low er
than before.”
T he 4 M per cent loans are a v a il
a b le to any P o rtla n d h o m e o w n e r
who lives within city limits and has a
fa m ily incom e no g reater th an 110
per cent o f median income. F or ex
am ple, to q u a lify , a fa m ily o f four
can have a m a x im u m in c o m e o f
$29,700.
Using the 4 M per cent loan, H a r
riet and G oeffrey Soentpict o f N .E .
P o r tla n d ad d ed sto rm w in d o w s ,
in su latio n , w eatherstripping and a
solar hot w ater heatin g system to
th e ir h o m e . “ I fig u re d we co uld
never get the m oney fo r less than
4 M per cent interest, plus the $1,000
state tax re b a te fo r th e s o la r sys
te m ,” said M rs. Soentpiet W ith six
children ranging in age from 3 to 19,
the Soentpiets expect to cut their hot
w a te r h e a tin g costs by m o re th a n
$200 a year.
T he U .S . D epartm ent o f Housing
an d U rb a n D e v e lo p m e n t has p ro
vided the C ity w ith a $556,000 grant
to subsidize the low -interest loans.
C ity Com m issioner M ik e Lindberg,
who oversees P o rtla n d ’s energy pro
g ra m , estim ates th a t the grant w ill
enable between 500 and 750 house
holds to weatherize or install solar.
Item s which q u a lify fo r the low -
interest loans are ceiling, flo o r and
w a ll in s u la tio n , fu rn a c e im p ro v e
ments, weatherstripping and c au lk
ing, storm windows and doors, and
s o lar h o t w a te r and space heating
systems.
Persons seeking the 4 M per cent
loan must arrange for an energy au
d it o f their hom e through the E ner
gy Saving C enter and fill out an ap
p lic a tio n fo rm at the P o rtla n d D e
velo p m en t C o m m is s io n ’ s housing
o ffic e at 1911 N .E . B roadw ay. The
developm ent com m ission s ta ff w ill
establish income eligibility and han
dle fin a n c ia l arrangem ents fo r a p
proved loans. Persons not elig ib le
fo r the 4 M per cent loan may quali
fy fo r a loan carrying 8 per cent in
te re s t. B o th s o la r p ro je c ts and
w e a th e rizin g items arc elig ib le fo r
loan money.
T h e E n e rg y S avin g C e n te r not
only helps Portlanders find low-cost
fin a n c in g fo r w e a th e riz in g , it also
m a in ta in s an in fo r m a tio n c e n te r
w ith over 50 pam p hlets on h ow to
do w e a th e riz a tio n o f d iff e r e n t
kinds. It also arranges free energy
audits th at are necessary w hen a p
plying for loans.
P o rtla n d businesses also have a
special lo an p ro g ra m th ro u g h the
E n e rg y Saving C e n te r. Businesses
located w ithin city limits can obtain
HANDYMAN
g re a te r d egree o f in d ep end en ce
fro m foreign o il, becomes more en
ergy e ffic ie n t, and adds to the em
ploym ent o pp o rtu n ities o f its w ork
force. Business prospers through re
duced overhead and increased m a r
ketplace a c tiv ity ; in d iv id u a l hom e-
owners are able to m ake in fla tio n -
fighting investments th at both con
serve energy and yield a saving in
I repair almost any and
everything—oil furnaces,
plumbing, electric work, and
refrigerators.
287-6075
Ask for John Hartley
their personal budgets.
zero per cent fin a n c in g fo r energy
audits o f their business operations.
I f they follow the recommendations
o f th e a u d it w ith in one y e a r, the
loan is forgiven. Y a w ’ s R estaurant,
one o f the first businesses to use the
program , reports a 28 per cent drop
in energy costs just by follow ing the
audit recommendations.
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BALI BUNDS
BALI IS BLIND IMAGINATION.
T he Energy Saving Center is oper
ated by P ortlan d Energy C onserva
tio n , In c ., a n o n -p ro fit corporation
established by the C ity C o u n c il fo r
this purpose. A t the C e n te r, in te r
ested callers (or drop-in visitors) can
get in fo rm a tio n , advice or re fe rra l
to tech n ical sources as w e ll as the
loans. Located at 2755 N .E . Broad
w a y , the C e n te r is open w eekdays
w ith s ta ff and volunteers ready to
assist anyone w ith questions about
en erg y c o n s e rv a tio n . T h e p h o n e
• Bali Blinds come in 60
hrautifullv different colo n.
• Bali Blinds save money
Beautifully T h ey cost
lest than other types of
window coverings. They
have a tower hanging cost.
They're less expensive to
clean A n d they last longer
' • Bali Blinds can also make
your u tility hills lixik Bet
te r O p en to let the sun’s
w arm th in during winter.
A n d close to keep it out in
the summer
number is 248-4636.
T h e P o r tla n d p ro g ra m is an
ex a m p le o f g o v e rn m e n t and b u s i
ness w o rk in g to g e th e r fo r m u tu a l
b e n e fits . T h e c o m m u n ity gains a
LINOLEUM CITY
ACROSS
fSOW
St AOS
Plan for home
projects
C areful planning may be the most
im portant step leading to the success
o f an intended home im provem ent
project.
Y o u r present hom e represents a
big investm ent— perhaps the largest
o f y o u r life tim e . H o m e im p r o v e
ments not only protect th at invest
m en t, they can m in im ize m a in te n
ance, provide more functional living
space, even help cut risin g energy
costs. B u t, th e y ’ ve got to be done
right!
T h e N a tio n a l H o m e Im p r o v e
ment C ouncil ( N H I C ) suggests that
you consider your needs realistically
before starting any p ro ject. Decide
w h a t re p a irs are im p e ra tiv e and
w h a t im p ro v e m e n ts and c o n v e n
iences arc most needed or desirable
for your enjoyment o f the home.
T o establish your priorities, start
fro m o u ts id e y o u r house, ta k in g
stock o f its e x te r io r , ro o fin g and
even w alkw ays and steps. Proceed
giving the same c a re fu l co nsid era
tion to each area w ithin your house.
In this way yo u ’ll know the jobs that
need to be done in order to m aintain
y o u r h o m e. It w ill also h e lp you
avoid more costly repairs that come
from neglect.
Thereafter, consider the comforts
and conveniences you m ight like to
ad d . F o r e xam p le, do you need an
area for teen get-togethers? For fo r
m al e n te rta in in g ? O u td o o r e n te r
taining? A fa m ily room ? A n o th e r
bathroom?
O n c e y o u ’ ve n oted y o u r needs
(preferably in writing) consider how
you can most e ffe c tiv e ly and cost-
e ffic ie n tly reach y o u r g o a l. C a n a
d o rm e r in y o u r b e d ro o m p ro v id e
th e q u ie t re tre a t y o u ’ d lik e fo r
reading? C an a well-planned fam ily
room also serve as an in fo rm a l d in
ing room ? F o r p ractical, tim e-an d -
m oney-saving hints, N H I C recom
mends you consult a reputable con
tractor.
A re p u ta b le c o n tra c to r can p ro
vide you w ith a com prehensive set
o f m aterial and labor specifications,
care fu lly estim ated costs and a de
ta ile d p ro p o s a l c o verin g every as
pect o f the jo b , from removal o f ex
isting materials through clean-up a f
ter the repairs, changes or additions
have been made.
Regardless o f the size o f cost o f
the home improvements you’ re con
sidering. careful planning w ill insure
th at you kn ow w hat you need, get
what you want and enjoy your home
fo r years to come.
d ur
Pacific Power has information to help you save electric energy at home or at work. Ask
for a copy of any of these free booklets available at your local Pacific Power office.
Thu gardenia was named
after a Scottish natural
ist,
Alexander
Garden.
THE PEOPLE A T PACIFIC POWER
Energy solutions. We can help.
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