Oak Park’s village board unanimously approved the use of Community Development Block Grant funds to organize a new energy-efficiency grant program for low- and moderate-income households starting Oct. 1.
The village has previously done three residential energy-efficiency programs. Started in 2021, these programs supported energy-efficiency upgrades for multi-family buildings, small rental buildings and single-family homes, according to village officials. Funds for those programs were fully allocated.
The new program will offer a maximum of $5,000 to residents looking to reduce their home energy consumption to offset the financial burden on lower-income homeowners. According to village officials, these improvements help provide savings on utility bills, improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“The $5,000 would still cover a fair amount of energy-efficiency upgrades that could be done for an individual household, but also allow the village to be able to serve more households,” said Jonathan Burch, the village’s neighborhood services director. Previous village energy-efficiency programs offered a maximum of $10,000.
Residents must qualify to participate. They’ll need to provide proof of property ownership, energy-efficiency improvements and be income eligible, meaning they make less than 80% of the area’s median income. Upon completion of applicable work, the participant will submit a request for reimbursement form.
The village will cover costs for supplies and installation. That includes aid with insulation, weather stripping, conservation costs, energy-efficient lighting and windows, high-efficiency faucets, electric heating and cooling, upgraded water heaters and air sealing, according to village officials.
Sustainability and resiliency is one of the six goals Oak Park’s village board laid out for 2024-2025. In Climate Ready Oak Park, the village has stated its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
The total amount budgeted for the new program from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2025, is $100,000, all coming from grant funding. CDBG funds must be used to meet one of three objectives: to benefit low- and moderate-income individuals, to aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or to meet a need having urgency. Burch also said that any unspent funds could be reallocated to future programs.
Trustee Ravi Parakkat said he thinks a roadblock with previous village energy-efficiency programs was the availability for residents to participate. He said he’d like to make it easier or more practical for folks to have the work done even with scheduling constraints.
Trustee Cory Wesley asked if the village could provide residents with a list of typically reputable contractors for the energy-efficiency work. Burch said the closest the village can do is to provide a list of entities that have signed up to help residents with the work, but can’t directly say which to support.
“Often people don’t do things because they don’t know where to start,” Wesley said, echoing Parakkat, who said it would be beneficial to provide participants with additional information and resources from ComEd or other entities about making their homes energy efficient in a cost-effective way.
If the program runs out of grant funds allocated, Trustee Brian Straw said, he would be supportive of village staff coming back to the board to make the case for additional funds.