(Host) A new program is helping cities and towns foot the bill for their residents to weatherize their homes and make them more energy efficient.
Under Vermont’s Property Assessed Clean Energy program – or PACE – participating towns give residents an opportunity to borrow money for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Residents then repay the money through their property taxes.
The idea is for cities and towns to become more self-reliant and more energy efficient. So the program helps them to meet sustainability and climate goals, even under budget constraints.
Last Town Meeting Day, towns such as Craftsbury, approved the PACE program, which begins next month.
Craftsbury town officials say any expenses will be added to property taxpayers’ bills as a separate line item. Work will be done by qualified, certified professionals who can meet certain standards approved by the nonprofit Efficiency Vermont.