Community Housing Innovations completes weatherization project

Community Housing Innovations (CHI) a nonprofit that provides housing and human services for low-income families and individuals on Long Island, has completed the first project in their ongoing initiative to weatherize Long Island's affordable homes and shelters. The organization has started on the second project, which includes weatherization of two shelters, as well as additional homes. Weatherization steps include installing insulation, upgrading the boiler, sealing doors and windows, and insulating pipes. National Grid and the U.S. Department of Energy have provided funds for these projects. For the first project, CHI worked with the Association of Energy Affordability to weatherize four homes, with 17 tenants, in Blue Point, Patchogue and Central Islip. The weatherization steps are expected to decrease the utility bills in the homes by 15-20%, making them easier for the low-income tenants to afford. The project used funds from National Grid. CHI has recently started the second initiative, which includes weatherization of a home and two shelters, with 69 tenants, in Patchogue, Riverhead and Brentwood. This project will use stimulus funds from the U.S. Department of Energy, administered through the Supportive Housing Network of New York.