Madison Reporter

The City of Madison has been awarded a $20 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Community Change Grants program to improve housing affordability through energy upgrades. The initiative aims to lower energy bills, enhance indoor air quality, and reduce climate pollution.

Mayor Rhodes-Conway expressed gratitude for the funding, stating, “We are excited to put these dollars to work in our community to lower household costs, improve health, and help people access good jobs.” She thanked President Biden and EPA Administrator Regan for their support.

The project targets low-income households that often face higher energy costs. It will offer free technical assistance and comprehensive home upgrades such as improved heating systems, better insulation, and efficient lighting. Denise Matyka of Project Home emphasized the benefits: "Saving money on energy costs by weatherizing homes is a great help for these families and, more importantly, improves their health and safety."

Madison is collaborating with organizations including Sustain Dane, Project Home, Operation Fresh Start, and Urban Triage. These groups will expand existing programs like Project Home’s weatherization services and Sustain Dane’s Efficiency Navigator Program. Sixty early career workers from Operation Fresh Start will participate in workforce training through this initiative.

Brian McMahon of Operation Fresh Start noted the importance of job training: "Any chance to provide young people with training in growing fields helps build wealth in our community.”

Urban Triage will lead outreach efforts to involve tenants and property owners in the programs. CEO Brandi Grayson stated that the goal is "to inspire vulnerable communities to actively participate in building upgrade programs."

The initiative is expected to reduce overall energy demand in Madison while lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Claire Oleksiak of Sustain Dane highlighted the project's focus on sustainability and equity: "We strive to meet people where they are at...in a way that saves energy, provides jobs, reduces energy costs, and improves the health of our communities."