Green Building United

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDED GRANT IS TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPACT, ESPECIALLY FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES RESIDING IN HAZARDOUS HOUSING, OF SPENDING ADDITIONAL TIME INDOORS DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE PROJECT WILL REDUCE EXPOSURE TO HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS IN HOUSING IN NORTHEAST WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, INCLUDING AIR AND WATER POLLUTANTS THAT ARE PREVALENT IN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE CITY WITH HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF LOW AND MODERATE HOUSEHOLD INCOMES AND BLACK AND LATINO RESIDENTS. CAA 103(B)(3): PEOPLE WITH MODERATE-TO-SEVERE OR UNCONTROLLED ASTHMA ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE HOSPITALIZED FROM COVID-19. AIR POLLUTION MAY CONTRIBUTE TO ASTHMA. BY ADDRESSING AIR POLLUTION IN CAA 103(B)(3) PROJECTS, THE CHANCES OF SEVERE ILLNESS FROM COVID-19 ARE REDUCED. SDWA 1442: HANDWASHING IS A WELL-ACCEPTED APPROACH TO COMBATING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19. CLEAN WATER IS NECESSARY FOR THE PROPER WASHING OF HANDS. SDWA 1442 GRANT PROJECTS CONTRIBUTE TO PROVIDING CLEAN WATER FOR HANDWASHING IN COMBATTING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19. ACTIVITIES:GBU STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS WILL WORK WITH THE RESILIENCE TEAM TO HOST CLIMATE RESILIENCY SERVICE DAYS, WHICH WILL DEMONSTRATE HOW RESIDENTS CAN MAKE PHYSICAL STRUCTURES IN NORTHEAST WILMINGTON MORE CLIMATE RESILIENT. THE EVENT WILL FEATURE EXISTING HOME ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS BEST SUITED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF NEIGHBORS SUCH AS: DELAWARE IN-HOME ENERGY CHECK-UP AND COUNSELING; REFRIGERATION REPLACEMENT PROGRAM; DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS HOME PERFORMANCE PROGRAM; WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (WAP); PRE-WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM; ENERGIZE DELAWARE - LIGHTS-ON DELAWARE STRONG PROGRAM; SUMMER COOLING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM; REPLACE OR REPAIR HEATERS AND CONSERVE ENERGY PROGRAM; LUTHERAN COMMUNITY SERVICES PROGRAM; OR OTHERS. PARTICIPATING RESIDENTS WILL LEARN ABOUT AND PROVIDE OR RECEIVE HOME SERVICES SUCH AS INSTALLATIONS OF PROGRAMMABLE/SMART THERMOSTATS; LED LIGHT BULBS; SMART POWER STRIPS FOR TVS AND COMPUTERS; CAULKING; AND REPLACEMENT OF AIR FILTERS. HOME ENERGY AND INDOOR AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENTS MAY ALSO BE PROVIDED TO 40-80 HOMES WITH PERMISSION OF RESIDENTS/OWNERS. THIS WILL BE IN COORDINATION WITH ENERGIZE DELAWARE'S HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGY STAR PROGRAM WHICH CURRENTLY COSTS $50 PER HOUSEHOLD ($25 PER LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLD). THESE ASSESSMENTS INCLUDE: IDENTIFYING ENERGY-SAVING IMPROVEMENTS USING STATE-OF-THE-ART DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT; INSTALLING UP TO $200 WORTH OF ENERGY-SAVING MEASURES; REVIEWING RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS AND AVAILABLE REBATES. GBU WILL ALSO WORK WITH CONTRACTORS TO BE ABLE TO ASSESS INDOOR AIR QUALITY POLLUTANTS. OUTCOMES:GBU AND PARTNERS IN NORTHEAST WILMINGTON WILL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A YEAR-LONG PROGRAM OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES TO FOSTER DISCUSSIONS ON COMMUNITY READINESS FOR ANTICIPATING, PREPARING FOR, AND RESPONDING TO HAZARDOUS EVENTS, TRENDS, OR DISTURBANCES RELATED TO CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. THE PROJECT WILL BUILD COMMUNITY CAPACITY TO ADDRESS BOTH THE SOCIAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT DIMENSIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, UNDERSTANDING THAT WEATHER EXTREMES AND SUBSTANDARD HOUSING DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES, AND THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS NEED TO INCLUDE EFFICIENT AND AFFORDABLE SOLUTIONS THAT ENSURE CLEAN AIR, WATER, AND ENERGY. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR FUTURE ENDEAVORS, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESILIENCE HUBS - NEIGHBORHOOD DESIGNED CENTERS THAT HELP RESIDENTS BUILD CLIMATE RESILIENCY. THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES OF THIS PROJECT ARE THE UNDERSERVED EJ-IMPACTED COMMUNITIES OF NORTHEAST WILMINGTON, DELAWARE. SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.