The BWL “Hometown Help” Low Income Program provides eligible customers in single-family and multifamily homes with a free energy assessment, education in energy efficiency and behavioral guidance, along with free installation of LED bulbs. If applicable, the program will also replace and recycle older refrigerators, dehumidifiers, and room air conditioners with ENERGY STAR™ models at no cost.

Two design parameters were key in the establishment of the Hometown Help Low Income Energy Efficiency Program:

No Cost- participating customers are not required to pay for products and services included in the program.

Convenient- program is designed to minimize the requirements for participation and make it easy for qualified customers to get help.

The City of Lansing has a 47% rental population, tenants and landlords are also offered the Hometown Help energy assessment through the BWL Multi-Family program. This energy assessment is at no cost, and ENERGY STAR refrigerator replacement is also offered at no cost (a previous requirement for a 25% co-pay was waived during the pandemic, including 2021). There was specific outreach conducted for this program in 2021, which was made to registered landlords by the City of Lansing’s housing ombudsman. This has resulted in more low-income occupied residences getting efficient refrigerators that lower electric bills.

Michigan Energy Options (MEO) is the implementation contractor for managing program delivery, including hiring and training staff, subcontractors, inputting data, verifying installations, and invoicing and reporting. 

In 2021 Lansing BWL reported 432,751 kWh in savings for their low-income programs while serving 1,373 customers and spending $267,149.

Consumers offers the Single Family IQ program offers access to incentives to facilitate whole building retrofits.  Customers work through their local non-profit(NPO)/community action agency (CAA) to apply for premium measures (insulation, furnace, water heater replacements).  The NPO/CAA will first utilize their funding to complete upgrade.  If a cap is hit then the utility will provide incentives to cover the remaining cost.  On the multifamily side, whole building incentives are available for property owners to apply for that pertain to tenant units and common area space and include the measured listed to the left.

The Consumers Energy’s Income-Qualified Energy Efficiency Assistance Program consists of various residential initiatives serving households that meet the income criteria of being at or below 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL) or 80% of AMI.  This program aids single-family, income-eligible Consumers Energy customers to reduce energy consumption and improve comfort in their home. It offers no-cost direct services that include energy efficiency upgrades, home energy assessments and energy-saving education.

The Consumers Energy Multifamily Energy Efficiency Program consists of various offerings for customers that meet the eligibility requirements for the program. Multifamily is defined as properties containing 3+ units under a single roof.  Income qualified is defined as 66% of tenants living at or under 200% of the federal poverty level or 80% of AMI.  This program offers direct install of free products including: LED bulbs, pipe wrap, showerheads and faucet aerators.  The program also provides access to prescriptive measures for HVAC, lighting, water heating and building envelope.  Any projects that do not qualify under the prescriptive measures can also apply for a custom project were the savings are calculated based on actual energy savings. Customers are also eligible to receive an assessment which identifies recommendations and measures that customers may take advantage of energy efficiency upgrades in their properties.

In 2021 Consumers reported saving 263,862 Mcf with their low-income program while serving 10,666 and spending $ 14,300,558.