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Sophia Aldous
NEWPORT — On paper, it sounds like an opportunity to jump at: A free, local program that makes a home more energy efficient and cut power costs.
Helping Out Pend Oreille with Efficiency (HOPE) is an Income Qualified Energy Efficiency initiative through Pend Oreille PUD, designed to help income-qualified customers — especially those in manufactured homes — reduce the energy burden through weatherization, heat pump installations, duct sealing and other efficiency measures.
However, when PUD Conservation and Grants Manager Amber Gifford and 509Energy Owner Todd Williams tried to get the HOPE program from just paper into reality via Lazy Acres Mobile Home Community in Newport, they met some resistance from residents.
“I think at first people thought it was too good to be true,” Williams said. “We had hung up flyers, and I was handing them out, but I was a stranger, so I think people were like, ‘What’s the catch?’” That changed when one of the PUD employees in billing told Williams to talk to Eldonna Steckler. Steckler has been a Lazy Acres resident for several years and knows the neighborhood.
“She was our in,” Williams said. “Once we worked on her home, she told her friends and neighbors, and word of mouth just took it from there.”
Manufactured homes, especially older ones, tend to be less energy efficient due to thin insulation, exposed crawlspaces and foundations and outdated construction standards, Williams added.
“I never thought I’d say I’m excited to see my heating bill when winter comes,” Steckler said about the improvements made to her home. “Like a lot of people, me and my husband are on a fixed income, so when Todd explained to me what this (HOPE) could do, I thought, ‘Why not?’” Funded by the Bonneville Power Administration and administered through the PUD, the initial pilot phase of the HOPE Program was done throughout the summer at Lazy Acres, where nearly 20 homes received upgrades.
“The initiative is a model for holistic home improvement and it’s a tangible way to give back to the community,” Gifford said. “It empowers customers to take control of their energy costs.”
The PUD partnered with 509Energy for direct outreach and installation, uncovering additional repair needs and addressing them within the pilot program’s funding limits. Gifford said the HOPE program cost approximately $220,000. She added that the goal is to expand the program in and around Cusick and Ione in 2027.
“It’s definitely something we would like to keep going,” Gifford said.
The program is available on a first-come, firstserved basis, and depends on District approval and BPA funding.
To participate, PUD customers must complete an income eligibility form, confirming they are at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. The home must use electric heat for at least 50% of the conditioned area.
All work is performed by certified contractors and is done at little to no cost for eligible customers, including prescriptive duct and air sealing, ductless and ducted heat pumps, wholehouse air sealing and testing and advanced smart thermostats.
“I know it seems like government is the last to step up and help when you need it, but I think this is a program that’s good for people and Todd (Williams) and his guys did a great job,” Steckler said. “I’d be curious to see it (HOPE) grow.”
For more information or to apply, visit popud.org/your-account/save-energy- 2/income-qualified-program.
