Friday, November 19, 2010

Let's Retrofit Charleston! They Are Doing It in New York

Posted by Will Moredock on Fri, Nov 19, 2010 at 1:23 AM

My City Paper column on November 17 dealt with the need to get federal money into the campaign to retrofit American homes, for the sake of the economy and the environment. A reader just sent me an interesting piece of news from New York City about a program to retrofit homes and other buildings using private money and local foundations in an array of partnerships. Maybe we could get something like that started in Charleston. Maybe the loudmouths who decry using federal money for anything but building air craft carriers and cruise missiles could organize it and get it started. But their skills are probably limited to complaining and criticizing what the rest of us do to make this country work. But I digress...

Here is the site and below is a clip. Take a look: http://prattcenter.net/retrofit-nyc-block-block

Retrofit NYC Block by Block packages and explains financial incentive programs that cover some (and sometimes all) of the costs of energy upgrades. These include incentives from the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA), Con Edison, National Grid, the Weatherization Assistance Program and tax incentives. Retrofit NYC Block by Block also helps build new partnerships with job training organizations and contractors to create employment opportunities for community residents.

Retrofit NYC Block by Block was piloted in 2009-'10 as Retrofit Bedford Stuyvesant, in partnership with Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation. The Pratt Center has published a report, "Retrofit Bedford Stuyvesant, Block by Block: 2009-2010 Pilot Summary Report," summarizing the impact of the pilot phase and drawing lessons for future outreach efforts.

Topics: Environment
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Comments (6)

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Gee, Will, this is how America used to do it before we became the nation of crybabies. But you yourself said that the gov't HAD to get involved to make this happen, so wouldn't it be so much easier to get that "federal money" that's free? I need a new roof so perhaps the gov't can send me money to get one. And anybody else that needs something could get some "free federal money", too.As a matter of fact, we should let the gov't take care of all our needs and just kick back and enjoy it. But wait, that would mean that they have nowhere to get that "federal money" since no one would be working (it really comes from the American citizens, you know that, don't you?). My point is that most of the programs that the gov't has going on could be taken care of on a local private level just as it was years ago. People seem to forget one of the three biggest lies:I'm from the government and I'm here to help you.

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Posted by Showmoor on November 19, 2010 at 7:24 AM

PS I also like how you start off with "Let's" as in Let us, but by the end you ask the "loudmouths" to organize and get it started. Just like a lazy liberal.

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Posted by Showmoor on November 19, 2010 at 7:45 AM

"........ using private money and local foundations in an array of partnerships."

But, Moredock would rather use "federal money" that used to be private.

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Posted by Guy on November 19, 2010 at 5:22 PM

Money is a paper note written by the US Treasury, Guy. There is no such thing as "private" money - unless you want to be one of those alternative currency people.

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Posted by mat catastrophe on November 19, 2010 at 7:37 PM

Mat, are you saying that wherever or from whoever money comes it is federal money? I believe the money in my pocket is private money until I'm taxed and then it turns into federal money. If you're right then it's just a matter of time before Obama starts taking credit for all charitable contributions.

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Posted by Guy on November 19, 2010 at 10:12 PM

I think Guy and Showmoor have missed the point of both the article and the Block-by-Block concept. Read the Pratt Center report, gentlemen, you'll discover that it is in fact a very local project with a variety of local benefits (you perhaps missed the mention in the article about "job training" and "employment opportunities for local residents"?).

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Posted by toniwn on November 24, 2010 at 10:13 AM
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