Financing Green Home Projects

As we strive to become more environmentally-conscious, making changes to the mechanical and electrical engineering of our homes can make a huge impact in contributing to a sustainable environment, and can save money. Conducting a residential energy audit on your home to assess water use, insulation, HVAC and other areas is a great place to start. There are several loan programs and grants that can assist with financing energy efficiency home improvements and water usage improvements. Below are three St. Louis programs that can help home owners towards their efforts for a green home.

St. Louis Green HELP Program

The Green Home Energy-Efficiency Loan Program (Green HELP) is a low-interest loan program that helps city homeowners lower their utility bills by creating more energy-efficient homes.

Completed applications received before June 30, 2018, will be processed and considered for funding based on program qualifications. Completed applications received after July 1, 2018, will be processed and considered based on program qualifications and availability of funds.

Loan Details

• Maximum loan value up to $15,000 per applicant
• Repayment term: Up to 10 years
• Interest Rate: 2.11%
• Applicant must be a city resident
• Property must be owner-occupied for life of the loan
• Property must be a single-family home
• Applicant must be current on real estate and personal property tax
• No minimum income
• Subject to credit check

Example Eligible Projects

Furnace Systems, Air and Duct Sealing, Doors and Windows, Installation of Insulation, Heat Pump, Hot Water Heater, Solar Panels, Appliance Replacement. For a full list of eligible projects and more information on the program, visit the Green Help Website.

MSD Rainscaping Grants

MSD Project Clear is the initiative to improve water quality and alleviate many wastewater concerns in the St. Louis region. It is investing billions of dollars over a generation in planning, designing, and building community rainscaping, system improvements, and an ambitious program of maintenance and repair.

Homeowners can receive up to $3,000 for rainscaping projects through their Rainscaping Small Grants Program. All applicants are required to attend at least one Landowner Orientation Session within the current (2018-2019) or previous (2017-2018) program year. The last remaining session is June 28, 2018 (Thurs) 6:00pm – 9:00pm at Commerce Bank Center for Science Education (4651 Shaw Ave St. Louis, MO 63110). To attend, register online or call (314) 577-0202.

• Applications must be received by August 1, 2018.
• Participants have two time frames in which to complete their projects: Fall planting period is September 10, 2018 – October 31, 2018 and Spring planting period begins in 2019 after the final freeze, and ends May 10, 2019.

For detailed grant information, eligibility, and application, visit MSD Project Clear website.

Set the PACE St. Louis Financing

Set the PACE St. Louis is an innovative program that uses PACE financing to help homeowners and multi-family property owners access affordable, long-term financing for smart energy upgrades to their buildings.

PACE financing allows home and building owners to finance qualifying energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements through voluntary tax assessment. Property owners pay for the improvements over time and the repayment obligation transfers automatically to the next owner if the property is sold. Similar to a sewer tax assessment, capital provided under the PACE program is secured by a lien on the property, so low-interest capital can be raised from the private sector with no government financing required.

• Streamlined qualification process
• Low, fixed payments
• 100% upfront financing

For more information, including eligibility, visit the Set The Pace website or watch the 1.5 minute video below.

Please contact your tax advisor to determine if you may be eligible for tax benefits

Summary

Make sure to record any improvements you make to your home during your ownership. This information will make your home more marketable and be of interest to future purchasers. It is an indication of the maintenance and care you put into your property. We’d love to hear about your home projects. Contact us via email or tag us on social media @dawngriffinstl.