City Notes: Get your furnace replacement application in early

By Tim Fox, Executive Director, Charles City Area Development Corp.

The Floyd County Housing Trust Fund is accepting applications within its Furnace Replacement Program.

This program has installed approximately 420 new furnaces in Floyd County. Floyd is the only county in Iowa that has such a program, so it is to your benefit to take advantage of this offering.

The Furnace Replacement Program has turned out to be one of the most successful programs Charles City Area Development has implemented. We are addressing a fundamental human need while promoting heightened energy efficiencies — helping individuals and society.

This initiative is environmentally friendly as we seek to achieve:

• Reductions in life cycle MMBtu.

• Reductions in life cycle air pollution (pounds CO2).

• Air pollution reduction equivalence, number cars off roads.

• Air pollution reduction equivalence, number acres of forest saved.

• Consumer life cycle energy cost savings.

This program would not have been as successful without the cooperation of our local furnace contractors. Since we use federal and state funds, there are some additional paperwork burdens with which contractors must comply.

I also wish to thank the Charles City Code Enforcement Department for its cooperation over the years. Its role is to inspect all furnaces installed in the program. The department’s attention to detail and willingness to work with us is crucial to our success.

Once again, I will remind you that the program is income-based. Those successful applicants at less than 30% median income receive a new furnace at no charge. Those in the 31% to 50% median income category pay 25 percent of the replacement costs.

You must also have homeowners insurance, be current on your property taxes and have a furnace that is at least 10 years old.

We are attempting to make inroads in the unincorporated areas of Floyd County as well as those communities other than Charles City. Please tell your friends, neighbors, church brethren, relatives, etc. about this opportunity.

Some are reticent to apply in that they think there is a stigma attached to receiving benefits. I have been doing this a long time and refrain from judging anyone. We apply for these funds to help people, so if we are able to help you we would be very pleased to do so.

Please call me at 641-228-3020 should you have questions or want us to mail you an application. Or, email me at tfox@charlescityia.com. The application is also available at our website, www.charlescityia.com.

My job is to answer your questions and assist you in crafting a qualified application.