MEDIA RELEASE

21 January 2014

Council Helps Warm 250 Palmy Homes

The Warm Up Palmy home insulation scheme has helped insulate 250 homes in Palmerston North since starting last year.

The scheme allowed ratepayers who couldn’t afford the funds up front to insulate their homes.

The scheme was made up of a subsidy from Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) and a sum of up to $2,600 by way of advance from the Palmerston North City Council.  The sum provided by the Council, plus interest, is then repaid over nine years by way of a voluntary targeted rate on their rates bill.

Mayor Jono Naylor says the scheme has been a great success.

“It’s nice to know that the Council has been able to help 250 families make their homes much warmer this winter,” he said.

Council’s sustainability coordinator Pat Cronin said the Council allocated $500,000 towards this programme with ECCA providing $260,000 in subsidies.

“Approximately one third of those who took advantage of the scheme will make their first voluntary payment during 2013/14 and the remainder will begin making rates payments from July 2014,” she said. 

Warm Up Palmy participants who have not paid off the full amount of their loan and intend to sell their home can pay it off in full upon sale, or the balance can be transferred to the new owners. 

The scheme is now closed.

ENDS

© Scoop Media