March 2005 Housing News

Energy Tip of the Month: (excerpt from the 2005 State of Texas Energy Assistance Calendar): Did you know that the appliance you purchase has more than just one "price tag"? One is the purchase price, and the other is what you'll pay (for the energy) to run it. While you may have a terrific purchase price, you may end up spending more money than you think. Over the lifetime of an appliance you normally spend much more to use it than it cost to buy it.

ENERGY STAR qualified products meet energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. These products include appliances, ceiling fans, electronic equipment, phones, compact fluorescent light bulbs, computer equipment, and several other products. An appliance that qualifies for ENERGY STAR meets tough federal criteria for energy efficiency. To get an idea of just how much you can save, take a look at the EnergyGuide label for a refrigerator. It may tell you that the refrigerator uses 618 kWh. The least efficient refrigerators of the same size and configuration use 1,042 kWh, or almost 70% more. The refrigerator in this example qualifies for the ENERGY STAR rating and costs $52 a year to operate - $36 less each year than the least efficient model. For a complete listing of ENERGY STAR products, go to www.energystar.gov or call toll free at 1-888-782-7937.
Code Compliance: Did you know that the Department of Code Compliance enforces City codes and regulations that result in the protection of the health, safety and welfare of all citizens? Areas the City of San Antonio's Code Compliance Department gets involved with include: Front & Side Yard Parking, Junked Vehicles, Obstruction/Right-of-Way, Noise, Garage Sales, Unsanitary Premises, Illegal Dumping, Vacant Lots, Animal and Fowl, and more. For more information access www.municode.com. For complaints: call 311. Information provided by Ramon Mendez, Acting Assistant Director, and Manager for the City's Code Compliance Department.
Fair Housing Programs: Federal, State and City Fair Housing laws prohibit discriminatory housing practices and policies. They also protect individuals from the refusal to sell, rent or to negotiate for the sale or rental of a house or apartment based on discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability. Discrimination based upon age is also prohibited within the city limits. The Fair Housing Program is charged with the responsibility for the enforcement of these laws. The program also provides information, including the following services: Fair Housing Counseling, Tenant and Landlord Counseling, Home Equity Conversion Mortgage/Reverse Mortgage Counseling, Post Occupancy Counseling, Foreclosure Prevention Counseling, Emergency Shelter Referrals, Home Improvement and Rehabilitation Counseling, and more. For more information, contact the U.S. Dept. of HUD at 1-210-475-6800. You may also visit the City of San Antonio's Fair Housing Offices' web page at http://www.ci.sa.tx.us.
Texas NAHFO 2005 Annual Conference: Mark your calendars and start making your plans to attend the Texas NAHRO's (National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials) 2005 Annual Conference set for April 16-20 in Laredo. Scheduled speakers include: Edwinna Carrington, Executive Director of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs; A. Cynthia Leon, Regional Director, U.S. Dept. of HUD; and Saul Ramirez, Executive Director for NAHRO. For more information, visit the Texas NAHRO's website at www.txnahro.org/AnnualConference.asp.
Helpful Numbers: The Weatherization Assistance Program frequently gets phone calls from people needing home repairs. Because we are not a home repair program, we cannot help these people directly. However, there are a few agencies in Bexar County and in Guadalupe and other rural counties that may be able to assist with home repairs via loan programs or actual on-site repairs. These include the following: