City of Dallas launches program to help residents prepare their homes for extreme weather

The City of Dallas just launched a new program to help educate residents about available resources to make their homes more energy efficient and resilient to extreme weather.

Last week’s ice storm is just the latest example of how severe weather is affecting North Texas.

Many residents were locked in their homes for several days trying to escape the cold.

READ MORE: Gov. Abbot issues disaster announcement after winter weather; Denton County included

“The people of Dallas are seeing more and more extreme weather, and we’re seeing more of it every year, whether it’s a drought, a heatwave, or the cold snap we saw last week,” said Dallas City Council member Paula Blackmon.

The city launched Whole Home Dallas on Monday.

The program’s website is designed to educate and facilitate access to resources that can help insulate homes.

“It brings together all the financial incentives that are now available to residents of our area to upgrade their homes and make them more resilient to climate change,” said Senior Climate Coordinator Farr Andrews.

Simple improvements homeowners can make themselves, such as weather stripping, insulation, sealing, repairing and replacing doors and windows.

Energy efficiency means things like upgrading light bulbs and thermostats.

The city provided $150,000 to roll out the website and disseminate information.

“Especially engaging our low-income homeowners so they can be aware of tax credits, rebate funding, all opportunities to take advantage of insulation,” said Environment Commission Chair Katherine Bazan.

The Resource Center will connect residents with service providers who can help with upgrades.

Separately, the city announced the launch of Green Job Skills.

The pilot program provides an opportunity for local contractors looking to improve their skills to take on growing green jobs.

“It will also help build new homes in a way that is weatherproof and can withstand our harsh climate,” Dallas City Councilwoman Janey Schultz said.

The city has partnered with Energy Smart Academy to provide free, accredited online courses.

Available classrooms focus on specific weather work tasks, such as upgrading or becoming an energy auditor.

“This program is experimental and we hope it will become a gateway for people to be trained for positions that will help us support the city we all hold dear,” Schultz said.

“We are presenting two programs that are important in the fight against climate change,” said Carlos Evans, director of the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability.

More about the programs here:

City leaders want to see how many residents are interested in the program.

If they see that there is a need, the city council can vote to allocate additional funds.

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texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

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