Elgin expects eco-friendly grants

Elgin has all types of grants to help people.

There's Community Development Block Grants for low-income homeowners.

And for businesses, there's grants for everything from grease traps to building facades to exterior signs.

In coming months, Elgin homeowners will have an opportunity to apply for a share in $250,000 in federal grant money to help make their homes more energy efficient.

The funding is part of a $1 million Energy Efficient and Conservation Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

"We've been in contact with the Department of Energy surrounding the funding and we've been told that it could become available any day," city spokeswoman Sue Olafson said. "(Elgin) has set aside the maximum allowed, $250,000, for residents to apply for energy efficiency funding to retrofit homes for energy efficiency upgrades."

Windows, doors, furnaces and water heaters are among the eligible items.

Olafson said city officials are developing an application and once it is approved, it will be online at cityofelgin.org.

Another project funded by the grant is $200,000 for a center city commercial grant program in which property owners would compete for one of four grants based in part on scope of work and anticipated energy savings, according to memo from Jennifer Fritz-Williams, the city's historic preservation specialist.

Other projects are: $200,000 for installing low-flow faucets, occupancy sensors, daylight sensors and other energy efficient items in the city's public works garage; and $100,000 to add energy efficient appliances, insulation and other upgrades to the seven city-owned houses for the police department's resident officer program.

The grant is part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009.