How Can State Housing Finance Agencies Improve Energy Efficiency?

State housing finance agencies (HFAs) help meet the demand for affordable housing through a variety of financing efforts. HFAs recognize that affordability includes reducing other costs to help free up finances for housing and, increasingly, they are seeking ways to help reduce energy costs for homeowners, renters, landlords, and builders.

Two reports from Abt, in support of the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA), provide key insights for HFAs working to reduce household energy costs:

Opportunities Through New Federal Legislation: State HFAs’ Roles in Reducing Household Energy Costs

This report examines how state HFAs can further advance their affordable housing mission by leveraging the unprecedented funding made available under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). The report provides insights into how and where HFAs can play a role, including by helping to identify eligible properties for HUD’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program; informing the design of state implementation plans for DOE home energy rebate programs; supporting states’ Weatherization Authorization Programs to expand upgrades; and potentially deploying financing for housing projects using resources from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

State Housing Finance Agency Roles In Reducing Household Energy Costs Case Studies

This report details activities from seven HFAs that preceded the IIJA and the IRA. Successful and innovative programs are featured from Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, Georgia Housing and Finance Authority, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority, New York Homes and Community Renewal, North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, and Washington State Housing Finance Commission.