Navigating Poor Housing Stock: Strategies to Maximize Impact in the Weatherization Assistance Program

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) remains one of the most important tools for advancing energy efficiency, affordability, and equity. Yet, in many communities, poor housing stock presents a persistent challenge: outdated mechanicals, structural deficiencies, mold and moisture issues, and unsafe conditions often prevent weatherization work from moving forward. These barriers not only delay upgrades but also exclude the households that could benefit most from lower energy bills and healthier homes.
This session will explore innovative approaches to navigating poor housing stock in WAP. Presenters will share strategies for integrating diagnostics, coordinating with healthy homes initiatives, layering funding sources, and building partnerships with housing agencies, municipalities, and nonprofits. Special focus will be placed on leveraging complementary funding and financing programs, such as the Energy Saver Home Loan Program (ESHLP), utility-administered health and safety funds, and federal and state housing rehabilitation resources. These models create pathways to address pre-weatherization barriers, reduce deferrals, and ensure households gain access to WAP and its benefits.
Participants will leave with actionable tools to strengthen their own programs—whether through leveraging policy, aligning weatherization and rehab resources, or embedding equity-centered practices. By rethinking how we address housing quality in tandem with weatherization, we can turn one of WAP’s greatest challenges into an opportunity for lasting impact.