Minneapolis City Council weighs $4M investment into weatherizing local homes

MINNEAPOLIS — With winter getting closer by the day, the pressure is on to keep the heat in.

“I thought it was a joke when I opened my gas bill,” said Audua Pugh, north Minneapolis homeowner.

Pugh said her gas bill has tripled since purchasing her home 15 years ago.

“I’m afraid about how much more it’ll go up from last year,” she said.

She is among community organizers who packed city hall Thursday, hoping to get leaders to allocate $10 million in the 2024 budget to go towards insulating, electrifying and retrofitting Minneapolis homes.

“We do need new windows, so this (money) could potentially help us,” Pugh said.

New windows, and new insulation, are ways to save money in the long run.

Rev. Lee Schaefer knows a thing or two about upgrading. He’s insulated his entire home, has a heat pump and an electric vehicle with more upgrades soon.

“I really have no energy costs,” Schaefer said.

In fact, Schaefer’s gas bill is only about $10 and he doesn’t even have an electricity bill. 

“I’ve got solar panels up there,” he said.

He knows not everyone can afford these steps, but maybe they could with an infusion of government cash. Schaefer smiled as he said this would be an extraordinary first step towards financial freedom for many people.

The investment includes $4.7 million toward weatherizing homes in Minneapolis, $1.4 million in workforce training, and $850,000 in the city’s tree canopy program.

Funding will come from an increase in the utility fee in Minneapolis and can be found on customer energy bills.

For the typical household, the fee increase will cost an additional $12 a year or $1 a month.

The Minneapolis City Council will vote on this budget at next week’s meeting.