If your total annual household income falls below the maximum amounts indicated below, you are eligible for the Florida Department of Community Affairs Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The WAP is available to Sarasota County homeowners through the Manatee Community Action Agency. Services available to eligible homeowners include a free home energy audit and free residential Energy Conservation Measures.

If eligible, click here for Weatherization application and contact information

Those eligible under the WAP income limits are not eligible for overlapping portions of the Get Energy Smart Retrofit Program, unless the WAP funds are no longer available. Following completed work within the WAP, eligible homeowners may apply for rebates and loans on energy improvements that were not covered by the WAP.

Loan component of the Get Energy Smart Retrofit Program
The Get Energy Smart Retrofit Loan Program is being administered through the Sarasota Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD). Assistance is available for income eligible homeowners within the unincorporated area of Sarasota County and the city of North Port (City of North Port loan funds have been fully committed and are no longer available). To qualify under the income limitation, residents must make less than 140 percent of Area Median Income (gross). If eligible for the Weatherization Assistance Program, residents can participate in the rebate and loan components of the Get Energy Smart Retrofit Program only upon completion of WAP improvements. Income levels eligible for the loan program are listed below. Homeowners may be eligible for a loan of up to $5,000 in the city of North Port or up to $10,000 in the Unincorporated County to retrofit their homes through the program. All loans will be zero percent interest and with no payments required for 30 years or until the home is no longer owner occupied.

• Appliances are not eligible for financing through the Get Energy Smart Retrofit Loan Program.
   
• Applicants interested in the loan program should not begin work on any proposed repairs. Any work commenced prior to executing a mortgage with Sarasota County or the city of North Port will invalidate your application request.
   
• Work must be completed by a Participating Contractor who is eligible to provide services under the Loan Program. Those contractors are indicated by a gray shading of their row in the Participating Contractor Table.

Due to the volume of loan applications received, a waiting list has been established to allow the program administrator to meet federal loan processing requirements. Beginning Oct. 11, 2010, interested homeowners will be put on a waiting list and will be notified when their application will be accepted. Requests to be placed on the waiting list and any questions about the program may be directed to the OHCD at 941-951-3640 ext. 0. The OHCD will require your name, address and telephone number for the waiting list. 

We encourage all applicants on the waiting list to fully prepare their applications in advance so when they are contacted the loan application form can be sent to you and processing can be expedited. Once your name has been placed on the waiting list, you can begin to collect the following documentation, but you are asked not to submit anything until you are notified that your name has been reached on the waiting list. 

Initial required documents :

• Copy of Drivers License/ FL I.D. for each person in the home
• Copy of Social security card for each person in the home

• FPL survey and duct test reports:  As soon as you are placed on the waiting list you can schedule an in- home energy survey and duct test from Florida Power and Light by calling by calling 941-917-0708. There is a several week delay in scheduling these tests, so it would be to your advantage to get it done while waiting for the wait list to progress. The test costs $30.   

• Proposal for Work: Contact Participating Contractors to get quotes for the work you would like to complete. Work must be completed by a Participating Contractor who is eligible to provide services under the Loan Program. Those contractors are indicated by a gray shading of their row in the Participating Contractor Table. 
• Verification of Mortgage (if applicable)
• Proof of Income / Signed Tax Returns
   

Residents of the city of Sarasota, unincorporated Sarasota County, and the city of North Port are also invited to apply for OHCD’s homeowner rehabilitation program, which includes many of the same energy retrofits as the Get Energy Smart. Information on this program can also be found at www.ohcd.sarasotagov.com.

  Loan Application (Application will be provided when notified of waitlist position)

  Loan Program Guidelines

Low Income Audit Exemption
For homeowners with an income less than 100 percent of Area Median Income as outlined in the table below, the requirement for the Comprehensive Home Energy Audit for certain rebate categories can be met by providing a report from an in-home audit and duct test conducted by Florida Power and Light. Information on how to request is available at:

  FPL In Home Audit and Duct Test or by calling 941-917-0708 .

Unlike the comprehensive home energy audit, this FPL audit and duct test does not provide detailed and quantified recommendations on the full range of energy saving options for each home nor does it outline priority recommendations that are used in determining the level of rebate available for each improvement. If the FPL audit identifies any improvements necessary, they will be considered priority recommendations that must be completed in order to receive the full rebate amount in other categories.

Homeowners requesting this audit exemption must provide proof of income in the form of the latest tax return document for all members of the household 18 years of age or older as a part of their application materials.