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We recently got the chance to shine when White House Senior Advisor Tom Perez visited Michigan to witness the positive impact the American Rescue Plan is having on our residents.
The spotlight was put on the Oakland SAVES initiative which provided grants to 1,100 Oakland County residents to make energy efficiency improvements to their homes. The average savings on energy bills per household is estimated at $3,351, thanks to $5 million in ARPA funding.
Gwen Bynum is among the residents seeing a savings. She opened her Oak Park home to us to show the new windows she got through the Oakland SAVES program. The window seals in her home had broken and had become so fogged that she could barely see across the street and had difficulty keeping the cold air out in the winter. But the new windows gave her clear views and a more comfortable and energy-efficient home.
Perez, who also serves as the Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, said the program was a great example of the partnerships that happen when the federal government works with the local communities that know what their residents and businesses need.
And one of those things is helping people stay in their homes for as long as they’re able. And thanks to the Oakland SAVES program, Mrs. Bynum, an 82-year-old General Motors retiree, has one less home improvement project to worry about.
We couldn’t have provided these grants and so many other programs without the $244 million in ARPA funding we received. I was so grateful to be able to thank the White House in person for dependable leadership at a time when we were determining how to help people recover and thrive after COVID.
This money has provided the foundation for residents, businesses, communities and organizations to succeed and grow, providing economic security well into the future.
The SAVES program was just a small piece of the strategic plan to allocate the ARPA funding in a way that will be sustainable beyond the end of the ARPA dollars.
For more information on Oakland County’s ARPA Recovery Plan, we just posted the 2024 annual report on the county’s website. Take a look. I have no doubt that you’ll find some pretty innovative initiatives that have touched countless people.
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