(1) The legislature finds that growing preservation and rehabilitation needs in the housing trust fund property portfolio provide opportunities to advance energy efficiency and weatherization efforts for low-income individuals in Washington state while protecting the state's six hundred million dollars in affordable housing investments. Preservation of existing affordable housing, when done in conjunction with weatherization activities, is a cost-effective, prudent, and environmentally friendly strategy to ensure that low-income housing remains durable, safe, and affordable. Therefore, the legislature intends that where federal funds are available for increasing and improving energy efficiency of low-income housing that these funds must be utilized, subject to federal requirements, for energy audits and implementing energy efficiency measures in the state housing trust fund real estate portfolio.

     (2) The department shall review all housing properties in the housing trust fund real estate portfolio and identify those in need of major renovation or rehabilitation. In its review, the department shall survey property owners for information including, but not limited to, the age of the building and the type of heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical systems contained in the property. The department shall prioritize all renovation or rehabilitation projects identified in the review by the department's ability to:

     (a) Achieve the greatest possible expected monetary and energy savings by low-income households and other energy consumers over the greatest period of time;

     (b) Promote the greatest possible health and safety improvements for residents of low-income households; and

     (c) Leverage, to the extent feasible, technologically advanced and environmentally friendly sustainable technologies, practices, and designs.

     (3) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall use the prioritization of potential energy efficiency needs and opportunities in subsection (2) of this section to make offers of energy audit services to project owners and operators. The department shall use all practicable means to achieve the completion of energy audits in at least twenty-five percent of the properties in its portfolio that exceed twenty-five years in age, by June 30, 2011. Where the energy audits identify cost-effective weatherization and other energy efficiency measures, the department shall accord a priority within appropriated funding levels to include funding for energy efficiency improvements when the department allocates funding for renovation or rehabilitation of the property.

[2009 c 379 § 301.]

NOTES:

     Finding -- Intent -- Effective date -- 2009 c 379: See notes following RCW 70.260.010.