BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — For one Kern County homeowner, a new set of home upgrades means more than new appliances.
Maria Perez’s home is the first to be fully retrofitted through the Kern CASA Project, a program that helps qualifying families make energy and health-related improvements at no cost.
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Perez, who has asthma and lives on a fixed income, received a series of upgrades including an electric HVAC system, water heater, stove and dryer. Her home was also weatherized and equipped with solar panels and battery storage.
Project Manager Brianda Castro said the work is designed to reduce the home’s reliance on gas while also addressing indoor air quality.
“Simply just switching gas appliances to electric appliances and making sure that we remove any fossil fuel footprint with gas combustion from the home,” Castro said.
Perez had previously received asthma-related services through the Central California Asthma Collaborative. Castro said that connection helped make her a strong fit for the project, which is also focused on reducing pollutants inside the home.
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“So, when you eliminate the use of gas in the home it eliminates those pollutants and so therefore it creates a healthier just air quality within the home,” Castro said.
The cost of making those changes can be a major hurdle for families, Castro said, particularly for lower-income households that may not be able to afford newer appliances or larger home upgrades on their own.
“And then lastly these appliances are also newer which means that they are not very affordable for the regular low-income household. the beauty about the programs that we offer to residents in low-income communities is that it has no cost to the homeowner,” Castro said.
Perez said the improvements are especially meaningful because managing her asthma while living on a fixed income has often meant prioritizing household expenses over her own health needs.
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The first completed home is expected to be one of several. Castro said the project plans to complete upgrades at another 18 homes.
The funding also included a workforce development component. Twenty Kern County residents were trained in skills related to home retrofits, and Castro said some have since worked on homes included in the project.
Although applications for this round of Kern CASA funding are closed, Castro said her team continues to connect families with other programs that may help them qualify for similar home improvements.