City officials approved an additional $10.3 million in financing Tuesday, which will significantly expand a Portland program that protects low-income people during deadly heat waves.
From an initial target of 15,000, the Cooling Portland project now aims to provide 25,000 free portable air conditioners and heat-pump-cooling-unit combos to needy city households by the end of 2026.
The Portland City Council authorized the eight-figure funding boost, which raises the program’s overall cost to slightly over $26.6 million and coincides with a surge in demand from qualified citizens.
The Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund, created by a voter-approved tax on city retail sales, provides funding for the initiative, which collaborates with 15 nonprofit organizations and housing providers. Even while the city as a whole has a dire financial outlook for the upcoming year, that tax continues to bring in more money than expected.
A Portland household must make 60% or less of the local median income in order to be eligible for a free cooling unit. That’s roughly $50,000 for a single person or $71,000 for a family of four.
People over 60, those with medical problems, and those living alone are given priority in the program. To obtain a cooling unit, qualified residents can call 311 or fill out an online application.
A year after a devastating heat wave in Multnomah County left 69 people dead and numerous others sick, Cooling Portland was inaugurated in June 2022.
It has subsequently acquired and installed more than 13,000 cooling units throughout Portland, despite a difficult rollout that was hampered by setbacks and an embarrassing mistake in choosing a company to work with.
Nonprofits that aim to lower carbon emissions, provide employment, and foster resilience for those most affected by climate change are eligible to receive grants from the city’s sustainable energy fund.
According to city statistics, approximately $1.6 billion is expected to be raised over the next five years from the local tax on large stores that voters approved in 2018.
Call 311 or go to https://www.portland.gov/bps/cleanenergy/about-cooling-Portland/application-cooling-unit to apply for a free cooling unit from the city of Portland.
— Shane Dixon Kavanaugh focuses on accountability and watchdog reporting while covering politics and city administration in Portland.
His number is 503-294-7632.
Get in touch with [email protected].
X@shanedkavanaugh or Bluesky@shanedkavanaugh are the accounts to follow.
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