Long before "environmental retrofitting" and "going green" were catch phrases in our political and economic lexicon, Restoration recognized the importance of such practices to the financial wellbeing and health of residents in our community. Our longest-running program, Restoration's Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) is one of the top WAPs in New York State.

For the past 30 years, Restoration’s WAP has been retrofitting the homes of low-income households, in effort to reduce energy costs and improve health and safety. This energy and cost-saving program has put money back in the pockets of close to 10,000 families. And we intend to reach many more households in the year ahead!

Weatherization - A Green Platform
Bedford Stuyvesant struggles with 1. an aging housing stock; 2. the highest rate of foreclosures in New York City; and 3. one of the highest rates of asthma hospitalizations -- one in ten children -- in New York City.

Restoration's WAP began 30 years ago in Bedford-Stuyvesant to help residents retain their assets and improve the health and safety of living conditions here.  Since then, we've weatherized close to 10,000 homes throughout Central Brooklyn and completed more than $20 million in energy conservation measures. Services include installation of new windows, the upgrade of heating systems, and the provision of energy efficient appliances such as air conditioners and refrigerators. The program targets multi-family buildings with residents making 60% of area median income and maintains a waiting list of over one year. 

The WAP is more relevant now than ever, given the current weak economy and high demand for energy across the globe. Our WAP program oftn is the first contact families have with Restoration, making the program a critical gateway that exposes families to the comprehensive menu of services available at Restoration, including  financial counseling and benefits screening to access to job training and placement services. As such, WAP is vital to Restoration’s outreach efforts in the community.

New Green Jobs
Restoration trains and employs area residents in the “green jobs” sector, providing real skill-building and educational opportunities in this high demand field.  Through a newly launched pilot with our workforce development team, Restoration is providing skills training to residents from a variety of backgrounds in construction and energy conservation.  Our goal is to assist local residents in taking advantage of job opportunities in this high-demand field. During a time of record layoffs and unemployment, green collar jobs are a fast-growing sector and one that has gained renewed attention with the Obama Administration. We plan to take full advantage of this opportunity to create jobs that pay living wages for Bedford Stuyvesant residents.

Developing a Model Green Community
Restoration is partnering with the Pratt Center for Community Development and the Coalition for the Improvement of Bedford Stuyvesant (CIBS) to make Bedford Stuyvesant a model for reducing energy use in urban neighborhoods.  The Retrofit Bedford Stuyvesant, Block by Block project is an innovative effort to scale up the benefits of energy conservation by targeting entire blocks, rather than individual properties.  The program will offer free energy assessments and retrofit homes and businesses with existing efficiency and conservation techniques both for energy and water. 

Comprehensive Green Community Planning
Coalition building is central to these ambitious efforts, as the Retrofit Bedford Stuyvesant, Block by Block project illustrates. Restoration is collaborating with CIBS to develop strategies to improve environmental conditions in our community. By working together, we hope to improve outdoor and indoor air quality, increase the amount of green public space, expand weatherization services block by block, and raise community environmental awareness-all while employing disadvantaged job seekers from our own community.

A trailblazer in the field of energy conservation, Restoration is working to develop new jobs and assist workers workers in developing new skills, stabilize housing conditions, reduce energy dependence and help families save money during these challenging times.

But we cannot do it alone. Please work with us as we strive to make Bedford Stuyvesant a greener, healthier, and more environmentally sustainable community for you and your family.