Mayor Brandon Johnson Reopens Green Homes Chicago Registration, Driving Energy Savings for Low-income Chicagoans
illi News/10326585

Trending...
CHICAGO — Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Chicago Department of Housing (DOH), and Department of Environment (DOE) today announced the reopening of the registration window for Green Homes Chicago. Through February 27, income-eligible homeowners can register their interest in the energy-efficiency program by calling 311 or visiting chicago.gov/GreenHomes.

"Now is the time for climate action that centers the lived experiences of Chicagoans," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "Even as the federal government rolls back climate progress, this City is forging ahead with green buildings, green jobs, climate justice, and overall climate resiliency. With Green Homes Chicago, one of the largest city-led residential decarbonization initiatives in the country, we are investing in the health and wellbeing of our residents for generations to come."

Throughout the city, many aging homes suffer from heat and air leakage and operate on outdated, inefficient appliances. These inefficiencies can lead to higher energy consumption, placing additional financial pressure on families already grappling with competing financial priorities.

Green Homes Chicago aims to address this problem by making critical upgrades accessible to homeowners who need them most. Through whole-home retrofits of one and two-unit homes, the program delivers meaningful cost savings, health benefits, and resilience to families across the city.

"Green Homes Chicago is more than a housing initiative—it's an equity strategy, a climate strategy, and an economic opportunity rolled into one," said Lissette Castañeda, Commissioner of the Department of Housing. "Through this program, we are deepening our commitment to making healthy, energy-efficient homes a reality for Chicago's working families—while creating new pathways for minority contractors and clean energy workers to lead this transformation."

More on illi News
The Department of Housing and Department of Environment collaborate closely on the program's implementation to ensure lasting impact while sustaining the existing housing stock and making clean energy more accessible to communities across the city.

"We are proud to partner with DOH to drive forward sustainability and affordability through the Green Homes Chicago program," said Angela Tovar, Chicago's Chief Sustainability Officer and DOE Commissioner. "For many Chicago residents, the upfront cost of energy-efficiency upgrades is out of reach, leaving them to shoulder high utility bills just to power their homes. Through Green Homes Chicago, the City delivers clean energy and critical repairs that lower energy costs, enhance safety, and support families most burdened by energy expenses across Chicago."

Retrofits are currently in progress or complete in over 60 homes from the first round of registrations. Working in partnership with Elevate and Zero Homes, the City provides each participating home with a personalized Scope of Work that may include weatherization measures, high-efficiency appliances, cold-climate heat pumps, health & safety repairs, and other improvements. Homeowners with completed projects are expected to see lower utility bills and reduced energy consumption.

Homeowners may also qualify for ComEd's reduced all-electric heating rate, making home energy even more affordable. ComEd has earmarked $1 million from its Whole Home Electric offering to cost-share on qualified home electrification projects completed through Green Homes Chicago.

"ComEd is proud to partner with the Departments of Housing and Environment and countless energy efficiency partners from across the city to expand access to clean energy technologies that are shown to enhance air quality and improve affordability for the low-income communities we serve," said Melissa Washington, Senior Vice President of Customer Operations and Strategic Initiatives at ComEd. "Through the Green Homes Chicago program and our efforts to scale home electrification, we are demonstrating how these technologies can improve lives, lower bills, reduce carbon emissions, and create new jobs for the areas that need it most."

More on illi News
In addition to climate and health benefits, Green Homes Chicago creates sustainable economic opportunity by growing a bench of local, minority-led contractors and tradespeople trained in high-efficiency systems installation. As retrofits scale, so does the opportunity to build a stronger, more inclusive clean energy workforce in the neighborhoods that need it most.

"Green Homes Chicago represents an important step forward in our shared commitment to a more sustainable and affordable clean energy future. This collaborative effort is about strengthening communities, helping hardworking families lower their energy bills, and supporting high-quality jobs in the clean energy economy. At a time when energy costs continue to strain household budgets, affordability must be part of the solution," said Elevate CEO Dr. Anne Evens. "Together with the City of Chicago, ComEd, and Zero Homes, we are reducing costs today while building the foundation for long-term impact. This is what meaningful progress is about."

"This isn't just about upgrading homes—it's about investing in communities," said Grant Gunnison, CEO and founder of Zero Homes. "By combining deep local partnerships with our fully remote platform, we're making it easier than ever for homeowners to get the designs, quotes, and support they need to electrify affordably. That's what climate equity looks like in action."

To learn more and register for the program, please visit chicago.gov/GreenHomes.

Note: Green Homes Chicago is not the same program as Green Social Housing. To find out more information on Green Social Housing, click link here.

Filed Under: Government, City
Show All News | Report Violation

0 Comments

Latest on illi News