Tampa Bay Times
By Ali Knothe
August 10, 2018
SELF was featured in this publication where they help a family get a new energy-efficient air conditioner. To read the full story, click here.
Here is an excerpt,
Kathy Sizemore, 65, and her husband had just replaced the leaky roof on their two bedroom, two-bathroom home in North St. Petersburg.
A few months later, Hurricane Irma struck, and their refrigerator broke down. Meanwhile, her air conditioner was on its last leg. Between $300 to $400 monthly electric bills and costly visits by the A/C repairman to fix the failing unit, the likelihood of saving up for a down payment for a new system and securing a loan seemed out of reach.
Then in the spring, a flier for the non-profit Solar and Energy Loan Fund, known as SELF, came in her water bill. SELF helps homeowners with low credit scores who are looking for loans to make energy-efficient home improvements, from new air conditioners to hurricane shutters, roofs, solar panels, and even wheelchair access ramps.
She made a call, submitted an application, and qualified for a loan to get a new energy-efficient air conditioner within a matter of weeks. Kathy says her family has already saved hundreds of dollars off their electric bills. Her loan has an 8 percent interest rate and a payment structure she and her husband can afford: $156 per month, with a 5-year repayment plan.