Housing agency opens 30-day comment period on Weatherization Deferral Repair manual changes

Aaron Shoemaker, housing program administrator for the Weatherization Deferral Repair program at the Department of Housing and Community Development, presented proposed revisions to the WDR program manual and opened a 30‑day public comment period that begins with the meeting and ends Friday, Feb. 14.

Shoemaker said the draft manual and two updated forms were emailed to the network and that the Department intends to post the final manual and forms the week of Feb. 21, with the changes becoming active the following Monday. “The comment period begins today,” he said, and staff plan to include submitted comments and feedback in an appendix to the final manual.

Key proposed changes summarized by Shoemaker include:

- Application and income certification: the WDR application form and homeowner agreement will add a client income certification date to link WDR eligibility to the date of WAP certification. Shoemaker said this recognizes that staff who handle WDR work are not always the same staff who certify income in Hancock or WAP systems.

- Funding plan requirement: the Department…