Racine Energy Efficiency Program (REEP)

REEP offers homeowners in the city an easy way to cut your utility bills and reduce pollution – with almost no upfront cost!  The program offers homeowners low interest (3% APR) loans to make energy-efficient improvements to their homes, allowing you to realize cost-savings measures while repaying the low-payment loans; all of this without credit checks or income limits!  Since the program is only available for a limited time, we encourage you to contact us right away to take advantage of this exciting opportunity; see below for more details, program requirements and to download an application.  

Save money. Insulation, HVAC improvements and other upgrades can cut costs for energy and water use by 25 percent or more. For a homeowner with a $2,500 in annual utility bills, that’s $625 a year! 

Improve comfort. While you’re spending less you’ll be enjoying your home more with better temperature control and fewer drafty spots. 

 Reduce pollution. Electricity in our area comes mainly from coal burning, which pollutes our air and water with mercury, soot, greenhouse gases and other substances. Natural gas creates fewer, but still important, emissions. Even water has environmental impacts, as it takes energy to treat and pump it. So an efficient house is a green house. 

Strengthen the community. Efficiency improvements support local contractors and their employees. 

Program Requirements

To participate in this program, your home must meet the following basic criteria:

1. House is located within the City of Racine. 
2. The house is owner-occupied. 
3. The homeowner has no overdue property taxes. 
4. Owner has no overdue water or other city bills. 
5. Owner is current on energy bill.  
6. Utility bills are at least $1,700 a year. 

If you feel that your home qualifies, we recommend that you proceed with the application process or contact our office with any further questions you may have.

How to Participate

If you're interested in participating, you must first complete and submit the application along with a $25.00 application fee (refundable if your home does not qualify).  You may obtain the application by:

• Going to the Dept of Housing directly at 730 Washington Avenue, Room 102
• Calling us at (262) 636-9197 or emailing us at Housing@CityofRacine.org and requesting that we mail it to you
• Downloading it here and returning it (by email, mail or in person) - please make certain to include the application fee

Upon receipt of the application and fee, your home will be evaluated based on the program criteria.  Once it is determined that your home qualifies, you will be contacted by an energy auditor, who will then set up an audit of your home (approximately 2 hours in length) to determine what cost and energy saving measures can be realized in your home. 

 Upon completion of the audit, you will be contacted by a staff member who will walk you through the possible upgrades and retrofits that would improve the energy efficiency of your home and save you money on utility bills.