Instructions and Eligibility
Participants in the HERO Program can not participate in any
other portions of ERHL Programs
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NOTE :
Rules, guidelines, and procedures for the HERO Program
are subject to change without notice. The guarantee that your
home will be processed under the program only occurs once
the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources receives a preliminary
rating for your home, as submitted by a home energy rater
that is listed on our website at the time of this preliminary.
Your rebate will be based upon the guidelines that are in
place at the time that the Louisiana Department of Natural
Resources receives your preliminary rating.
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I. Improving An Existing Home at Purchase or Refinance
Note: In order to utilize HERO in conjunction with an Energy
Efficient Mortgage to make improvements to an existing home at the
time of purchase or refinance, application for HERO must be made
prior to application for the loan.
1. Confirm lender allows Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs).
If the lender is unfamiliar with EEMs,
have the lender contact the Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
at 1-800-836-9589 (342-3842 in Baton Rouge).
To learn more about EEMs, consult the
Energy Efficient Mortgage section at the website http://www.erha.com/louisiana.
2. Contact an Energy Rater from the list of Louisiana Home Energy
Raters at our web site http://www.dnr.state.la.us
and click on Home Energy Rebate Option (HERO). The Home Energy Rater
will check if funding is available. This is necessary to confirm
that money is available to fund the cash rebate before the homeowner/homebuyer
incurs the expense of an energy rating.
3. Have the Energy Rater conduct an energy rating to determine eligibility,
calculate the Energy Efficiency Premium, and make energy efficiency
improvement recommendations.
4. The homeowner/homebuyer must submit a completed IRS form W-9
to the rater upon their initial meeting. The W-9 is required before
DNR can begin processing any application. W-9's can be obtained
from the Energy Rater or from the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal
Revenue Service, http://ftp.fedworld.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf.
If the rated home is located in the territory of a participating
utility company, the homeowner/homebuyer must also supply to the
rater, upon their initial meeting, his/her customer account number
to qualify for any additional utility incentives.
5. The Energy Rater must send a copy of the preliminary rating files
and a preliminary rating certificate (ERHL Form 1119) to DNR within
2 weeks of initial contact with the homeowner/homebuyer in Step
Two. Homeowner/homebuyer will then have six months to close loan,
complete improvements and request payment. Deadlines may be extended
by the rater contacting DNR before time limit expires.
6. Homeowner/home buyer will choose from among improvement recommendations
and get firm bids.
7. Homeowner/home buyer will submit bids to the Energy Rater so
that rating can be finalized based on selected improvements and
firm bids. The final rating on the improved home has to increase
by at least six points on the ERHL rating schedule to qualify for
the program.
8. Homeowner/home buyer will use final rating and firm bids to
close EEM. Funds for improvements will be escrowed by lender or
lender's agent
9. Homeowner/home buyer will complete energy improvements during
the time period allowed by the EEM.
10. After completion of improvements, homeowner/home buyer will
contact the rater to inspect the work and provide a Certificate
of Completion (ERHL Form 701).
11. Homeowner/home buyer will provide Certificate of Completion
to the lender to release the money from escrow and pay the contractor.
Note: In accordance with EEM procedures, if work is not completed,
the money in escrow will be applied toward the principle balance
on the mortgage.
12. The Energy Rater will provide final rating certificate and Certificate
of Completion to DNR as well as to the homeowner/homebuyer.
13. DNR will mail the rebate check to the homeowner/home buyer within
90 days of receipt and approval of the final rating.
14. Any applicable utility incentives to help cover the cost of
the required home energy rating will be added to the HERO rebate
check and itemized on the check stub to the homeowner/home buyer.
(These incentives are for a limited time only, and only apply in
specific service areas - inquire with your rater to see if they
are still in effect at the time of your rating)
Note : All rebates are dependant upon the home increasing in efficiency
by at least 30%.
II. Improving an Existing Home Without Using an Energy Efficient
Mortgage
Note: In order for Existing Homes to participate in the HERO
Program, the participant must choose a Louisiana HERO Certified
Home Energy Rater from the list of "Certified Home Energy Raters"
located at DNR's web site at the bottom
of the HERO home page. A preliminary rating of the existing home,
as it is before improvements, MUST be conducted by the Home Energy
Rater of your choice prior to any energy efficient improvements
being made to the existing home. This preliminary rating of the
existing home, as it is before improvements, MUST then be submitted
to the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources by the Home Energy
Rater. Existing Homes that do not meet this requirement are disqualified
from participation in the HERO Program.
1. Contact an Energy Rater from the list of Louisiana Home Energy
Raters at our web site http://www.dnr.state.la.us
and click on Home Energy Rebate Option (HERO). The Home Energy Rater
will check if funding is available. This is necessary to confirm
that money is available to fund the cash rebate before the homeowner
incurs the expense of an energy rating.
2. Have the Energy Rater conduct an energy rating (prior to any
energy efficient improvements being made to the existing home) to
determine eligibility, calculate the Energy Efficiency Premium,
and make improvement recommendations.
3. The homeowner must submit a completed IRS form W-9 to the rater
upon their initial meeting. The W-9 is required before DNR can begin
processing any application. W-9's can be obtained from the Energy
Rater or from the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue
Service, http://ftp.fedworld.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf.
If the rated home is located in the territory of a participating
utility company, the homeowner must also supply to the rater, upon
their initial meeting, his/her customer account number to qualify
for any additional utility incentive.
4. The Energy Rater must send a copy of the preliminary rating files
and preliminary rating certificate (ERHL Form 1119) to DNR within
2 weeks of initial contact with the homeowner in Step Two. The homeowner
will then have six months to complete improvements and request his/her
final rating. Deadlines may be extended by the rater contacting
DNR before time limit expires.
5. Homeowner will choose from among improvement recommendations
and get firm bids.
6. Homeowner will submit bids to energy rater so that rating can
be finalized based on selected improvements and firm bids. The final
rating on the improved home has to increase by at least 6 points
on the ERHL rating schedule to qualify for the program.
7. After completion of the improvements, the homeowner will contact
the rater to inspect the work and produce the final rating report.
8. The Energy Rater will provide the final rating report to DNR
as well as to the homeowner.
9. DNR will mail rebate check to the homeowner within 60 days of
receipt and approval of the final rating.
10. Any applicable utility company incentives to help cover the
cost of the required home energy rating will be added to the HERO
rebate check and itemized on the check stub to the homeowner.
(These incentives are for a limited time only, and only apply in
specific service areas - inquire with your rater to see if they
are still in effect at the time of your rating)
Note : All rebates are dependant upon the home increasing in efficiency
by at least 30%.
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