Extreme heat in the summer and erratic cold in the winter are both getting worse in Texas. Renters lack some basic legal protections for access to adequate temperature control. Legal and administrative systems to ensure that systems are maintained are ineffective. Furthermore, many low-income households struggle greatly with the high cost of energy.
On Friday, February 23rd, Texas Housers will host a webinar titled “Energy Equity and Housing” to explore issues related to low-income housing and energy in Texas and what can be done to improve energy access for low-income households. We are thrilled to be joined by three experts on energy issues, each of whom bring a unique perspective on these issues.
Representative Sheryl Cole is a Texas state representative serving Travis County who has worked for several years to correct imbalances in tenant-landlord law in order to ensure that renters in Texas have access to air conditioning. Last year in Texas’ 88th legislative session, Rep. Cole filed HB 2592, which would require landlords in the state to provide functioning air conditioning and provide repair timeline expectations.
Bobuchi Ken-Opurum is the Director of Research Programs for the Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute, or TEPRI, who recently released the 2023 Community Voices in Energy Survey. The survey solicited feedback from low-income households in Texas’ 13 regions to understand residents’ concerns about affordable, reliable, and clean energy. The survey provides valuable insights about Texans’ perceptions about energy costs, trade offs, and awareness of assistance.
Carol Biedrzycki has been an energy advocate for low-income Texans for decades. Carol served for 26 years as the leader of the Texas Ratepayers Organization to Save Energy, or TexasROSE. She is a powerful voice in Texas against energy deregulation and a champion for protections for low-income households.
Texas Housers focused on the impact of energy inequity for low-income households in summer 2023, when Texas faced one of the most extreme heat waves on record. We heard directly from renters and community organizations about the challenges that low-income renters were facing. We witnessed story after story about lack of access to working air conditioning during extreme heat conditions, and even deaths caused by lack of reliable AC. Texas Housers released a report, Renters, Air Conditioning, and Extreme Heat in Texas, in 2023, which examines the gaps in ensuring that low-income renters have access to working air conditioning.
Now we are excited to bring together three experts and leaders in energy equity to expand our understanding of this critical issue. We hope that you will join us on Friday, February 23rd for the Energy Equity and Housing webinar!
Register here: https://bit.ly/housersenergypanel
