NASHVILLE, Tn. (DATE) —The Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee (CAC) was recognized nationally by the National Association for State Community Services Programs (NASCSP) in a July newsletter for their work with Tennessee Housing Development Agency’s (THDA) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP).
CAC was established in 1964 after the passing of the Economic Opportunity Act. The public agency serves the Knoxville community with a range of federal, state, local and privately funded programs. These programs focus on building communities, providing services to individuals and families and advocating for opportunities for lower-income people.
In a 2023 comprehensive needs assessment, CAC assessed the Knoxville community and determined low-income households who did not live in public housing were less likely to live in weatherized homes because they could not afford the cost. To mitigate the impact of extreme weather on low-income households, CAC utilizes the WAP to provide services to ensure Knoxville households can properly weatherize their homes.
Weatherization helps reduce energy costs by increasing a dwelling’s energy efficiency. Examples of common weatherization measures include air sealing, duct sealing and adding insulation to attics, walls and floors.
WAP is federally funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The program is designed to assist low-income households in reducing heating and cooling costs for low-income families, particularly for the elderly, people with disabilities and children, by improving the energy efficiency of their homes while ensuring their health and safety.
THDA serves as the grantee agency for Tennessee’s weatherization program. A network of local community agencies and governments like CAC provide weatherization services in Tennessee’s 95 counties, based on the availability of funding.
According to NASCSP’s newsletter, an elderly Knoxville resident with high utility bills received weatherization services from CAC. A detailed energy audit of her home identified several cost-effective improvements, which were installed by CAC. These included attic insulation, water heater pipe and tank insulation, duct and air sealing and new smoke alarms. The upgrades resulted in a 15% reduction in the homeowner’s electricity use between May and June 2025, compared to the same months in 2024.
THDA is proud to partner with local public agencies like CAC to ensure underserved Tennesseans are able to receive cost-effective solutions like weatherization to keep housing affordable.
For more information on the weatherization assistance program, visit THDA’s website.