Alachua County is getting ready to distribute federal stimulus dollars ... and officials say there are many projects that could use the money, including one project that would "weather-ize" thousands of homes a year in Alachua County. It could cut costs and save energy.
It's the "10,000 homes initiative" and county officials say it would provide funds for homeowners to lower their homes energy use.... while helping the environment.
The project could include anything from insulating homes to repairing old windows, and officials say they hope to upgrade 10,000 homes over the next several years.
"That money that just escapes out from under the door or through the windows when you're heating or cooling your home, that's wasted money," Randall Reid, Alachua County Manager, said.
Randall Reid says the leaders of this project will be partnering with the City of Gainesville and community groups to help implement it.
He says they hope to upgrade 2,000 homes a year-- until they reach at least 10,000.