Napa County is kicking off a late-summer blitz to get free or deeply discounted home energy upgrades into the hands of residents who qualify, pairing the Bay Area Regional Energy Network’s EASE Home program with local outreach and a youth-led "Green House Calls" effort. The push zeroes in on older, drafty homes and combines basic weatherization work with electrification options to shrink utility bills and make living rooms and bedrooms a lot more comfortable. County staff say they are moving quickly so households can lock in those savings before the colder months arrive.
How the EASE Home program works
BayREN’s Efficiency and Sustainable Energy (EASE) Home program typically covers about 80% of core weatherization costs and helps residents line up rebates, deal with permits and connect with vetted contractors. It is aimed at income-qualified single-family homes and is designed to keep the upgrade process as simple as possible for participants, according to BayREN.
Who qualifies
Owners and renters in single-family homes, including buildings with up to four units, built before 2010 can take part if their household income is at or below 120% of the area median income. For example, a two-person household qualifies with an income of $153,825 or less, according to Napa County.
What’s included
Eligible upgrades cover a familiar list of energy-wasting trouble spots: improved attic insulation, duct sealing or replacement, whole-home air sealing, smart thermostats and weatherstripping, along with induction stove or cooktop swaps in some cases. The core measures, along with rebate-stacking help and contractor coordination, are laid out by BayREN. The Association of Bay Area Governments notes that induction cooking was added as an eligible EASE Home upgrade in April 2026 in a program update reviewed by ABAG.
Local rollout and numbers
To sweeten the deal for locals, Napa County’s Housing and Community Services division plans to pick up the usual 20% co-pay for qualifying residents starting this summer, which effectively makes many projects free. Over the past year, 38 Napa homes have already received work through the effort. Typical projects run in the range of $7,000 to $10,000 per home. On-site installations usually take one to two days, and most projects wrap up within about two months of application. Contractors are being asked to complete roughly four homes per week during an August to September push. As Ryan Melendez put it to the Napa Valley Register, reduced energy use equals reduced energy bills, a message highlighted by the Napa Valley Register.
No-cost Green House Calls and youth jobs
Alongside the bigger-ticket upgrades, Rising Sun’s Climate Careers program is rolling out no-cost Green House Calls, short in-home visits that include basic assessments and small installs such as LED bulbs, low-flow showerheads and smart plugs. The program trains and pays youth Energy Specialists to conduct the assessments, install efficiency devices and offer residents practical tips. Rising Sun partners with regional and local agencies to bring this service to Napa County, according to Rising Sun.
How to sign up
Residents start by filling out an interest form, after which county staff confirm eligibility. An Energy Advisor then visits the home, prepares an assessment and project proposal and, if the resident agrees, a vetted contractor schedules and completes the work.
For help with applications or for more details, Napa County lists the Natural Resources Division office at 1195 Third Street, 2nd Floor, Napa, CA 94559, with phone support at 707-253-4417. The program email is [email protected], and the county page offers the online interest form along with staff contacts, according to Napa County.
County staff are also planning a public BayREN workshop on July 29 at the American Canyon Library from 6 to 7 PM for residents who want a walkthrough of eligibility rules and the sign-up process, according to the Napa Valley Register.
