SMUD partnered with the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) to dramatically improve the energy efficiencyof foreclosed and abandoned homes in neighborhoods especially hard hit by the current recession. Under SHRA’s Vacant Property Program (VPP), qualified single family developers/builders renovate repossessed, abandoned homes in low income neighborhoods and sell them to low to middle income families. Under the Energy Efficient Remodel Research and Development program, SMUD worked with VPP developer/builders to improve the energy efficiency of their projects. Drastically lower heating and cooling costs were achieved with energy efficient modifications including replacing the existing ducted, central air system with a new ductless, mini-split heat pump. Read the results here: Case-Study-Jean-Ave