Muskegon County Energy Assistance at the Veterans Affairs Department
The county's Department of Veterans Affairs has run the DTE Energy Efficiency Assistance and Consumers Energy Neighbours Helping Neighbours programmes since 2012 - furnace and water heater repair, weatherization and appliance replacement, free to households under 200% of the poverty level, 100% paid by the utilities.
Also called: DTE, Consumers Energy, energy assistance, furnace, weatherization, EEA, Neighbors Helping Neighbors, utility, heat, 200% poverty, Test and Tune-Up.
The county's veterans department administers two utility programmes from the Veterans' Service Center, which is why a heating emergency is a veterans-office errand in Muskegon County. The DTE EEA (Energy Efficiency Assistance) programme, which the Board motions call the "Test and Tune-Up" programme, pays for the testing, repair and replacement of furnaces, boilers and water heaters and for weatherization insulation at no cost to the participant; since 2020 it has also covered health and safety repairs such as roof replacement, electrical upgrades, asbestos removal and water and mould mitigation. Consumers Energy's Neighbours Helping Neighbours programme replaces outdated refrigerators, heat pump water heaters and other electric HVAC measures.
Who qualifies. Households under 200% of the federal poverty level - the department's example is a family of four below $60,000 - and anyone receiving government assistance without the income test. The programmes serve Muskegon County and surrounding counties.
How it runs. The county acts as referral agent and administrator: DTE and Consumers pay the county for the work plus an administrative fee per participant, the HVAC and weatherization vendors invoice the county, and the county pays them. From February 2012 to September 2025 the programmes assisted over 11,000 households, took in $30,412,330 and spent $28,069,436; nineteen Muskegon County and four Kent County contractors perform the work. The Board extended the county's administration through December 31, 2027 on October 21, 2025 (HS25/10-53), on the department's letter naming the approved contractors. "This program is 100% funded by DTE and Consumers Energy."
Apply through the Department of Veterans Affairs, 231-724-7143, 1903 Marquette Avenue, Suite A101, Muskegon.
Thresholds
Thresholds for Muskegon County Energy Assistance at the Veterans Affairs Department
Gate
Rule
Household under 200% of the federal poverty level
The programme is limited to households under 200% FPL; applicants receiving government assistance skip the income test. No rating is needed.
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Disclaimer
VetTOC is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Information is for reference only and is not an eligibility determination. Verify with VA, the relevant state or territory, or an accredited VSO.