Damian Jones
Fannie Mae
(626) 396-5335 |
Sharon Woodson-Bryant
Southern California Gas Company
(213) 244-3030 |
March
30, 1998
The
Gas Company, Fannie Mae, and Viewtech
Announce New Energy Upgrade Financing
Program for Southern California Homeowners
LOS
ANGELES, CA -- Southern California
homeowners will be able to finance home
energy improvements through a new affordable
loan program developed by The Gas Company,
Viewtech, and Fannie Mae (FNM/NYSE),
the nation's largest source of home mortgage
funds. The Home Energy Financing Program
will offer financing for heating and cooling
system upgrades as well as other energy
improvements for customers of The Gas
Company. Available financing for
improvements will range from $1,000 to
$15,000 through fixed-rate loans with terms
of up to ten years.
"Fannie Mae is showing its continued
commitment to homeowners," said U.S. Senator
Barbara Boxer (D-CA). "Their work does not
end with the sale of the home. They
constantly work toward providing a better
quality of life for the owners."
The
Home Energy Financing Program was designed
to provide customers with a flexible
financing tool to pay for energy-efficient
home improvements. Viewtech will
administer the program through its full
service finance center. Staff at the center
will handle credit decisions, process loan
documents, customer and contractor billings,
payments, and insure prompt customer
service. Fannie Mae has committed to
purchase the loans made under the program
from Viewtech.
Typically, homeowners would only be able to
obtain higher interest-rate consumer loans
to finance energy improvements. "Our
alliance with Fannie Mae and Viewtech
will help homeowners achieve immediate and
long-term energy conservation as well as
save them money," said Pat Petersilia,
director of consumer marketing with The Gas
Company, the nation's largest natural gas
distributor, serving 4.7 million customers
and 535 communities.
Home Energy Financing
The
program offers financing for upgrades such
as furnaces, central air conditioning,
window and door replacements, insulation,
water heaters, and fireplace inserts.
"Fannie Mae is pleased to be working with
The Gas Company and Viewtech on such an
exciting consumer product," said Libby
Harshfield, senior vice president of Fannie
Mae's Western Regional Office. "The dream of
homeownership is not only about providing
affordable housing opportunities, but also
about providing products that homeowners can
use to improve their homes."
Under
the program, home improvements will be
completed by local contractors approved by
the League of California Homeowners. "As a
consumer organization, we are pleased to be
able to provide homeowners with
recommendations for highly qualified
craftsmen and technicians," said Kenneth W.
Willis, president of the League.
For
more information on the Home Energy Upgrade
Program, call 1-888-427-0797.
#
# #
Fannie Mae is a congressionally chartered,
shareholder-owned company and the nation's
largest source off funds for home mortgages.
It has committed to provide $1 trillion in
targeted lending for ten million homes by
the end of the decade. The targeted lending
will serve low- and moderate-income
families, minorities, new immigrants,
residents of central cities and other
underserved areas, and people who have
special housing needs. More information
about Fannie Mae can be found on the
Internet at http://www.fanniemae.com.
Style
Usage: Fannie Mae's Board of Directors has
authorized the company to operate as "Fannie
Mae, " and the company's stock is now listed
on the NYSE as "Fannie Mae. " In order to
facilitate clarity and avoid confusion, news
organizations are asked to refer to the
company exclusively as "Fannie Mae."
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