KCAO’s Jonathan Hernandez Leads Weatherization Workshop at Statewide CalCAPA Conference

Kings Community Action Organization (KCAO) Weatherization Assessor/Inspector Jonathan Hernandez represented the agency at the 2025 CalCAPA Conference in early November, where he led a workshop focused on strengthening statewide approaches to Department of Energy (DOE) weatherization programs. Hernandez, who oversees quality control and assessments within KCAO’s Home and Energy Department, was invited to present because of the department’s continued success in meeting DOE benchmarks and efficiently utilizing federal weatherization funds.

Hernandez’s session, titled “Finding Your Path: Priority List vs. Audit,” helped agencies from across California understand the two primary home assessment tools used in weatherization assessments and how climate zones, housing, and fuel types affect which method agencies can use. Because KCAO operates in a warmer climate zone with predominantly single-family homes, its teams rely heavily on the streamlined Priority List, allowing them to implement measures more efficiently than agencies in other regions that are often forced into lengthier, more complex audits.

“The issue is some agencies felt alone, like they were trying to figure everything out on their own,” Hernandez said. “Our goal was to bring people together and reassure teams that they’re not alone in the challenges they’re facing.”

His workshop functioned as both a training session and an open roundtable, where agencies shared their experiences with DOE requirements, software tools, and compliance hurdles. Hernandez said many attendees discovered they shared similar roadblocks, including long audit times, climate-related restrictions and difficulty generating eligible measures, while others found they shared identical successful processes. “It was nice to see that what we’re doing at KCAO is the same as what some of the bigger agencies are doing across the state,” he said.

According to participant surveys collected by the CalCAPA Annual Conference and Training Committee, Hernandez’s workshop received a Level 1 Feedback score of 100, the highest possible rating, reflecting overwhelmingly positive reactions from attendees. His session also earned a Level 2 Feedback score of 2.75 out of 4.0, indicating strong knowledge and skill attainment among participants.

In addition to discussing pathways, Hernandez emphasized the importance of forming strong partnerships among neighboring agencies. KCAO already collaborates with Community Action Agencies in neighboring counties such as CAPSLO, CSET and Fresno EOC on weatherization quality control, file review and technical support, and he encouraged others to build the same cross-agency relationships. “If you have questions or run into something difficult, it’s helpful to know who you can call,” he said. “Those connections make everyone stronger.”

Hernandez said the conference offered valuable learning opportunities, particularly sessions led by state inspectors outlining key compliance issues, documentation requirements and common weaknesses found during agency reviews. The information, he said, will help KCAO refine its processes even further. “We’ve had strong inspections in the past, but seeing exactly what the state is looking for helps us prepare and continue improving,” he said.

He also noted that across the conference, agencies large and small expressed similar concerns about the DOE program during the federal government shutdown. “People wanted reassurance,” Hernandez said. “A lot of teams were asking, ‘Are we doing this the right way?’ The conference made it clear that most of us are on the same page, using the same tools, and facing the same challenges.”

Hernandez said he returned from the conference with renewed appreciation for the work being done statewide and confidence in KCAO’s direction. He said he would be happy to present again in the future, ideally on topics related to quality control inspections, assessments or file management. And he hopes more staff across the agency can experience CalCAPA for themselves.

“It was a great opportunity, and I’m grateful to Jeff, Glenda and Jenny for trusting me to represent KCAO,” he said. “Whether you’re a supervisor, manager or staff member, you walk away with new ideas, relationships and reassurance that the work we’re doing matters.”