TO: Napa County Housing Commission
FROM: Jennifer Palmer, Executive Director
REPORT BY: Alex Carrasco, Project Manager
SUBJECT: Low-Income Weatherization Program
RECOMMENDATION
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Presentation on the Low-Income Weatherization Program (LIWP). For discussion only, no action needed.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Last month, the commission learned about the Bay Area Regional Network (BayREN) programs that help multifamily units with no cost technical assistance and rebates for energy efficient upgrades. Through the BayREN network, staff were connected to the Low-Income Weatherization Program (LIWP), which offers to work with multi-family affordable housing property owners to identify upgrade opportunities in the following categories: energy efficiency, solar photovoltaics, and building electrification. LIWP is designed to assist property owners through five simple steps including (1) application, (2) technical support at no cost, (3) reservation of financial incentives, (4) installation of property upgrades, and (5) claiming financial incentives. Today’s presentation provides an overview of LIWP including property eligibility criteria, and a tentative timeline. No action needed.
PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS
1. Staff Report
2. Public Comment
3. Discussion
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
California’s Low-Income Weatherization Program (LIWP) provides low-income households with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and energy efficiency upgrades at no cost to residents. LIWP is the only program of its kind in California that focuses exclusively on serving low-income households with solar PV and energy efficiency upgrades at no cost. The program reduces greenhouse gas emissions and household energy costs by saving energy and generating clean renewable power.
LIWP is designed with the primary goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by saving energy and generating clean renewable energy for low-income single-family households and multi-family affordable housing. But just as importantly, the program reduces residential energy expenses for low-income households. These improvements also improve household conditions while reducing living expenses for residents - strengthening their economic security - and contribute to the health of communities through improved air quality. They also help lower operating costs for affordable housing operators, helping to preserve valuable below-market housing for low-income families.