Climate Action and Resiliency

Summary of Objective Implementation Status

The Sonoma County Energy Independence Program (SCEIP) will offer $20M in financing to allow property owners to retrofit existing multi-family properties using SCEIP property tax assessment financing. We will work with partners and County resources to identify viable multi-family housing owners and property manager. Outreach will be conducted via email/direct mail to multi-family owners and property managers to provide resources related to achieving carbon neutral buildings. Disadvantaged communities will be identified to reach tenants. Through partner relationships, we will develop ideas on how we can better support tenants in making improvements or supporting their conversations with their landlord.

We will offer workshops to tenants to learn about concern and address potential united consequences related to social justice and equity. Engagement will be available in both English and Spanish.

Key Milestone Update

• December 2021 – identify viable multi-family housing owners and property managers. Status – Complete
• January – March 2022 – perform outreach via email and direct mail to multi-family housing owners and property managers to provide resources related to achieving carbon neutral buildings. Status – sent direct mailer to 700 MF property owners, July 2022 with 11 respondents.  New mailer scheduled for January 2023 to refined list. November 2022: Finalized Multi-channel 6-month campaign launching January 2023.  This includes radio, digital, social media, print and dedicated webpage for MF.  This includes efforts in both Spanish and English. Held a contractor breakfast in September 2022 to educate them on financing for MF.
• March-May 2022 – facilitate forum to connect renters and landlords for a listening session to understand barriers. Initial funding availability and guidance is expected to be available through BayREN Multi-family.

Coordination and Partnership Update

Coordinated with BayREN for the direct mail campaign to property owners. Additionally we partnered with BayREN held two MF workshops, including a regional forum “Decarbonizing Rental Housing While Protecting Tenants”.  Sonoma Clean Power (SCP) agreed to provide up to $29k in funding towards a MF intern that will support our efforts and meet their grant requirements. Contracted with Soluna Outreach Solutions for Latinx outreach.  Joined several business chambers and attend events regularly.  Several community partners submitted support letters for the Federal Appropriation request.

Community, Equity, and Climate Update

Continued partnership with Soluna Outreach Solutions for Latinx outreach to build trust within the Hispanic community to gather information regarding tenants concerns and needs.  Future workshops to be designed based on feedback.  Division submitted a Federal Appropriation request for MF resiliency and energy improvements, including a workforce development aspect, specifically for low-income MF housing.  The request was accepted but later did not move forward.

Funding Narrative

Provide marketing, education and outreach dollars to the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program to promote resources and drive retrofits in the multi-family sector. Through education, incentives and financing for multi-family property owners and managers to retrofit existing multi-family housing with the goal of achieving resilient, carbon neutral buildings.  In addition, we look to bridge the gap between owners and tenants and leverage any existing programs with the financing option.  The incentives are available through Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) multi-family program. In addition, Sonoma Clean Power is currently developing additional incentives that can be coupled with BayREN incentives. The SCEIP financing will be able to make up the difference for what the incentives will not cover, either in the types of improvements or to cover the additional costs above what the incentive pays out. The intent is to leverage all these resources and partners to maximize the types and numbers of improvements necessary to achieve carbon neutrality.  Education is necessary about the importance of going all-electric as a choice now and taking incentives while available instead of waiting until it’s mandated and potential incentives are eliminated once a mandate is in place.