Community Solar multifamily housing

ICAST Experts Weigh In: The Inflation Reduction Act: Potential for Scaling Solar in Underserved Communities

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By Sam Lipman | ICAST Director of Solar Programs Mr. Lipman is responsible for the development of shared solar projects, thus furthering ICAST’s work to help underserved communities benefit from clean energy solutions.   While solar PV generation in the U.S. has grown dramatically, this growth has not translated into significant access for low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities. Compared to the broader …

ICAST and SOMAH: Unique Multifamily Solar Opportunities in California

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As we discussed in our January newsletter, solar energy is reaching a critical mass of affordability and availability within the United States. Before solar, other energy-efficient technologies like the LED lightbulb were in a similar situation: A new technology that can revolutionize energy efficiency and save money stifled by market inertia and too-big-to-fail investments in incumbent technology. LEDs are 90% …

ICAST Transitional Housing Project Wins Green Project of the Year

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As the housing affordability crisis worsens yearly and more Americans face homelessness, climate change-induced extreme temperatures continue to stress America’s aging and inefficient housing stock, which leads to spiraling inflation on utility bills that further economically distress America’s most vulnerable families. The confluence of these two issues exacerbates housing precarity and the average American’s ability to recover from financial disaster. …

November 2024 Policy Blog

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Kristen Cheriegate  |  ICAST Policy Manager ========== California Launches Home Energy Rebate Program The U.S. Department of Energy announced California has launched program activities under the federal Home Energy Rebates Program, with $300 million in funding, supported by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The Home Energy Rebates program is part of the High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act (HEEHRA) passed as …

Multifamily Housing and the Better Buildings 2024 Progress Report

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The US Dept. of Energy (DOE) recently released its 2024 Progress Report for the Better Buildings initiative—an annual publication that highlights the achievements of the initiative and its partners by sector. The Better Buildings initiative (BB) aims to improve energy efficiency and advance decarbonization across the nation’s various building sectors. BB helps organizations reduce their energy use, lower operational costs, …

July 2024 Policy Blog

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Kristen Cheriegate  |  ICAST Policy Analyst ========== Study Shows States How to Maximize Federal Funding The American Council for an Energy-Efficient, the AnnDyl Policy Group, and the Building Performance Association have released a new paper identifying strategies that policymakers, efficiency program administrators, and other decision-makers can use to support home energy efficiency upgrades by braiding and stacking new federal funds …

ICAST Experts Weigh In: Redesigning the Federal Weatherization Assistance Program

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By Ryan Kristoff | Vice President, Grant Programs Mr. Kristoff grows the organization by securing the funding and partnerships necessary to build new programs, expand to new geographies, and add services to its one-stop shop. In April, through Tennessee’s new Multifamily Weatherization Assistance Program, ICAST completed its first multifamily weatherization project, covering 80 units at the Summercrest Apartments in North Knoxville. The …

May 2024 Policy Blog

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Kristen Cheriegate  |  ICAST Policy Analyst ========== Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Competition Selectees Chosen The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced its selections under the $27-billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF). Eight awards totaling $20 billion, were made under the National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF) and Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA): The goal is to create a national clean financing …

Tapping Grants, Loans, and Incentives to Cut Project Costs

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by Ravi Malhotra How should the multifamily affordable housing market ensure it maximizes its benefits from the various federal, state, and local government resources on offer? Government programs typically do not consider or emphasize strategic and meaningful leveraging and collaboration with other programs, much less provide valuable guidance to do so. The lack of coordination within and between agencies and …

ICAST Experts Weigh In: Housing Policy Priorities for 2024

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By Kristen Cheriegate: Senior Policy Analyst | Ms. Cheriegate navigates ICAST through the policy world to obtain real-world solutions, funding resources, and networks with potential partners to provide more services to low- and moderate-income households. ICAST’s mission never falters, and we continue to scale the delivery of green solutions to positively impact vulnerable households in low-income and disadvantaged communities (LIDACs). In …