Residential and Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing in California Rooftop Solar Challenge Areas

This version of the report updates the original report published in March 2013. It identifies and describes the current state of residential and commercial property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing programs in California. The report discusses the Improvement Act of 1911, the Mello-Roos Act of 1982, the different philosophies cities have adopted in implementing PACE financing, and various PACE program structures. It also discusses the first implementation of PACE by cities that used their charter authority to create programs under the Mello-Roos Act of 1982 before the enactment of AB 811 and SB 555.1. This report focuses on PACE as a mechanism to increase the amount of rooftop solar systems installed, but also recognizes that these programs provide an effective means to finance energy and water efficiency projects. The updated report provides new information on California’s Residential PACE Loss Reserve Program, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, program requirements, and program performance.

PACE_in_California.pdf