Approve agreement with Valley Clean Energy Alliance using American Rescue Plan funds in the amount of $100,000 for the period of July 1, 2023, through December 30, 2024, to create a comprehensive outreach program to encourage low-income households in the unincorporated area to access $1 billion in State electrification rebates, as well as other related electrification retrofit rebates, in order to reduce electricity consumption as well as electricity bills. (No general fund impact) (Pinedo/Rowe)

American Rescue Plan Background

On September 28, 2021, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the initial American Rescue Plan (ARP) Expenditure Plan, which included $1,000,000 for climate action implementation under the Strategic Plan Implementation category. The Board then subsequently reviewed and provided direction on certain climate action funding at the June 7, 2022 Board meeting and expressed support for funding the Electrification Retrofit Rebate Outreach Program (ERRO), in partnership with Valley Clean Energy Alliance (VCEA), in concept. In the interim, staff have worked closely with VCEA to develop the detailed scope of work, budget, and final contract which is recommended for approval with this staff report. The delay in this contract returning to the Board is due to a combination of the time required to properly plan/scope this project after it was approved in concept by the Board, and unexpected delays in VCEA receiving a new Unique Entity ID (UEID), generated by SAM.gov, which is required to enter into a contract utilizing federal funds. Additional information on the scope of the contract with the Valley Clean Energy Alliance and performance measures are described below:

Valley Clean Energy- Electrification Rebate Outreach Rebate Program

Funding this contract with Valley Clean Energy Alliance will encourage low-income households to access significant statewide funding for electrification rebates, as well as other related electrification retrofit rebates for existing residential homes. Helping these households reduce ongoing costs by targeting them directly will have long-term economic benefits. The program is an outreach and technical assistance program and includes the development of a system for tracking households that secure electrification rebates by working with the State and other rebate agencies to provide data related to successful rebate applications in the unincorporated area. 

Using Valley Clean Energy’s confidential data on low-income households in the unincorporated area that encountered difficulty paying their energy bills during the COVID-19 pandemic, Valley Clean Energy will work with Yolo County to reach out to these households and/or landlords of multifamily dwellings to connect them with information about electrification rebates, help fill out applications, and help manage retrofits. This project also includes the development of a system for tracking households that secure electrification rebates by working with the State and other rebate agencies to provide data related to successful rebate applications in the unincorporated area. This project would create replicable models for electrification retrofit rebate programs throughout the County, region, and state. The outreach program would provide template outreach materials that other jurisdictions could use to implement similar programs.

The performance measures and outcomes associated with this project include tracking the number of people the program reached, the number of existing homes converted to all electric, and tracking the associated greenhouse gas reduction quantification. More information about this contract, including a statement of work, budget, and performance measures, may be found in Attachment A.

Valley Clean Energy
Department of Community Services
County Counsel

No competitive bid is required. The countywide ARP funds were allocated as part of the Board's FY2021-22 budget hearing on September 28, 2021. The Board provided direction for ARP funds set aside for Climate Action at the June 7, 2022, Board meeting.