(a) The commission may establish a grant program or a revolving loan or loan guarantee program for low-income residential housing consistent with the requirements of Chapter 5.3 (commencing with Section 25425) of Division 15 of the Public Resources Code. Notwithstanding Section 2867.4, all loans outstanding as of August 1, 2020, shall continue to be repaid in a manner that is consistent with the terms and conditions of the program adopted and implemented by the commission pursuant to this subdivision, until repaid in full.
(b) The commission may extend eligibility for funding pursuant to this section to include residential housing occupied by ratepayers participating in a commission approved and supervised gas corporation Low-Income Energy Efficiency (LIEE) program and who either:
(1) Occupy a single-family home.
(2) Occupy at least 50 percent of all units in a multifamily dwelling structure.
(c) The commission shall ensure that lower income households, as defined in Section 50079.5 of the Health and Safety Code, and, if the commission expands the program pursuant to subdivision (b), ratepayers participating in a LIEE program, that receive gas service at residential housing with a solar thermal system receiving incentives pursuant to subdivision (a) benefit from the installation of the solar thermal systems through reduced or lowered energy costs.
(d) The commission shall do all of the following to implement the requirements of this section:
(1) Maximize incentives to properties that are committed to continuously serving the needs of lower income households, as defined in Section 50079.5 of the Health and Safety Code, and, if the commission expands the program pursuant to subdivision (b), ratepayers participating in a LIEE program.
(2) Establish conditions on the installation of solar thermal systems that ensure properties on which solar thermal systems are installed under subdivision (a) remain low-income residential properties for at least 10 years from the time of installation, including property ownership restrictions and income rental protections, and appropriate enforcement of these conditions.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 473, Sec. 8. (AB 797) Effective January 1, 2018. Inoperative August 1, 2020. Repealed as of January 1, 2021, pursuant to Section 2867.4.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018