GRID Alternatives

Solar Power for All Rental Communities (SPARC)

Model and Strategy

The Solar Power for All Rental Communities (SPARC) project aims to accelerate the installation of solar power on multifamily affordable housing properties in San Francisco as a showcase for nationwide adoption. As part of this initiative, GRID Alternatives (GRID) will bring 50kW of solar power to a flagship affordable multifamily housing site in San Francisco and assess the solar potential for all 220 multifamily affordable housing properties in the city. The project is designed to enable San Francisco to take advantage of the state’s groundbreaking release of $1 billion into the California Multifamily Affordable Housing Solar Roofs Program (AB 693) in 2017, and to build technical assistance infrastructure for affordable housing owners across the state and country to access similar programs and alternative funding mechanisms. SPARC works toward a model that integrates tenant benefits and provides job training opportunities to create a stronger, more inclusive clean energy economy.

Impact

SPARC aims to catalyze significant long­-term growth in the market for solar on multifamily affordable housing throughout the city of San Francisco, the state and the country. The demonstration project and city­-wide assessment are designed to ensure that the maximum amount of solar possible will be deployed on SF multifamily affordable housing properties, accessing funding from AB 693 as well as other financing options. The resulting briefing manual will not only make it easier for other affordable housing owners and developers to bring solar to their properties around California, it will also create a “peer effect” to inspire other housing owners to more aggressively pursue solar for their developments, educating and inspiring multifamily housing stakeholders on the benefits of solar power. Through existing projects, current legislation and GRID’s current and planned work nationwide, GRID is perfectly positioned to leverage SPARC for national replication, resulting in broad solar deployment to benefit low­-income renters while incorporating needed job training opportunities for the un­ and underemployed to enter a growing industry.
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Leadership

  • Ericka

    Ericka Mackie

    Co-Founder and CEO

  • Renée

    Renée Sharp

    Bay Area Regional Director