Priority Area: Clean Energy and Building Decarbonization
Barrier: Retrofit Feasibility

Challenge/Local/State

Description

Local Solution
(Type of Activity: Community Program Implementation )

Work through trusted community-based organizations (CBOs), CCAs, RENs, and other local intermediaries to deliver outreach for retrofit, electrification, and resilience programs. These navigators provide clear, consistent, and unified messaging that reduces confusion and helps rebuild trust in communities affected by past misinformation or bad actors. Effective navigator models include language access and equity supports—such as translation, interpretation, childcare, and food—to ensure engagement is accessible to low-income, rural, Tribal, and linguistically diverse communities. By meeting residents in trusted settings and cultural contexts, navigator-led outreach increases awareness, credibility, and readiness to participate in retrofit programs.

Existing Examples of Progress: 1. GRID Alternatives is conducting solar clinics, town halls, and community engagement events. They are focused on rebuilding trust after bad faith actors, showcasing savings, and engaging community members through local visits and outreach. Pacoima Beautiful is using community engagement to rebuild trust for solar initiatives in historically underserved neighborhoods. They use door-to-door canvassing, community events, and promotional videos to foster trust and awareness. 2. The CPUC established Regional Energy Networks (RENs) in 2012 as non-utility administrators to fill gaps in localized, cross sector energy efficiency delivery, funded through ratepayer funds for Energy Efficiency (EE). RENs often work to stack incentives with other sources for IDSM and DER measures to keep costs as low as possible. 3. The Southern California Tribal Energy and Climate Collaborative is one of six SGC RCC recipients formed to help 25 Tribes access multiple sources of funding. Thanks to a CPUC grant designed to create equitable engagement in regulatory proceedings, SoCalTEC was successful in rallying tribal and local organizations and legislators around extending the CPUC Self Generation Incentive Program rebate deadlines for up to 200 energy storage projects.
Region: San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Inland Deserts, San Diego, Statewide

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