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Last chance for northeast SFV residents to apply for free rooftop solar. Here’s how
GRID Alternatives employees Sal Miranda (R) and Tony Chang install no-cost solar panels on the rooftop of a low-income household on Oct. 19, 2023, in Pomona.
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Heads up Pacoima and Sun Valley residents: Friday, Jan. 31, is the last day for eligible households to apply for free rooftop solar installation. It’s the end of a five-year program to, among other things, install rooftop solar on low-income homes in the northeast San Fernando Valley.
Eligibility details: Pacoima and Sun Valley residents in ZIP codes 91331, 91340, 91352 are eligible. Here are the income limits for renters and homeowners in those areas:
- Household of 1: $77,700 or less
- Household of 2: $88,800 or less
- Household of 3: $99,900 or less
- Household of 4: $110,950 or less
- Household of 5: $119,850 or less
- Household of 6: $128,750 or less
What the money covers: The funding will cover the panels and installation, as well as any necessary roof repairs, tree trimming and electrical panel upgrades.
How to apply: The nonprofit GRID Alternatives, Greater Los Angeles installs the panels. You can apply at GRIDSolar.org, or call (866) 921-4696. Income-qualified renters can ask their landlords to apply.
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The context: The deadline marks the end of a five-year project that installed rooftop solar on more than 50 low-income homes in Pacoima and Sun Valley, and another 48 in the pipeline. The project also funded planting more than 1,000 trees, renovating an alley into a stormwater capture project and public green space, and purchasing 14 electric buses to serve the area, among other things.
Why it matters: The program aims to expand access to cleaner energy and green space for lower-income communities that are overburdened by air pollution. Low-income homes also tend to spend a disproportionate amount of their income on electric bills, which solar panels can help offset. In fact, low- and moderate-income households are now the majority of solar rooftop homes in California, according to data from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, but experts worry the state’s new rooftop solar rules will stifle that progress.
How it's funded: The free rooftop solar program is one of multiple projects in the Southern California region called Transformative Climate Communities. It's funded through the state’s cap-and-trade program, as well as the state’s general fund. Additional projects funded through this program are in Watts, Ontario and upcoming in South L.A.
What’s next: GRID Alternatives plans to launch a free solar-plus-battery storage installation project in the northeast San Fernando Valley sometime in 2025. The next free rooftop solar effort will launch in South L.A. Keep up to date with that effort here.
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