Clean energy and lower utility bills for PSHH residents
TEMPLETON — Peoples’ Self-Help Housing (PSHH) property, Rolling Hills II in Templeton, has become the first solar project in California to complete and operationalize the new Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) program.
“We are thrilled to be participating in this innovative program at Rolling Hills II,” said Morgen Benevedo, Executive Vice President of PSHH. “Our organization places great value on energy efficiency, and participating in the SOMAH program is just one more way we can achieve this.”
SOMAH program provides financial incentives for installing solar energy systems on affordable multifamily housing. The program delivers clean power and credits on energy bills to hundreds of thousands of California’s affordable housing residents. Funded through greenhouse gas allowance auction proceeds, SOMAH has a program budget of up to $100 million annually and an overall target to install 300 megawatts of generating capacity by the year 2030.
“The PSHH Construction Department has been working with SOMAH for more than a year to get the new solar system online and operational, and we are very pleased with the resulting benefits for our residents,” noted Todd Broussard, Director of Construction for PSHH.
The program has also provided several residents with the opportunity to receive specialized solar installation and maintenance training. Post-training, the residents assisted with the installation and can pursue paid career opportunities in the solar industry.
The SOMAH funding will provide a solar offset in all upcoming construction projects from Peoples’ Self-Help Housing and may expand to include all existing properties in the PSHH portfolio. This will likely lower utility bills.
