PACE Solutions: Bringing AB 811 Home

The purpose of “PACE Solutions: Bringing AB 811 Back Home” is to convene key stakeholders and advocates of property assessment financing, to consider and collectively support solutions to make PACE the bold, viable, and “revolutionary” energy efficiency and renewable energy financing tool it was envisioned to be.

The two-day conference in Palm Desert is about Bringing AB 811 Home to its roots and making sure it continues to be an effective means for local governments to achieve their energy and climate protection goals. Palm Desert promoted AB 811 in the legislature, and pioneered the nation’s first “PACE” program. A few other jurisdictions – Sonoma County in particular – launched programs. But then PACE went haywire.

A Federal Housing Finance Authority decision essentially excluded PACE assessments from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages. While this affected only a share of the housing market, within weeks new residential PACE programs were shut down, deflating the enthusiasm of many cities, utilities, and citizens. Now only a loose-knit family of pioneering programs – in Palm Desert, Sonoma County, and Babylon, New York -- extends across the country. Their stories and lessons will be shared.

PACE Solutions is about just that. What programs make sense now? We’ll be discussing and debating the challenges at hand, especially in the residential sector, with the goal of supporting a myriad of solutions – from legislative actions to lawsuits and “work-around” opportunities. Participants will come to Palm Desert prepared, and will leave with greater perspectives. More importantly, they will leave with direction on how to plug in and fully resuscitate PACE to its full potential and its AB 811 roots.

Conference Sponsored by:

• City of Palm Desert
• UCR Palm Desert Graduate Center
• Southern California Gas
• Richard, Watson, Gershon
• Sonoma County, CA
• Stone & Youngberg
• Ygrene Energy Fund
• Southern California Edison
• Renova Energy Corporation
• Johnson Controls

more to be announced...

Hear more about PACE and its history- watch the video above!

Resources

Conference Program:  http://www.ecomotion.us/docs/PACEProgram.pdf

Conference Location and Travel Suggestions:   http://www.ecomotion.us/docs/Travel.pdf

Hotels and Accommodations:   http://www.ecomotion.us/docs/Hotels.pdf 

Courtyard Marriott discounted rates through Feb. 11, $119 per night + taxes:  http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/ctdcy?groupCode=ecoecoa&app=resvlink&fromDate=3/1/11&toDate=3/3/11

**Must book by February 11, 2011 

 Palm Springs International Airport Guide:   http://www.ecomotion.us/docs/Airport.pdf

 **Please note, this guide is a representation on peak winter travel in 2010.