Title
Adopt City Council Resolution Consenting to Inclusion of Properties within the City of Fort Bragg in the California HERO Program to Finance Distributed Generation Renewable Energy Sources, Energy and Water Efficiency Improvements and Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure and Approving the Amendment to a Certain Joint Powers Agreement
Summary
Assembly Bill (AB) 811 was signed into law on July 21, 2008, and it authorizes a legislative body to designate an area within which authorized public officials and free and willing property owners may enter into voluntary contractual assessments to finance the installation of distributed generation renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, and/or water conservation improvements that are permanently fixed to real property, as specified. Since 2011, the HERO Program has helped more than 75,000 property owners make more than $1.78 billion in improvements to their homes which reduce energy and water consumption, saving homeowners over $3 billion in estimated future utility costs and more than 5.7 billion gallons of water. Adopted in 431 California communities, more than 15,100 local jobs have been created as a result of the California HERO Program. Because of its success, the California HERO Program was developed as a "turnkey program" to save other California jurisdictions time and resources in developing a stand-alone program.
To begin the process of making the HERO Program available within a local jurisdiction, the governing body only needs to adopt the attached standardized resolution and approve an amendment to the joint powers agreement related to the California HERO Program (attached to such resolution). The California HERO Program allows property owners in participating cities and counties to finance renewable energy, energy water efficiency improvements and electric vehicle charging infrastructure on their property. If a property owner chooses to participate, the improvements to be installed on such owner’s property will be financed by the issuance of bonds by a joint power authority, Western Riverside Council of Governments (“WRCOG”) and secured by a voluntary contractual assessment levied on such owner’s property. Participation in the program is 100% voluntary. Property owners who wish to participate in the program agree to repay the money through the voluntary contractual assessment collected together with their property taxes. The proposed resolution enables the California HERO Program to be available to owners of property within our City to finance renewable energy, energy efficiency and water efficiency improvements and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The resolution approves an Amendment to the WRCOG Joint Powers Agreement to add the City of Fort Bragg as an Associate Member in order that the California HERO Program may be offered to the owners of property located within the City of Fort Bragg.