Built in 1979 by St. Mary’s
“It is gratifying to connect affordable housing communities and families to a cleaner energy source and provide them with the many benefits that come with solar energy,” said
“Elderly citizens like myself are unfortunately often overlooked on energy issues,” said
The completion of the St. Mary’s Gardens project marks a significant milestone as SOMAH’s first-ever Track A project, demonstrating the realization of community-backed clean energy solutions through public-private partnerships. The Asian Pacific Environmental Network, an early supporter of the creation of the SOMAH program in 2015, helped educate the majority of Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking residents at St. Mary’s Gardens about the benefits of solar energy. Committed to providing residents with free solar energy, the St. Mary’s board sought technical assistance from SOMAH’s program administrator in assessing the property’s solar potential, leading to the identification of
The project was funded in part by the California Public Utilities Commission’s SOMAH Program. State funding comes from polluters who purchase greenhouse gas allowances under the state’s cap-and-trade program and is an example of California’s commitment to reducing the climate impacts of the built environment.
“The St. Mary’s Garden project and the Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing Program are concrete examples of how we are going to achieve California’s goals for clean energy for all. As a CPUC Commissioner, I am inspired to see the on-the-ground results of what our collaboration can accomplish,” said
“This project delivers on the CPUC’s mission of ensuring access to clean energy for all Californians, and we are working to bring more projects like this one to people and communities across California,” added
“The SOMAH Program is proud to support projects, just like St. Mary’s Gardens, all across
“It’s incredible to see the SOMAH Program come full circle with the installation of solar panels at St. Mary’s Gardens,” said Shina Robinson, Resilience Hubs Manager at Asian Pacific Environmental Network. “Nearly 10 years ago, Asian Pacific Environmental Network members started dreaming up a program that would make sure that working-class communities of color would see the immediate tangible benefits of public investments in solar. Today, that program is bringing cost savings and clean energy to renters in our own community.”
“We are grateful for having received excellent technical assistance through the SOMAH program, which has enabled us to install the solar system that will reduce the utility costs of our very low-income community,” said
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Ensuring Access to Clean Energy for All Californians
In attendance at the ribbon-cutting ceremony were (left to right) John Reynolds , Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission ; Scott Sarem , Vice President of Multifamily Affordable Housing , Sunrun ; Joseph Wang , St. Mary’s Gardens resident; and David Hochschild , Chair, California Energy Commission .
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony at St. Mary’s Gardens
The Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing Program, St. Mary’s Elderly Housing Corporation , Asian Pacific Environmental Network, and Sunrun held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on January 19 to celebrate the solar installation at St. Mary’s Gardens, an affordable housing community in Oakland, California .
Solar Installation at St. Mary’s Gardens
The 117-kilowatt system generates enough energy to offset nearly two-thirds of tenants’ energy usage, saving each household about $35 per month on their electricity bill through virtual net metering.
2024 GlobeNewswire, Inc., source