SUCCESS STORY
SOMAH Program Helps Fresno Housing Harness the Power of Solar Energy

  
Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing

PROPERTY INFO
Memorial Village owned by Fresno Housing Sanger, CA in Fresno County
UTILITY TERRITORY
PG&E
YEAR BUILT
2018
UNITS
48
RESIDENT PROFILE
Family
PAID JOB TRAINEES
Two, each receiving 80 hours of paid job training
INCENTIVE
$242,902
ESTIMATED MONTHLY SAVINGS PER UNIT
$50-$70
SYSTEM SIZE
123.8 kW CEC-AC
Solar credit allocation 90% tenant/10% common area
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Reduces 130 tons of CO2 emissions per year Reduces 2,600 tons of CO2 emissions over 20 years

Background
Options for residents and affordable housing developers looking to help mitigate the impacts of extreme weather conditions on energy bills (particularly during summer and winter months) are limited and can depend on if buildings are in the planning stage or already built. This is a challenge that Fresno Housing, a real estate developer with nearly 80 multifamily housing developments in California’s Central Valley, works to address through enrolling in state-funded programs such as the Energy Savings Assistance Program and the Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) Program.

“The biggest attraction was funding for solar on existing  properties. It is relatively easy to leverage finance during construction of new developments, but much harder on existing multifamily,” shared Tyrone  Williams, Fresno Housing’s CEO.  One of these communities is Memorial Village, a 48-unit housing development located in the city of  Sanger,  Calif.  The  property was enrolled in the SOMAH Program during October 2021, as a partnership between Fresno Housing and Sunrun, a solar installer.

How Does SOMAH Make a Difference?
The installation of a 123.8-kW CEC-AC system at Memorial Village was celebrated in June 2023 with a ribbon-cutting that marked   the first of 21 SOMAH projects Fresno Housing intends to complete throughout its portfolio. For Fresno Housing, participating in SOMAH is a win-win situation because its mission aligns with the program’s goals of savings for residents and providing tenant education to
engage and inform residents about the positive changes coming to their homes.

“Cost savings for tenants is at the core of our mission. Historically we’ve used energy efficiency retrofit programs and tenant education to reduce energy bills. SOMAH lets us do that on a larger scale.”
- CEO Tyrone Williams.

At the ribbon-cutting, Williams highlighted the environmental benefits of SOMAH and encouraged other property owners and managers to apply. “We would absolutely recommend the SOMAH Program. In spite of changing TOU rates and the uncertainty of NEM policies changes down the road, the financial benefits of multifamily solar in the Central Valley remains significant. Installing solar makes a statement of intent to produce clean energy – and to produce it locally.”

SOMAH Leads the Way
Residents of Memorial Village can expect to save approximately
$50-$70 per month through solar energy credits on their energy bills. Overall, the project resulted in a 123.8-kW CEC-AC system (90% tenant/10% common area split), 160 paid job training hours and a reduction of 130 tons of CO2 emissions per year.
The excitement of completing the project and celebrating its switching on was not only felt by residents and program
participants, but also elevated by the Mayor of Sanger Frank Gonzalez who shared his thoughts on the program:

“Partnerships like the ones created through the SOMAH Program help not only the building residents, but also help our city operate better.”

 	    

The Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) Program provides financial incentives for installing photovoltaic solar energy systems on multifamily affordable housing. The program delivers clean power and credits on energy bills to affordable housing residents. To find out how to bring solar to your community, visit CalSOMAH.org

858-244-1177 ext. 5
contact@CalSOMAH.org

© 2023 Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing Program

Disclaimer: SOMAH makes every effort to present accurate and reliable information. However, the content is presented “as is” without warranty of any kind. Reference to any specific commercial product, process, or service does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the SOMAH Program.