BayREN Awarded Grant to Improve Rental Home Energy Performance

BayREN

A group of local governments and community-based organizations led by BayREN is among five groups nationwide selected by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy to receive technical assistance through the Energy Equity for Renters Initiative.

The initiative will help BayREN and its partners — including StopWaste, the multifamily program lead agency, and the City of Berkeley — develop policies and programs that will improve rental home energy performance while preserving housing affordability in the Bay Area.

Rental homes are less energy efficient than others, on average consuming 15% more energy per square foot than owner-occupied homes. These inefficient homes also mean renters spend a lot on energy bills, with nearly one-third having high energy burdens, spending more than 6% of their income on energy bills.

BayREN is committed to advancing health and equity through building upgrades, and this grant will support other ongoing initiatives to further incorporate renter protections into our multifamily programs.

BayREN  — administered by ABAG —  offers regional energy programs, services and resources that promote energy savings. BayREN has a unique program structure: it is a collaboration of the nine Bay Area Counties, with one member agency representing each county.