Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQ)
Questions (FAQ)
Multifamily Energy Savings Enrollment FAQ
- All
- Contractors
- Eligibility & Participation
- Incentives & Funding
- Program Overview
- Project Process & Timeline
- Residents
Multifamily Energy Savings provides qualified affordable multifamily residents and property owners with energy efficiency retrofit and weatherization services, including:
These services help to save money and energy, enhancing the standard quality of living for residents. Reach out to discuss details and find out if your property qualifies.
The ESA CAM program ended in 2022. It was replaced by Multifamily Energy Savings, an expanded program that serves both common areas and resident units in qualified affordable multifamily properties. The new program offers more tools and support to property owners and is available to properties in any investor-owned utility territory in the state of California.
Yes, properties can take part in more than one energy-saving program at the same time. However, eligibility and funding depend on the program you wish to participate in with Multifamily Energy Savings. To maximize the benefits of combining incentive programs, it’s best to be proactive and learn what is eligible by discussing project details with a Multifamily Energy Savings program team member early in the project design phase.
Deed-restricted properties can receive up to 100% of the project cost for qualifying energy efficiency and weatherization improvements to the property common areas. Non-deed-restricted properties can receive up to 50% of the project cost for qualifying energy efficiency and weatherization improvements to the property common areas.
Both deed- and non-deed-restricted properties can receive in-unit upgrades at no-cost. Restrictions apply. Connect with a program team member by filling out an interest form to determine if the incentives offered are the right fit for your property.
Deed-restricted properties are subsidized to reserve some amount of the property as affordable housing units. They often have long life cycles written out in predetermined agreements. Typically financed through low-income housing tax credits, tax exempt mortgage revenue or general obligation bonds or local, state or federal loans or grants, each deed-restricted property has a legal document on file with the relevant regulatory agency (e.g., TCAC, LIHTC, USDA, CA HCD, HUD HAP Agreements). This document, signed by both the agency and the property owner, details the terms, duration, and parcel-specific information of the agreement. Deed-restrictions are referred to by a variety of names including deed-restriction, regulatory agreement, and affordability covenant.
Affordable non-deed restricted properties are those that do not have legal documentation reserving some or all of the property as affordable housing. These properties are sometimes called naturally occurring affordable housing.
Once our team verifies your property’s income levels, deed restriction status and application, a staff member will perform an on-site energy audit to identify and recommend eligible energy upgrades. You will then work with our team to select the upgrades you would like to move forward with.
If you are interested in upgrades other than those our technical assistance team recommends, let us know. We will work with you to see if your property is eligible to install those upgrades with incentives through Multifamily Energy Savings or provide information about other programs that may be able to help.
No personal resident information is necessary for the income verification process. All we need for our calculations are household size and total annual income per unit. For deed-restricted properties, you can also elect to self-certify that at least 65% of residents are at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
This program offers window replacement for common areas. However, eligibility depends on the existing building conditions and typically excludes incentivization on any materials less than five years old. After submitting application materials, an on-site energy audit is conducted to assess existing building conditions and identify common area and whole building upgrade opportunities that are eligible under the Multifamily Energy Savings program. Window repair may be an option for resident units.
Completion times for the in-unit and common area upgrades vary based on the availability of documentation, ease of qualification and enrollment, construction time, and scope of work approval. Projects typically take six to 12 months from start to finish. This time estimate covers all required steps of our program, starting with income verification and concluding with project completion and payment.
You can select your own California-licensed contractor for common area upgrades so long as they comply with all program policies stated in the terms and conditions of the Property-Level Application and Property Owner Authorization & Affidavit (POA), as well as all applicable local, state and federal laws. If you do not have a contractor in mind, a program team member can connect you with one. Submit an interest form to get in contact with a Multifamily Energy Savings team member.
Resident unit (in-unit) upgrades must be completed by a member of the Energy Savings Assistance (ESA) contractor network, a network of specially trained contractors who install upgrades and educate residents on maximizing incentives for cost savings, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and improving air quality.
The program serves qualified affordable multifamily properties in Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), and Southern California Gas (SoCal Gas) service territories. Customers of Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs) within the service regions for the above-listed utilities are also eligible for the program.
Yes. Multifamily Energy Savings is a statewide program implemented in two different regions, Northern Multifamily Energy Savings (PG&E) and Southern Multifamily Energy Savings (SDG&E, SCE, and SoCal Gas). If you meet the eligibility criteria in one program region, you are eligible for the other program region as well.
Note: If you are participating in both the Northern and Southern program regions (e.g., you receive electricity from PG&E and gas from SoCal Gas), you will receive two separate incentive payments that correspond with the type of upgrade. You will receive one check for electric upgrades and one for gas upgrades. There may also be some additional paperwork involved in the program application process.
In this event, you will be eligible to receive program services for the commodity that is provided by one of the administering utilities (PG&E, SDG&E, SCE, and SoCal Gas). For example, if your property receives electricity from Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and gas from SoCal Gas, your property will qualify exclusively for gas equipment upgrades through this program.
For information on how to receive incentives from other utility providers, please complete an interest form and a Multifamily Energy Savings team member can help identify what other programs may be available to your property.
The ESA Multifamily Energy Savings program does not provide reimbursements for past upgrades. To qualify for incentives, the property must go through the eligibility checks and enrollment process. All upgrades must be pre-approved and installed through the program after enrollment eligibility is determined.
For common area upgrades, an on-site energy audit is required to identify and recommend eligible energy improvements.
In-unit upgrades must be installed by a contractor from the Energy Savings Assistance (ESA) network.
Please complete an interest form to contact a Multifamily Energy Savings team member before making any upgrades to ensure eligibility and maximize available benefits.
Upgrade lists for the Northern and Southern programs are available on the Resources page of the program website. These lists are subject to change as building codes evolve and new energy efficiency technologies become available. Eligibility for specific upgrades depends on factors such as your property’s climate zone, the age and condition of existing equipment, and other property details.
Complete an interest form to explore potential upgrades and get in contact with a Multifamily Energy Savings team member who can begin the enrollment process. Once your property’s basic eligibility is confirmed, an energy audit will be conducted, providing a detailed report of the upgrades and incentives available for your property.
You may enroll your property for in-unit upgrades only and opt out of common area upgrades with this iteration of the Multifamily Energy Savings program. Properties in SDG&E, SGE and SoCal Gas service areas must allow the opportunity to install in-unit upgrades to qualify for common area participation. Submit an interest form and a program team member can help you determine common area and in-unit options for your property.
