No-Cost Home Energy Upgrades to Southern California’s Most Vulnerable Neighborhoods is Coming

Administered by the County of Los Angeles, this new program will provide income-qualified households with no-cost electric appliances, weatherproofing, and installation to improve air quality and reduce local pollution.

The Equitable Building Decarbonization (EBD) Program will provide retrofits to replace aging and inefficient appliances with new electric appliances to income-qualified households across several Southern California communities in Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties. Many in these areas face high energy usage, older housing infrastructure, and climate risks. The program is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and advance energy equity. In addition, the program also aims to improve indoor air quality, enhance electric affordability, create local workforce opportunities, and strengthen community resilience to extreme heat.

The EBD Program is overseen by the California Energy Commission (CEC) and administered by the County of Los Angeles in the Southern California region. The program is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Invest, formerly known as Cap-and-Trade, dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities. Partial funding is provided by the Home Efficiency Rebates (HOMES) Program overseen by the U.S. Department of Energy. This program contributes to the state’s and the County of Los Angeles’ commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and climate resilience strategies.

Based on the CEC’s 2021 California Building Decarbonization Assessment, buildings generate about 25% of California’s greenhouse gas emissions, making building decarbonization through efficient electric appliances and energy efficiency a central part of the state’s strategy to cut emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. Based on household needs and preferences, EBD program participants will receive efficient electric appliance upgrades, with installation completed by certified local professionals. The upgrades may include electric heat pumps or heat pump water heaters, induction ranges for cooking, and electric clothes dryers. The program also covers critical building envelope work, such as insulation and air sealing to lock in maximum efficiency, as well as necessary remediation for retrofit installation.

“The Equitable Building Decarbonization Program demonstrates that climate action and affordability can go hand in hand. By replacing outdated, polluting appliances with modern electric technologies at no cost to residents, California is advancing its climate goals while ensuring healthier, safer, and more comfortable homes for communities that have too often been left behind,” said Commissioner J. Andrew McAllister, Ph.D., at the California Energy Commission.

“By bringing the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program to communities across Southern California, we’re turning climate commitments into meaningful, local action. This program helps families access healthier, more efficient homes while supporting our state’s ambitious goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Together with the California Energy Commission and our network of certified local professionals, Los Angeles County is advancing a cleaner energy future that delivers real benefits — especially for the communities that have been historically underserved,” said Michael Owh, Director of the County of Los Angeles Internal Services Department.

Outreach efforts have started in select communities in partnership with community-based organizations, local jurisdictions, and trusted community leaders across the region. The EBD Program will initially prioritize selected communities throughout Southern California based on high pollution levels, economic hardship, and elevated climate risk. These communities include Bassett Avocado Heights Advanced Energy Community, Bell Gardens, Brawley, Buena Park, Carson, Chula Vista, Compton, El Cajon, El Centro, El Monte, Escondido, Fullerton, Hawaiian Gardens, Hawthorne, Hesperia, Huntington Park, Indio, Lancaster, Lawndale, Maywood, Moreno Valley, North Hollywood, Oceanside, Pacoima, Paramount, Pico Rivera, Pomona, Ramona, Riverside/Highgrove, San Bernardino, San Marcos/Vista, Santa Ana, South Gate, STORM (Severely Threatened, Overburdened, and Resource-limited Municipalities) Communities in San Diego, Victorville/Apple Valley, and Wilmington. The list is available here. Through coordinated engagement, informational sessions, multilingual materials, and direct community outreach, the program is proactively connecting eligible households in these priority communities to enrollment resources and personalized support.

The County of Los Angeles will serve as the program administrator, providing oversight and coordination, while service delivery will be managed locally by the SoCal EBD Coalition a collective of trusted community organizations and public agencies working directly with residents to provide comprehensive, personalized support. Program Advisors will guide households through the process every step of the way, from sign-up and eligibility verification through installation and personalized assistance following installation.

“We are working towards a more sustainable Southern California, and to get there, we need to invest in more resilient, healthier communities,” said Minh Le, County of Los Angeles Internal Services Department General Manager of Energy and Environmental Service. “This program reduces pollution for us all, while providing equity, and lower energy use, at no cost to residents most in need.”

For more information on the EBD program in Southern California, please visit SoCalEBD.org or email ContactUs@SoCalEBD.org

About the County of Los Angeles Internal Services Department

The Internal Services Department (ISD) is a general services organization that supports the County of Los Angeles by providing a range of support services to other County departments. This includes the areas of purchasing, contracting, facilities, information technology, and other support services, such as energy and environmental (EES) programs management, parking, and mail services. ISD administers high-impact public programs, including Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN), Electrifyze (which promotes Electric Vehicle adoption), and the EBD Program. ISD has also been designated by the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors as the lead department for residential broadband service and digital equity initiatives. For more information on ISD, visit isd.lacounty.gov.

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