GRID Alternatives North Valley is thrilled to partner with Mutual Housing California to provide solar services for Sacramento’s first LGBTQ-friendly affordable senior housing development, Lavender Courtyard. 

Affordable housing might not be the first market that comes to mind for solar energy technology, but it is the one that might need it the most. Utility bills are usually the largest and most volatile portion of an affordable housing development’s budget. Stabilizing utility bills through solar and other measures makes it easier to maintain operating budgets, retain tenant services, and avoid raising rents.

Through SMUD's Solar Community Grant program, GRID Alternatives North Valley is set to install a solar electric system to help power the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services Arata Brothers building in Oak Park later this year. This will lower their electricity bill and leave more money available to deliver needed community support services. 

After the 2018 California wildfires, GRID prepared a strategic community Disaster Recovery Initiative in Butte County. Our goals were, and still are, to support efforts to build affordable housing while integrating clean and resilient energy technology solutions. GRID is an active member of the Camp Fire Long Term Recovery Group and contributes our organizational capacity and technical expertise to a number of regional efforts related to affordable housing, climate change, and disaster recovery. 

At a time when many California residents have reduced or lost incomes due to local shelter-in-place directives, the work of GRID Alternatives is more relevant than ever. Since we opened in 2011, we have served over 1,450 families in the North Valley region of California to save them an estimated $42 million in collective utility costs. GRID's work is essential, and we are doubling down on our commitment to support local homeowners with no-cost solar to help with paying crucial utility bills, which are most likely increasing because of more time spent at home.