Establishes the green affordable pre-electrification program to assist owners and tenants in residential properties in curing structural and building code defects which render the properties ineligible for climate change adaptation and resiliency project grants.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2101
SPONSOR: Kelles TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to establishing
the green affordable pre-electrification program
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
to fill the funding gap that exists because residential buildings some-
times need certain types of rehabilitation work before they can be
eligible for funding for programs relating to energy efficiency and
weatherization
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Sec. 1- short title; "the Green Affordable Pre-electrification fund"
(GAP fund)
Sec. 2 - legislative Intent
Sec. 3 - adds a new public authorities law section 1872-b to establish a
green affordable pre-electrification program to be administered by
NYSERDA, in consultation with the Division of Housing and Community
Renewal, to fund and provide technical assistance for projects to
address structural deficiencies or code violations or other problems in
residential buildings so as to make such buildings eligible for munici-
pal, state or federal funding for residential energy efficiency, elec-
trification, weatherization, installation of insulation, and resiliency
programs; provides for tenant protections; gives priority to projects in
disadvantaged communities
Sec. 4 - severability
Sec. 5 - effective date
JUSTIFICATION:
According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conserva-
tion, emissions from the construction and operation of buildings
comprised 32% of the State's total greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in
2022. Of this total, the combustion of fossil fuels in residential
buildings accounted for 34%, with an additional 33% deriving from emis-
sions from imported fuels.
Electrification of existing buildings is key to the reduction of these
GHGs and the achievement of the CLCPA's goal of an 85% reduction in
statewide GHG emissions from 1990 levels by 2050. Per the New York State
Climate Action Council, "switching from fossil fuels to heat pumps for
heating and hot water will immediately and significantly reduce GHG
emissions and criteria pollutants from buildings". To reach this target,
NYSERDA analysis shows the state must electrify 250,000 buildings per
year. The State of New York is already investing substantial amounts
toward electrifying residential buildings, having committed $250 million
over five years to a Climate Friendly Homes Fund which intends to elec-
trify 10,000 homes.
However, a significant portion of the State's building stock is old and
in disrepair, blocking its access to building decarbonization and resi-
liency assistance. Units in 5- to 50-unit buildings constitute nearly
20% of the housing stock in New York State, almost 70% of the tenants in
these buildings are low- and moderate-income, and more than 1.3 million
units in such properties are heated by non-electric equipment that is
over 15 years old and nearing or beyond replacement age. These buildings
may have inadequate electrical systems to handle the Installation of
high-efficiency heat pumps, and/or envelope issues that would reduce the
efficiency of electrification strategies, and/or environmental hazards
like mold, lead-based paint, or asbestos which must be addressed before
electrification can begin.
State and federal energy efficiency and weatherization programs do not
cover the cost to make prerequisite upgrades addressing structural defi-
ciencies or mitigating health and safety issues. Thus, there is a crit-
ical need to support such improvements for the state to adequately
decarbonize the building sector towards our climate goals.
This bill would close the gap in current programs by funding prerequi-
site upgrades not currently supported by existing funding programs, and
help make it possible for our State to meet its climate goals. It would
assist low-to-moderate (LMI) households to overcome the barriers to
weatherizing and/or electrifying their homes, finally enabling them to
take advantage of weatherization and electrification assistance provided
through Next Energy NY, the Clean Energy Fund, and the Federal Inflation
Reduction Act. In recognition of the significant benefit of the GAP Fund
to landlords, the bill requires that participating landlords commit to
protections that prevent displacement of existing tenants.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A9170 of 2023-24 - referred to Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
State fiscal impact to be determined; no local impact.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately
