Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from GRID Alternatives-Greater Los Angeles in Celebrating 200 Solar Installs in the City of Long Beach.
Okay. Thank you. We're we've had a couple two requests to move up two items, and then we'll go to public comment. Item 21, please. Item 21 is a communication from Councilmember Pearce, Councilwoman Gonzalez and Vice Mayor Richardson. Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from Grid Alternatives Greater Los Angeles in celebrating 200 solar installs in the city of Long Beach. Councilmember Pierson. Awesome. I want to thank. Great alternative stellar sewer second district resident commissioner. You saw commissioner, right? Yes, ma'am. Yeah. Not only for coming today, for all your efforts in the past, but for hanging in there as long as you could at the last meeting. And so I know that you guys have done a lot of great work citywide on trying to do as many installs as possible. So I'm eager to see your presentation today. And well, I'll have some comments after your presentation. Okay. Thank you, Mayor Garcia and City Councilmembers. Thank you to Councilmember Pearce, Councilmember Gonzalez and Vice Mayor Richardson for putting this on the agenda by name. Stellar Sewer District two resident and I am the outreach and partnerships manager for Grid Alternatives. With me is my colleague Danny Holm, who is the communications coordinator for the organization as well. And so we're really glad to be here today. This is something that we've been working on for a number of years. I have just a couple of slides, 200 and counting, lighting, lighting up Long Beach with clean energy and green jobs . So who is grid alternatives? We're a nonprofit organization that makes renewable energy technology and job training accessible to environmentally disadvantaged communities. We bring together partners, volunteers and job trainees to implement solar power and energy efficiency for low income families. And we provide them energy cost savings, hands on solar installation experience, and a source of clean, local energy that benefits everyone. Our mission to make renewable energy technology and job training accessible to underserved communities and a successful transition to clean energy. Here's some of the the results over the past. Since 2007, we've installed over 1450 solar systems in L.A., Orange and Ventura Counties. We've installed over 200 solar systems here in Long Beach. We've helped families save over $40 million in lifetime electricity costs. We've prevented the release of 99,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions here in our city. And we've provided over 5000 community members with solar installation experience and connections to future green career opportunities. And in fact, 87 of our volunteers last year, we connected to renewable energy jobs, which is pretty amazing, if you think about it, 87 jobs. So we're really proud of that. Our program, Energy for All, as I mentioned, connects families to the the solar energy systems at no cost at no cost for the families. We are not a for profit company. In fact, we're the only nonprofit solar company that was selected to do this work since back in 2007. This is the 200th family that we installed over in Councilmember Gonzalez's district, and this was Ms.. Laura Hill and her daughters. Just a little bit about Ms.. Hill real quick. She's been a resident of Long Beach for nearly 40 years. She was originally from Pittsburgh, California. She's familiar with the challenges of an environmentally, environmentally disadvantaged community from her childhood years, when she watched the build up of urban oil infrastructure around her home in the fifties. She traveled down to Long Beach. She worked at the downtown Long Beach McDonald's restaurant. Today, she no longer drives or works, but she leaves home frequently for medical appointments and visits with her friends. She's a she's proud of her home wish where she made it comfortable for her family. Several months ago, she partnered with Rebuilding Together Long Beach, and they provided improvements to her home, as well as the solar energy system that we provided from grid alternatives. So we're really happy that she was our 200th installation. Let's see what else I have. Danny, I think, Danny, I'm going to ask you to come up here and just talk a little bit for our executive director. Sure. So Stella was kind enough to let me speak very briefly about kind of the future and maybe even the present state of our work in Long Beach. We're tremendously excited to be working in this city as an organization, and it's very exciting for me as well as someone born in Long Beach to be giving back to the community in this way. Long Beach has huge potential to go solar because there's huge need here for the energy savings and bill savings that come with energy independence. There's also a tremendous opportunity to improve health and wellness for people living in environmentally disadvantaged communities. We could never have gotten to 200 installations in the Long Beach community were it not for the consistent leadership of Mayor Garcia, as well as Larry Rich and the Office of Sustainability here in Long Beach, a firm and valued partner for us and the members of the council who are sitting here tonight, great alternatives. Really want to thank the Council and the mayor for partnering with us to make renewables as widely available as possible going forward in the future, starting with the 210 families that we've already gone to as of July 2018 and looking forward to many more individuals impacted as our partnerships with the city grow, as our partnership with the Conservation Corps of Long Beach grows, and as new opportunities to benefit the community through solar come into into possibility when we have the opportunity to secure major funding. We are a nonprofit organization and we often look to see how that funding can benefit people right here in Long Beach. As a specific example, I can tell you that right now we're working on seeking funding for a community solar program here in Long Beach through the first of its kind for us, our first community solar implementation, and would also have transformative effects for people in the city. It would allow nonprofit organizations, other local organizations and subscribers who are individuals themselves, renters, homeowners, to lock in some of their energy costs and really get closer to solar technology that people used to think was off limits to low to moderate income people. So this is an exciting opportunity. I can tell you just today, still in myself, we're working on reviewing our submission, which goes to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and to the Rockefeller Foundation for the Community Life Challenge. You'll be hearing more about that work from us as it develops. Just once more on behalf of our organization. It's an exciting time to be working in solar. We couldn't be more thrilled to be doing it in Long Beach, and we thank you for supporting energy that's available to everyone. Thank you, Danny. And this final slide here. This took place about two weeks ago in your youngest district. The entire Office of Sustainability came out to volunteer on the roof of this family. And so we were so excited that they made that commitment. They were there, you know, probably majority of the day. They got a great experience. They helped the family, obviously connect to clean energy and to lower energy bills. We thank Councilmember Yarrawonga and staff for stopping by and we would love to have all of you out there. In fact, Mayor, you joined us for an install probably about two years ago or no, actually, when you first started as mayor, that was one of the first things he did was he joined us on the roof of a home over in Craftsman Village. And we've had other individuals from city council chief of staff Celina from District seven that also joined us. So we invite you all. CC Not you, not right now, but later on after you have the baby come and join us. And so we wanted to give this plaque to you. This is from great alternatives, Greater Los Angeles. It says Outstanding Partnership Award presented to the city of Long Beach in recognition of efforts to expand solar access presented on the occasion of our 200th install with alternatives Greater Los Angeles. And this was back in December. So we've had this all this time. It was over at the Office of Sustainability, but we wanted to give this to you. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. So I'll come up and we'll come up and grab it. Let me just a couple of people to wanna make some comments first so councilwoman you wanna go back to our peers. I just wanted to say again thank you so much for all of your efforts, your partnerships. I know we've done a couple of community events in the second district as well. How many solar installs do you think you can get done in the next 12 months? If we are collaborating on a bigger scale. If we have everyone focus or you know, if you think about it, if you were to identify five families, right? And then we work with those families, we get them situated with the solar system, we ask them for referrals because that's the best way to to promote the program. If someone you know in your district is receiving solar, then the neighbors see it and it's like, oh, okay, that's that's legit, right? And the city of Long Beach is a partner. Then it's it's easier to get into, you know, build that rapport with the with the family so we could do 100, 200. It really just depends. And so I'm going to challenge us to do another one in the next 12 months. And I wanted to clarify, when we were doing one of our events in the second District, we talked a lot about roofs. And one of the biggest challenges, as I recall, being that roofs were not able to withstand that and people had to go in and get new roofs. Yes. What's the cost of a new roof? Shoot, it could be anywhere between 5 to $15000. And I'm glad you brought that up, Councilmember, because we have been able to work with different organizations and we have now gotten funding to repair some of those roofs. Oh, that's so not only are they getting a free solar system that will reduce their energy bill by 50 to 90%. But there's also an opportunity to connect them to a new roof. That's great. And I bring that up because right after that, we had one of the council members here from San Antonio, which I want to thank Mayor Garcia for having him come around. He is a councilmember in downtown. And one of the big items that he did in San Antonio was creating a fund for new rooftops that then allowed people to go and get solar. And so I just want to thank you one more time for your for your efforts and look forward to getting another 100 solar 200 in the next year. Thank you so very much. Let's do it. Thank you. Thank you very much. Mayor, did you want you guys want to. Oh, yeah. I'm first let me finish the speakers and I'm going to come up. Thank you. Councilman Gonzalez. Stella, thanks so much. You have a real passion for this. You've had a passion for this. And we appreciate it very much and our residents appreciate it. Not only do I love the color green, but I absolutely love green initiatives like this. Yes, because they really do help people who may not have a lot of resources but still can be environmentally friendly. They just don't know how. And this gives them the power to be able to do that. I do see, though, a synergy with rebuilding together and a few other nonprofits that perhaps you can create a collective with that could really be very powerful. And I look forward to seeing this through and getting to those numbers and anything we can do to help on behalf of the First District. We're there for you. So thanks so much. Thank you. Thank you, Councilmember Orengo. Thank you, Mary. And I want to thank you, Stella, for putting this together and for picking a website. It's a community that really has a lot of need. And certainly that this project and this program that you have going over there for sustainability and green energy is just absolutely fantastic. And the most important part that I was impressed with that day that I went there was the number of volunteers who were there and the the training opportunities that you gave them in terms of solar installers. I mean, that was just absolutely amazing. And the energy that was there for these individuals to learn how to install solar panels was just absolutely wonderful. So I want to thank you for your work and not only in what you're doing for green energy, but also for providing training opportunities for people who need it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And Councilman Andrews. Yes. Also, first of all, so I think it's a great job and what you guys are doing. And I'd like to thank Councilwoman Pearce for highlighting this nonprofit work towards, you know, going solo, because the fact that my chief met with Shell and we find that there are great things that happen in the sixth District because a lot of this is look at the money you can save by doing this. And I wonder, when you said 87 jobs, you know my thing, a job stops a bullet. That's a great, great opportunity. Keep up the good work and anything we can do in the sixth district. Please keep us aware. Very good. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Stella. And with that, is there any public additional public comment? Please come forward, Mr. Goodhue, and then we'll go to a vote and take the picture. I fully support as a reference to this council a couple of months ago. The concept of solar energy and had it not been for you know, essentially having to reconvene the council of Trent. In order for the city to find the invoices relative to the electric use down to the original 1932 boathouse, we'd be well underway there . I believe a Councilwoman Price has been working with the that organization. She's found a organization. It's the one I had referenced. And I didn't realize that they can work together and will. At no cost to this city. Provide a if my understanding is correct. They're able to give it an entirely new roof because they can tap into special state bond measures that the city cannot do. So what we would have on the 1932 boathouse is a new roof, which in time the facility certainly would need. And then a a energy source that would create a positive energy flow, profit cash. That would go to in my view, I would like to have it go to the not for profit 501c threes that operate out of the peat art the existing peat art growing center. Which I have to pay money. To the city when we hold events in the Marine Stadium, understandably, we need the lifeguards, the patrol boats there. But it's a win win situation. And I would urge the city to work with the council and all of the price and the organizations that she's that their people in their boathouse have contacted to provide the requisite solar panels, which also can be put on the Pete Archer Center. Different types that would not stand out like a lot of them do. A lot of neighbors might object to them, but they have a new type of panel that would lay flat and not be raised up. So I urge you to work with Council on the Price on that. Thank you. Please come forward. Public comment. I am Francis Emily Dyson Harris and I reside in District one. And this is an absolutely phenomenal agenda item, which I support 100%. And I was wondering about the feasibility of green alternatives, Greater Los Angeles, in regards to their solar installations, of having that type of opportunity for rental units that have especially landlords and owners that provide electricity and pay for it where it's actually them paying for it, not the tenant, especially in units where they have people that have like lower income type of rental units and I thought maybe are just units period where they have that to bring down the cost with historic cost of rent increases. I thought that might be something to be looked into. That might be quite helpful. Thank you very much. Thank you. With that members, please cast your votes for the photo. And then, Madam Clerk, when we got them, 23. Councilwoman Price. Councilman Alston. Motion carries.