(a) As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) “Affordable housing cost,” “affordable rent,” and “lower income households” have the same meanings as in those set forth in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 50050) of Part 1 of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code.
(2) “California Solar Initiative” means the program providing ratepayer-funded incentives for eligible solar energy systems adopted by the Public Utilities Commission in Decision 05-12-044 and Decision 06-01-024.
(3) “Low-income residential housing” means any of the following:
(A) A multifamily residential complex financed with low-income housing tax credits, tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds, general obligation bonds, or local, state, or federal loans or grants, and for which either of the following applies:
(i) The rents of the occupants who are lower income households do not exceed those prescribed by deed restrictions or regulatory agreements pursuant to the terms of the financing or financial assistance.
(ii) The affordable units have been or will be initially sold at an affordable housing cost to a lower income household and those units are subject to a resale restriction or equity sharing agreement pursuant to the terms of the financing or financial assistance.
(B) A multifamily residential complex in which at least 20 percent of the total housing units are sold or rented to lower income households and either of the following applies:
(i) The rental housing units targeted for lower income households are subject to a deed restriction or affordability covenant with a public entity or nonprofit housing provider organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that has as its stated purpose in its articles of incorporation on file with the office of the Secretary of State to provide affordable housing to lower income households that ensures that the units will be available at an affordable rent for a period of at least 30 years.
(ii) The housing units have been or will be initially sold at an affordable cost to a lower income household and those units are subject to a resale restriction or equity sharing agreement, for which the homeowner does not receive a greater share of equity than described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 65915 of the Government Code, with a public entity or nonprofit housing provider organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that has as its stated purpose in its articles of incorporation on file with the office of the Secretary of State to provide affordable housing to lower income households.
(C) An individual residence sold at an affordable housing cost to a lower income household that is subject to a resale restriction or equity sharing agreement, for which the homeowner does not receive a greater share of equity than described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 65915 of the Government Code, with a public entity or nonprofit housing provider organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that has as its stated purpose in its articles of incorporation on file with the office of the Secretary of State to provide affordable housing to lower income households.
(4) “Solar energy system” means a solar energy device that has the primary purpose of providing for the collection and distribution of solar energy for the generation of electricity, that produces at least one kilowatt, and produces not more than five megawatts, alternating current rated peak electricity, and that meets or exceeds the eligibility criteria established by the commission or the Energy Commission.
(b) In establishing the California Solar Initiative, no moneys shall be diverted from any existing programs for low-income ratepayers, or from cost-effective energy efficiency or demand response programs.
(c) (1) The commission shall ensure that not less than 10 percent of the funds for the California Solar Initiative, as specified in subdivision (e) of, or moneys collected pursuant to subdivision (f) of, Section 2851, are utilized for the installation of solar energy systems on low-income residential housing. Notwithstanding any other law, the commission may modify the monetary incentives made available pursuant to the California Solar Initiative to accommodate the limited financial resources of low-income residential housing.
(2) The commission may incorporate a revolving loan or loan guarantee program into the California Solar Initiative for low-income residential housing. All loans outstanding as of January 1, 2022, shall continue to be repaid consistent with the terms and conditions of the program adopted and implemented by the commission pursuant to this subdivision, until repaid in full.
(3) All moneys set aside for the purpose of funding the installation of solar energy systems on low-income residential housing that are unexpended and unencumbered on January 1, 2022, and all moneys thereafter repaid pursuant to paragraph (2), except to the extent those moneys are encumbered pursuant to this section, shall be utilized to augment existing cost-effective energy efficiency measures in low-income residential housing that benefit ratepayers.
(d) In supervising a program implementing the California Solar Initiative pursuant to this section, the commission shall ensure that the program does all of the following:
(1) Is designed to maximize the overall benefit to ratepayers.
(2) Requires participants who receive monetary incentives to enroll in the Energy Savings Assistance Program established pursuant to Section 382, if eligible.
(3) Provides job training and employment opportunities in the solar energy and energy efficiency sectors of the economy.
(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 609, Sec. 3. (AB 217) Effective January 1, 2014.)