Southern California Celebrates First Equitable Building Decarbonization Project

For Immediate Release: May 27, 2026

SAN DIEGO - The California Energy Commission (CEC) and Los Angeles County gathered today in the city of San Diego for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at an affordable housing community for low-income seniors, who received efficient electric upgrades to their homes at no cost to them.

It is the first project completed in Southern California under the CEC's Equitable Building Decarbonization Program. The project marks a major milestone for the program, which replaces aging, inefficient, polluting appliances with modern, electric technologies in single family, multifamily, and manufactured homes. Certified professionals installed all the work.

The program, overseen by the CEC, is administered in Southern California by the County of Los Angeles. Funding for the program, which was established under Assembly Bill 209, comes from the Cap-and-Invest Program.

During the ceremony, state and local leaders toured select apartments at McKinney Manor to get a glimpse of upgraded appliances such as heat pump water heaters and induction cooktops.

"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 By replacing outdated, polluting appliances with modern electric technologies at no cost to residents, California is advancing its climate goals while ensuring healthier, safer, and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 CEC Commissioner Andrew McAllister, who attended the ceremony.

The Southern California portion of the project is prioritizing communities experiencing elevated pollution levels, higher economic hardship, and greater climate risk in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial Counties. The CEC has posted a full list of initial community focus areas for each region.

The program has also opened in Central California, where it is administered by the Center for Sustainable Energy. In Northern California, the Association for Energy Affordability is administering the program for homes in counties from Humboldt to Santa Clara.

Location of home, income, age of building construction, and the fuel type of appliances are some of the criteria used to determine eligibility. For more details, visit the CEC Equitable Building Decarbonization Program page.

California's commitment to healthier, more affordable homes has expanded significantly in recent years. Under Governor Gavin Newsom's leadership, statewide efforts have accelerated to make housing more resilient to climate change and more comfortable for residents, particularly in underserved areas.

Energy efficiency is central to this work and is the hallmark of the CEC's mission to achieve the state's climate goals and build a healthier, more equitable, more prosperous, and more resilient future for all Californians. The Equitable Building Decarbonization program builds on this legacy by ensuring that more families can benefit from cleaner technologies and healthier homes.

California continues to lead the nation in efficiency achievements-not only through programs such as this one-but through robust appliance standards and building energy codes. The new 2025 Building Code is expected to save Californians nearly $5 billion in energy costs over 30 years. California was recently recognized as the most energy efficient state in the nation by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy; this is the seventh time the state has topped the scorecard in 16 years of rankings.

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About the California Energy Commission

The California Energy Commission is the state's primary energy policy and planning agency, leading the state to a 100 percent clean energy future for all. It has seven core responsibilities: advancing state energy policy, encouraging energy efficiency, certifying power plants, investing in energy innovation, developing renewable energy, transforming transportation, and preparing for energy emergencies.

About California Climate Investments

The Equitable Building Decarbonization Program is part of California Climate Investments, which uses billions of Cap-and-Invest dollars to fund projects that reduce harmful emissions, protect public health, strengthen local economies, and support natural environments. With a strong focus on communities most impacted by pollution and limited access to resources, California Climate Investments helps build a more equitable and sustainable future.