Portland Housing Bureau opens applications for PCEF funding for affordable housing energy efficiency

(PORTLAND, ORE.) - Today, the Portland Housing Bureau (PHB) announced the availability of $10 million in grant funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades in new regulated affordable multifamily housing, derived from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF). Affordable housing developers may now apply for PCEF grants to cover the capital costs of upgrading their projects to ensure that they are built and operated so as to reduce carbon emissions, reduce operating costs, and improve the resilience and health of their low-income tenants.

"The health and safety of the families who live in our regulated projects is paramount," said Portland Housing Bureau Interim Director Quisha Light. "These PCEF dollars allow us and our development partners to create and safeguard climate-resilient apartment communities, while also lowering operating costs and keeping projects financially stable for the long term."

These funds are being released as part of PCEF's Strategic Program 1, a grant program established in 2023 and administered through PHB to provide up to $60 million over 5 years to regulated affordable housing developments in Portland. This solicitation marks Phase 2 of Strategic Program 1 - in Phase 1, PHB committed over $60 million across 26 projects, helping to establish financial feasibility while also ensuring critical high energy efficiency and renewable investments were central to each project.

"PCEF was created to ensure Portland's climate investments deliver tangible benefits to the people who need them most," said Wendy Koelfgen, Multi-unit Housing Programs Manager for the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund. "These grants help affordable housing projects go beyond minimum building standards by investing in cleaner, more efficient, and more comfortable living spaces, while also reducing climate impacts."

Strategic Program 1 funds may support investments such as mini-split heating and cooling, photovoltaic arrays, enhanced insulation, heat pump water heating, high efficiency ventilation, electric vehicle charging and trees.

Interested affordable housing developers can find more information here.

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ABOUT THE PORTLAND HOUSING BUREAU: Guided by a vision that all Portlanders should have equitable access to affordable housing and to the opportunities that a safe, stable home can deliver, the Portland Housing Bureau leads housing policy for the City of Portland and administrates programs to produce affordable rental housing, expand homeownership and stabilize homeowners, and regulate and assist tenants and landlords in the rental housing market. The Portland Housing Bureau is one of several bureaus and programs in the Community and Economic Development service area. This service area aligns City programs focused on building prosperity for all Portlanders. We aim to create and deliver efficient, transparent, and equitable solutions for a resilient built environment - as well as services, resources, and experiences for our community.

ABOUT THE PORTLAND CLEAN ENERGY COMMUNITY BENEFITS FUND: The Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) initiative was passed by 65% of Portland voters in November 2018. It provides a consistent, long-term funding source and oversight structure to ensure that our community's climate action efforts are implemented to support social, economic and environmental benefits for all Portlanders, particularly communities who have been historically under-resourced. The initiative was supported by a broad coalition of groups and individuals and represents the first environmental initiative in Oregon led by communities on the frontlines of climate change.