January 20, 2026
City Council
DATE: January 20, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Councilmember Doria Robinson
Subject:
Letter of Support for Alliance of Californians for
Community Empowerment Clean Energy and Healthy
Homes Project
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact on receiving this item.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
The Richmond City Council passed a resolution
(Resolution No. 117-24) in October 2024 to support a
Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for the "Richmond Clean
Energy and Healthy Homes Project."
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
Neighborhood-scale residential building decarbonization involves decommissioning expensive and dirty gas lines
and making energy efficiency upgrades, providing clean
electric appliances, and – where possible – installing
rooftop solar and storage across entire blocks. The goal is to usher in an equitable clean energy transition and ensure that everyone receives the health and economic
benefits of getting off gas, regardless of their income and whether they are a tenant, landlord, or homeowner.
As part of the Richmond Clean Energy and Healthy
Homes Project, the Alliance of Californians for
Community Empowerment (ACCE) is working with the
Building Decarbonization Coalition (BDC) and
Association for Energy Affordability (AEA) to build
support for neighborhood-scale decarbonization by door
knocking in Richmond and enrolling residents in PG&E’s
Electrify My Block program and the California Energy
Commission’s Equitable Building Decarbonization direct
AGENDA
REPORT
January 20, 2026
install program. To help support these efforts, ACCE is requesting an endorsement letter from the City of
Richmond and Richmond City Council on official
letterhead. The letter will be used while door knocking to demonstrate support for this initiative from elected
officials and build trust with community members, many
of whom are wary of electrification due to predatory solar scams and confusion around the many energy efficiency
programs that are being offered.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
REQUEST the city manager provide a letter of support
for the Alliance of Californians for Community
Empowerment (ACCE) work with the Building
Decarbonization Coalition (BDC) and Association for
Energy Affordability (AEA) to build support for
neighborhood-scale decarbonization - Councilmember
Doria Robinson (510-620-6568).
DISCUSSION:
In October 2024, the Richmond City Council passed a resolution (Resolution No. 117- 24) to support a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for the "Richmond Clean Energy and Healthy Homes Project," and at that time expressed explicit support for Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment’s (ACCE) Healthy Homes for All Project.
This letter of support would be a formal recognition of that support, helping the project move forward towards implementation. Supporting this project helps the City of Richmond achieve our Climate Action Plan goals while making sure residents, who normally would not be able to afford electrification, can also benefit from the transition away from fossil fuels and towards cleaner energy sources.
Neighborhood-scale residential building decarbonization involves decommissioning expensive and dirty gas lines and making energy efficiency upgrades, providing clean electric appliances, and – where possible – installing rooftop solar and storage across entire blocks. The goal is to usher in an equitable clean energy transition and ensure that everyone receives the health and economic benefits of getting off gas, regardless of their income and whether they are a tenant, landlord, or homeowner.
Background
Making Richmond a Clean Energy Leader: Clean Energy and Healthy Homes for All Project
The vision: ACCE (Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment) and allies make the City of Richmond a model for dignified, clean, green healthy homes—all while creating good local union jobs, protecting tenants and increasing our collective power.
January 20, 2026
The approach: Neighborhood-scale building decarbonization means improving energy efficiency, providing clean electric appliances, and installing rooftop solar and storage across entire neighborhood blocks. This way, everyone receives the health and economic benefits of getting off gas and installing rooftop solar, regardless of whether they are rich or own their home. Without community-led projects like this one, wealthier individuals will electrify their homes and pull themselves off an aging gas grid. With fewer people on the gas grid, rates will skyrocket, leaving low-income households with higher bills. This project models how to prioritize working-class communities, especially Black and Brown neighborhoods, which face disproportionate burdens from polluting industries, poor indoor air quality, and energy burden.
Protecting our people: We are committed to ensuring that green investments benefit our communities — not landlords and large corporations. To make that possible, our program will:
● Reduce reliance on gas appliances to also help lower indoor air pollutants, which can improve asthma symptoms and improve overall respiratory health for residents
● Include strong tenant protections so renters don’t have to fear rent increases or displacement because of improvements to their homes.
● Reduce costs of utility bills through improved insulation, high-efficiency appliances, and solar; work with the City and PG&E to secure a commitment that electrification will not increase rates
● Work with building trade unions so that decarbonization projects are performed by highly skilled who are paid a fair wage, receive benefits, and have decent working conditions
● As part of our collaboration with the building trades, ensure local hiring and investment in pre-apprenticeship programs that train Richmond residents for jobs in the green economy
Funding our work: We believe that the costs of transitioning off gas should not fall on the backs of working-class and poor communities who did the least to cause the climate crisis. To this end, we are committed to ensuring that the costs of neighborhood-scale building decarbonization projects are fully covered for program participants. Possible funding sources include:
● Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) pilot projects approved by recent legislation and/or funding if 100% of residents agree to electrify (speaking with PG&E representatives about this)
● Equitable Building Decarbonization funding through the California Energy Commission
● Stacking existing clean energy programs from the California Energy Commission (CEC) and California Public Utility Commission (CPUC), and Solar for All from GRID Alternatives (stackability evaluated per home)
How we get there: Collaborating with the City of Richmond and other allies to pilot a project across multiple city blocks in the Iron Triangle, Coronado or Sante Fe neighborhood. These neighborhoods are working-class Black and Brown communities
January 20, 2026
where Contra Costa ACCE has organized for many years. They are also neighborhoods where gas lines are old and need to be replaced, presenting a strategic opportunity to electrify instead. This pilot project will demonstrate that the strategy of pursuing community-led neighborhood-scale decarbonization projects works. The project will lay the groundwork to expand to more blocks and neighborhoods in the years to come.
As part of the Richmond Clean Energy and Healthy Homes Project, the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) is working with the Building Decarbonization Coalition (BDC) and Association for Energy Affordability (AEA) to build support for neighborhood-scale decarbonization by door knocking in Richmond and enrolling residents in PG&E’s Electrify My Block program and the California Energy Commission’s Equitable Building Decarbonization direct install program. To help support these efforts, ACCE is requesting an endorsement letter from the City of Richmond and Richmond City Council on official letterhead. The letter will be used while door knocking to demonstrate support for this initiative from elected officials and build trust with community members, many of whom are wary of electrification due to predatory solar scams and confusion around the many energy efficiency programs that are being offered.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Provide a Support Letter utilizing the draft provided in the agenda report
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 — Draft Support Letter
Attachment 2 — Project Overview
Attachment 3 — City of Oakland Letter of Support