Issue Brief: Reducing Energy Burden for Low-income Residents in Multifamily Housing with Solar Energy
U.S. Department of Energy Better Buildings Clean Energy for Low Income Communities Accelerator
When paired with energy efficiency measures, cost effective solar energy systems can support state and local program administrators’ goals to reduce low-income household energy burden. Energy burden is the share or percentage of annual household income that is used to pay annual home heating and cooling costs. In the U.S., about 25% of all low-income households (80% or less of area median income-AMI) reside in multifamily housing units (see Figure 1). This issue brief discusses some of the key considerations and related opportunities for deploying solar for low-income multifamily housing (buildings with 5 or more units). In particular, program administrators may need to consider how differences in multifamily housing financing structure and type can influence resident eligibility as well as resulting impacts on energy burden in both on-site and off-site solar installations. This issue brief will touch on these considerations and profile two multifamily housing examples that demonstrate how state and local entities have deployed solar energy (photovoltaics) on behalf of low-income residents.
