Introduction
St. Petersburg PACE Forward is a resource for the City and residents to quickly create significant local jobs and reduce property owners' utility bills by improving properties with clean energy and storm damage mitigation features that will update and "green" the community.
The program we are presenting is a turnkey solution, providing financing, administration, education and marketing to support successful launch and implementation of St. Petersburg's PACE financing district.
If you own property in St Petersburg and support this program, let us know and contact us below.
PACE stands for property assessed clean energy.
PACE legislation has been enacted in various cities and counties across the nation (see map). Recent Florida legislation passed, pursuant to CS/HB 7179, 163.08, and will allow St. Petersburg to form a "municipal finance district." This creates a vehicle for property owners to voluntarily finance energy saving retrofits and energy sustainable improvements to residential and non-residential property, secured by assessments on private property. The Florida legislation has further amplified the PACE program, to include retrofits and improvements for storm, hurricane and associated wind damage mitigation.
City of St. Petersburg will enjoy:
· immediate job creation in manufacturing and installation
· acceleration of research and development of clean energy technology through creation of significant increased demand for such products
· no municipal credit or general obligation
· greenhouse gas reductions
· moving toward energy independence
· improved housing stock
· national recognition as leading edge City
· new residents and businesses attracted by "green oriented" community
Residential and non-residential property owners can:
· voluntarily opt in
· enjoy lower energy bills
· minimize losses due to storm damage
· substantially reduce upfront costs for retrofits through economies of scale
· experience improved return on their real estate investment
Florida State profits:
· 1% Florida Participation = $1.2 billion in energy improvements, 14,000 jobs
· 5% Florida Participation = $6.2 billion in energy improvements, 67,000 jobs
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How It Works
RESOLUTION
City of St. Petersburg passes ordinance or resolution creating a dependent finance district for non ad valorem assessment
FINANCING
Long term revenue bonds to fund improvements and then obtain Notice to Proceed
APPLICATION
Property owners opt in via online application provided by St. Petersburg PACE Forward website
ENERGY AUDIT
Qualified property owners receive energy audits performed by accredited professionals who will recommend appropriate improvements
IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
Our professionals will recommend to property owner the types of improvements eligible (up to 20% of property value) and establish a loading order. Improvements possible include:
· Weatherization and Insulation
· Solar Water Heater
· High Efficiency HVAC
· Solar Hybrid HVAC
· Programmable Thermostats
· LED Lighting
· Solar Pool Heating
· Solar Energy Rejection Impact Windows
· Solar PV Systems
· Battery Storage Devices
· Wind Resistant Shingles
· Gable and Bracing
· Roof-to-wall Connections
· Storm Shutters or Opening Protection
PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT
Improvements financed for long term (can be based on life span of energy saving device) through annual property tax assessment
INSURANCE AND WARRANTIES
Insurance and warranty issues managed by us and tailored to improvements made on property
BIDDING AND INSTALLATIONS
Adherence to City of St. Petersburg standards for competitive bidding will ensure quality and value of improvements to be performed by licensed contractors, accredited and monitored by St. Petersburg PACE Forward professionals and completed within 90 days
PAYMENT VERIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION
Our professionals will verify payments and certifications; payments directly to contractor by Special District and monitored online
Finance, Administration and Education
We offer to facilitate the City of St. Petersburg's implementation and administration of a PACE program. Our specialized experience and relationships associated with the creation, funding and administration of special districts can help the City of St. Petersburg maximize owner participation and general public benefit.
These efforts will require and include increased public awareness, education and recommended habit modifications, beyond those already provided at federal, state and local levels. With our professional administrative assistance, our comprehensive global program will place the City of St. Petersburg in the forefront of municipalities enacting energy standards and storm mitigation for the benefit of property owners.
It is important to identify a global program, as other privatized programs have failed. These typically are fragmented, often led by a combination of utility companies and specialized vendors, without interest or awareness of global needs. We will create a comprehensive interactive website linked to other social media that will be the nexus for community education, program marketing, application processing and performance tracking. This will streamline program services, enhance consumer satisfaction and minimize the need for City resources.
· Applications will be available online
· Contractors and vendors can obtain information and begin the process to be approved providers
· Participants will be able to monitor their energy savings online
· Program performance standards will be carefully monitored as part of the ongoing quality assurance management by our professionals
· Additional customer support will be provided via the customer service hot line
Brian Lamb
Meritus Corp, Tampa, Florida
Marketing
People communicate and receive information in vastly different methods than ever in the past. To guarantee the success of this program, we must reach out in every possible manner. Our professionals will provide a comprehensive marketing plan to aid in public education and familiarization with the opportunity and benefits of the program, to include:
· creation of an interactive website to educate and involve the people, extensively utilizing cutting edge internet social media to spread the word about the program and encourage participation throughout the community
· continuously monitoring social media sources to expand communication and build program participation
· offering citizens contemporary, interconnected tools such as:
o an exclusive interactive web site, which not only advertises, but educates
o a Facebook Community linked to the website, to follow the progress of the program through communications of fans and friends
o use of Twitter communications linked to the website, for instantaneous transmission of information and alerts that will help build momentum for the program
o a location-based campaign involving homeowners and businesses through Foursquare, also linked to the website
· Development of online monitoring systems for energy-savings and contractor performance
· Use of more traditional methods of advertising to inform, educate and encourage new energy use habits, including:
o public service announcements on tv and radio
o dissemination of information through print media
o using Utility inserts
· Organization of a group campaign, involving canvassing efforts to promote public support
· Providing information experts who will be available at any public event during the initial campaign
· Solicitation of corporate and special interest support within the community
· Working with local contractors already doing business in St. Petersburg to alert and educate them about new income opportunities available to them through this program
· Development of a Pilot Program: 10 homes in the 8 Council districts, a total of 80 homes, allowing property owners through the entire city to participate equally in this initiative
Mario Farias, Farias & Lopez Consulting, St. Petersburg, Florida
Nick Hinckley, Realizing Media, St. Petersburg, Florida
Partnership With The City of St. Petersburg
As part of our program services, we will continue to solicit corporate relocations to St. Petersburg, as we have with Cool Sound, an innovative clean tech HVAC manufacturer. We will particularly focus on encouraging firms to consider the enterprise zone in Midtown, St. Petersburg, to take advantage of the incentives already in place. This will bring much needed employment to our City, with living wage green jobs in neighborhoods currently suffering from extremely high unemployment.
We propose to supply these firms with well trained and well prepared employees through partnership with programs such as Boley's "Pathways from Poverty" Green Training Program, St. Petersburg Dream Center's Ready to Work Program and others.
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As a separate proposal and an extension of community education, Village Green Global (VGG) proposes to train twenty high school students and four college students to audit eighty homes in eight St. Petersburg neighborhoods, organizing kids to lead their families in measuring and reducing environmental impact at home. They will utilize community seminars, engage families through social networking media, and coordinated with the City, Pinellas County, university and community experts.
The St. Petersburg Pace Forward program will help St. Petersburg be a leader in the drive for greater energy efficiency and green job creation.
Legislation
Florida Legislation Supporting PACE
Senate Bill SB 2322
House Bill HB 7179
Special District Ch. 189, F.S. (Independent District 1007, Dependent District 615)
Special Assessments
Non ad valorem Assessment Ch. 197, F.S.
Assessment and Taxation of Renewables
Permitting Process
Energy Financing District
Municipal Financing District
Energy Improvement District
Renewable Energy District
PACE .
NOT a tax
NOT linked to financial credit of city
NOT to financial credit of property owner
NOT a subsidy
NO fiscal impact on state or local government
NO impact on city bond rating
Voluntary
Program Benefits
· Debt tied to property, not borrower
· Longer repayment period
· Lower interest rates
· Easier than other loans
· Special District pays contractor
· Payment through special assessment via property tax bill
Paul Messerschmidt, Consultant
Who We Are
Financing and Administration
Brian K. Lamb
Chief Executive Officer, District Management Services, a Meritus Company
Mr. Lamb is President of Meritus Corporation, parent company of subsidiaries providing administrative and financial services. He has been instrumental in the establishment and operation of more than one hundred fifty Special Taxing Districts throughout Florida. The spectrum of financial services provided by his firms includes: tax exempt and taxable public financing, assessment methodologies, assessment roll administration, construction management and operations. He has extensive experience in the commercial banking, management and finance fields and frequently provides expert testimony on Benefit Methodologies.
Energy Consultant, Legislative Overview
Paul Messerschmidt
Private Consultant
Mr. Messerschmidt's background in the energy and financial sectors includes more than two decades in clean tech/green tech consulting, energy and finance research analysis, and legislative and regulatory activities. As a consultant to an international clientele, he has provided energy risk management, transactional-based commodity trading, management, sales and marketing services. Mr. Messerschmidt's specialties include: commodity and complex option trading, carbon hedge fund initiatives, regulatory and government affairs, energy procurement, project development, market design and is frequently called upon for public speaking engagements in these fields.
Marketing
Mario Farias
Chief Executive Officer, Farias & Lopez Consulting
Mr. Farias has more than twenty five years' experience in sales and marketing, and provides consulting services to firms interested in establishing a new market presence in the City of St. Petersburg, as well as coordinating projects for profit and not-for-profit groups. He was recently instrumental in planning and marketing an extensive multi-agency community improvement project, in conjunction with various partners including: City of St. Petersburg, The St. Petersburg Dream Center, Channel 13 Live and Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
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LETTERS OF INTENT
PACE Endorsers and Committed Partners
Alliance to Save Energy American Institute of Architects (AIA) Renewable Funding LLC
Americans for Clean Energy Apollo Alliance
Barclays Capital Bipartisan Policy Center
Boley Centers, Green Jobs Training Program California Energy Commission
Carbon War Room Center for American Progress
Center for Sustainable Energy Climate Communities
Clinton Global Initiative Cool Sound Industries, Inc.
District Management Services Environmental Defense Fund
Farias & Lopez Consulting Goldman Sachs
Grand Designs, Carol Smith, Allied A.S.I.D. Green Consulting Firm LLC
Haerther Consulting, LEED AP, BD+C Hannon Armstrong
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Intl Assoc of Heat & Frost Insulators & Allied Workers
International Brotherhood of Teamsters Intl Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT)
Jack D. Hidary Foundation Johnson Controls Inc.
Jonathan Rose Companies Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.
Laborers Intl Union of North America (LIUNA) Lime-Energy
Living Cities Masco Home Services
Meritus Corp Paul Messerschmidt, Consulting
Milken Institute Bill Muller, Consulting NAREIT
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) New Roots/Realize Media
Polyiso Insulation Manufacturers Assoc (PIMA) ProLogis
RBC Capital Markets Real Estate Roundtable
University of California, Berkeley Royal Bank of Canada
St. Petersburg Community of Neighborhood Assoc St. Petersburg Dream Center
SBS Community Solutions Serrafix Corp
Siemans Corp Sierra Club
Simon Properties Group Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)
Stewards for Affordable Housing for the Future Sun Coast Realtors Association
Sunstone Realty LLC Sustainable Buildings Industry Council
Tishman Speyer Trane
Vermont Energy Investment Corp Village Green Global
The Vote Solar Initiative Wells Fargo
Bettencourt Construction LLC
Government Entities Contributing to PACE Recommendations
Executive Office of the President Department of Agriculture
· Council of Economic Advisers Department of Commerce
· Domestic Policy Council Department of Education
· National Economic Council Department of Energy
· Office of Management and Budget Department of Housing and Urban Development
· Office of Public Engagement and Department of Labor
· Intergovernmental Affairs Department of Treasury
· Office of Science and Technology Policy Environmental Protection Agency
Office of the Vice President Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
· Council on Environmental Quality General Services Administration
· Middle Class Task Force Small Business Administration
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
