How does the HEEHRA rebates program serve renters?
Has a new electric appliance or heating and cooling system been installed in the home you rent? Was it funded by a HEEHRA rebate? How will this upgrade benefit you? How will you be protected from rent increases due to the improvement?
The California Energy Commission (CEC) through TECH Clean California – a statewide residential incentive initiative – is providing rebates for energy improvements in homes, including multifamily residences. The new appliances and equipment funded by rebates available through the state’s Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEEHRA) Program are designed to make your home more comfortable, energy-efficient, and healthier by upgrading outdated appliances, equipment, and electrical systems in homes. The program also includes strong renter protections—ensuring that you won’t face eviction, rent hikes, or other harmful actions as a result of these upgrades. Read more about the benefits and renter protections, below.
The HEEHRA rebates program reduces the cost of new, energy-efficient home appliance and equipment upgrades. Owners and operators of multifamily properties with income-eligible tenants may qualify for the HEEHRA rebates. Only TECH Clean California-certified contractors who are trained in the HEEHRA rebates are allowed to install HEEHRA-funded projects. This requirement ensures that all the contractors are properly licensed and insured.
Benefits for Renters
The HEEHRA rebate-funded appliance and equipment upgrades can improve your home’s efficiency, comfort and indoor air quality. Nearly all installations financed by the program must be ENERGY STAR® certified, meaning that the new installations are among the most energy-efficient options available on the market. These upgrades can also improve your home’s comfort by making it easier to control indoor air temperature. The new heat pump HVAC systems, for example, can help keep apartments cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than gas-powered alternatives and less energy-efficient air conditioners and heaters. The program also funds smart thermostats as part of the installation of a heat pump for space heating and cooling, which helps Californians control their energy usage by heating a home when energy prices are lower.
Moreover, the replacement of older, gas-powered appliances with electric upgrades can improve indoor air quality. Gas appliances can release harmful pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, formaldehyde, and tiny particles that can get into the lungs (also known as particulate matter, or PM2.5). By using electric rather than gas appliances, tenants can make their home’s air quality cleaner.
Energy Bill Impacts
The installation of the new appliances and equipment will impact energy usage and utility bills, and renters could see an increase in their bills. For example, tenants who did not previously have air conditioning but now have a heat pump that provides heating and air conditioning may have a higher electric bill over the year if they are now using additional energy to cool their home. To ensure this is clear to HEEHRA Program participants, contractors must show Energy Guide stickers that come with the ENERGY STAR® product to the property owner to ensure they understand potential utility bill impacts. If the Energy Guide sticker is not available, then the contractor must share the estimated utility bill impacts with the tenants in another way. Please contact your property owner for access to these estimates.
Your utility company may offer a demand response program to lower your energy bill. Customers receive bill credits or reduced cost categories by using less energy overall or not using as much during high demand periods of 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 pm and when renewable energy sources like solar power are not available.
If you need help paying your energy bill, there are several financial assistance programs available. Several utilities in California offer the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program and the Family Electric Rate Assistance Program (FERA) – both of which lower utility bills for income-eligible customers. Check the California Public Utilities Commission’s website for more information on CARE and FERA. Check with your utility provider to see if they provide a utility bill assistance program and what the program’s qualifications are.
Tenant Protections
If the property you are renting has received HEEHRA rebates, your rent cannot increase, and you cannot be evicted due to this new equipment or activity for two years after installation. Rent may only increase if there is an increase in property taxes and/or specified operating expenses and maintenance costs. If the building is sold within two years of receiving the rebates, the new owner(s) cannot raise your rent due to the rebated improvements. The HEEHRA Program includes penalties for property owners who do not comply with these restrictions.
If you live in a building that received a HEEHRA rebate and you believe the rules for tenant protections were broken, please contact tech.info@enery-solution.com.
Personal Data and Privacy Protections
Your personal data is protected by the HEEHRA Program and will remain confidential. Home energy and equipment contractors can only use your information to assist the building owner in applying for the rebates and complete the upgrade. They cannot use or sell it for other purposes. Contractors should not ask you for any financial information. The only place you should provide financial information is through secure income verification portals as described on the official program page, under Step 1.
California’s HEEHRA Program has measures in place to protect consumers and hold harmful actors accountable if program rules are broken. If you think that the contractor serving your home has experienced a data breach, the contractor must follow federal and state laws. In addition, the contractor must notify TECH Clean California and the CEC, so both can take appropriate measures. If you live in a building that received HEEHRA rebates and you believe your contractor asked for financial information or violated your privacy and data protections, please contact tech.info@enery-solution.com.
If you would like to learn more about HEEHRA rebates and better understand customer protection measures, please review the Multifamily property owners Terms and Conditions for HEEHRA here, and the Trade Professional Participation Agreement here.
The HEEHRA Program available through TECH Clean California is committed to making your home more comfortable and healthier, and to protecting renters served through the new installations.
If you have questions about the HEEHRA Program, please reach out to TECH.info@energy-solution.com.