MARFA — At last Wednesday’s meeting, the Presidio County Commissioners Court voted to start a program in coordination with the Texas PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) program, which brings counties and private lenders together to help home and business owners finance improvements that will help make their properties more eco-friendly and –– in the long run, less expensive to maintain.
The program targets upgrades that will reduce water and energy consumption, with a wide variety of applications ranging from new roofs and windows to solar panels and rainwater collection systems. The program works by connecting property owners with third-party lenders to offer a low-risk loan bolstered by a property lien enforced by the local taxing entity with a PACE agreement.
Anyone in a city or county with a PACE agreement can apply, ranging from multi-million dollar investments in big city hotels to lower-income homeowners who want to save on their energy bills. It’s pitched as a win-win, helping people reign in their utility costs while reducing strain on the state’s energy grid and drought-sapped water supply. “People don’t have money to waste, and we don’t have energy to waste,” said Charlene Heydinger, president of the nonprofit Texas PACE Authority.
Heydinger explained that equipment for clean-energy systems can be very expensive up front, and traditional lenders — like local banks — might not be willing to foot the bill. As a result, many buildings are built to the minimum standards required by code, even though these buildings cost more in upkeep and utilities in the long term. Loan agreements drawn up through the PACE program are spread out over a longer period of time and are designed to pay for themselves by the time the last payment rolls around.
Presidio County approves program to help finance clean energy improvements
By SAM KARAS
MARFA — At last Wednesday’s meeting, the Presidio County Commissioners Court voted to start a program in coordination with the Texas PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) program, which brings counties and private lenders together to help home and business owners finance improvements that will help make their properties more eco-friendly and –– in the long run, less expensive to maintain.
The program targets upgrades that will reduce water and energy consumption, with a wide variety of applications ranging from new roofs and windows to solar panels and rainwater collection systems. The program works by connecting property owners with third-party lenders to offer a low-risk loan bolstered by a property lien enforced by the local taxing entity with a PACE agreement.
Anyone in a city or county with a PACE agreement can apply, ranging from multi-million dollar investments in big city hotels to lower-income homeowners who want to save on their energy bills. It’s pitched as a win-win, helping people reign in their utility costs while reducing strain on the state’s energy grid and drought-sapped water supply. “People don’t have money to waste, and we don’t have energy to waste,” said Charlene Heydinger, president of the nonprofit Texas PACE Authority.
Heydinger explained that equipment for clean-energy systems can be very expensive up front, and traditional lenders — like local banks — might not be willing to foot the bill. As a result, many buildings are built to the minimum standards required by code, even though these buildings cost more in upkeep and utilities in the long term. Loan agreements drawn up through the PACE program are spread out over a longer period of time and are designed to pay for themselves by the time the last payment rolls around.
During Wednesday’s hearing on the issue, local officials raised a few concerns about legal liability and extra legwork on behalf of the county. Heydinger said folks often worry the program will create bureaucracy and end up costing counties and cities money — but in practice, PACE loans are very hands off and can benefit local governments immensely. “What local governments get are better built buildings, better renovated buildings and empty buildings back on tax rolls,” she said.
Around 73% of Texans live in areas with local PACE agreements, mostly in urban areas. Counties in the greater Big Bend region are ahead of the curve among rural jurisdictions — Presidio County just joined Brewster, Jeff Davis, Reeves and Pecos counties to be among the relatively few isolated areas to jump on the opportunity.
RioCOG local governments manager Peggy O’Brien said Jeff Davis County already boasts a successful PACE-funded program at Alta Frontera — just under $3.5 million for water-saving plumbing and an energy-efficient HVAC system.
O’Brien said that the program would benefit local tradespeople as well as property owners, providing jobs for contractors, electricians and more. “It’s challenging out here — and challenging all around — to get financing for things,” she said. “I’m so glad there’s thinking like this.” For more information on PACE, visit https://www.texaspaceauthority.org/.
Around 73% of Texans live in areas with local PACE agreements, but those figures are concentrated in urban areas. Counties in the greater Big Bend region are ahead of the curve among rural jurisdictions — Presidio County just joined Brewster, Jeff Davis, Reeves and Pecos counties to be among the relatively few isolated areas to jump on the opportunity.
RioCOG local governments manager Peggy O’Brien noted that Jeff Davis County already boasts a successful PACE-funded program at Alta Frontera — just under $3.5 million for water-saving plumbing and an energy-efficient HVAC system.
O’Brien said that the program would benefit local tradespeople as well as property owners, providing jobs for contractors, electricians and more. “It’s challenging out here — and challenging all around — to get financing for things,” she said. “I’m so glad there’s thinking like this.”
For more information on PACE, visit https://www.texaspaceauthority.org/.
