LAHD, Enterprise Launch the Los Angeles Affordable Multifamily Energy Retrofit Program

LOS ANGELES, April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD), Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. (Enterprise) and Little Tokyo Service Center, Inc. today launched the Los Angeles Multifamily Retrofit Pilot Program at Casa Heiwa Apartments. This pilot program provides energy retrofits to Casa Heiwa and 14 other affordable apartment buildings located throughout the city. Totaling more than 1,000 apartments, the retrofits will effectively improve energy efficiency in the buildings by a minimum of 20 percent. Owned and operated by Little Tokyo Service Center, Casa Heiwa is the first property in the program to undergo the retrofit upgrades.

"Through these measures we are helping Los Angeles' affordable multifamily property owners and residents reduce their reliance on energy and increase utility savings for the betterment of all involved," said Doug Guthrie, General Manager, Los Angeles Housing Department. "By creating and rehabilitating low-income housing with energy efficient measures, we are working to ensure long-term sustainability for LA residents."

The City of Los Angeles received $34 million from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. EECBG was designed to help fund reductions in energy usage and improve energy efficiency in cities and municipalities throughout the country. An allocation of $4.7 million was specifically targeted from Los Angeles' EECBG for affordable housing retrofit activities. In order to ensure the properties would be ready to receive the EECBG retrofit funding, Enterprise provided $150,000 to conduct 13 energy audits based on the Enterprise Green Retrofit Audit Protocol.

"Enterprise has made a national call-to-action to help green all affordable housing by 2020. A cornerstone of that commitment is rooted in our Multifamily Retrofit Pilot Program," said Jeff Schaffer, Vice President and Southern California Market Leader, Enterprise. "By implementing these retrofits in Los Angeles, we are able to assist owners of affordable multifamily buildings and low-income residents with quality of life enhancements and utility cost savings."

Construction at Casa Heiwa is scheduled to start later this month with other properties in the program soon to follow.  Retrofit upgrades may vary depending on the site, but will include high efficiency heat pumps, solar hot water heating pumps, ENERGY STAR appliances, solar water heating, roof replacement, window replacement and more.  The upgrades are expected to be fully completed by the end of June 2011. It is estimated that 34 full-time green jobs will be created through this pilot program.

Enterprise has a $700 million commitment to the City of Los Angeles to support the Mayor's "Housing that Works" Plan.

Enterprise is a leading provider of the development capital and expertise it takes to create decent, affordable homes and rebuild communities. For nearly 30 years, Enterprise has introduced neighborhood solutions through public-private partnerships with financial institutions, governments, community organizations and others that share our vision. Enterprise has raised and invested $11 billion in equity, grants and loans to help build or preserve more than 280,000 affordable rental and for-sale homes to create vital communities. Visit www.enterprisecommunity.org and www.enterprisecommunity.com to learn more about Enterprise's efforts to build communities and opportunity.

SOURCE Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.