Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) partners withPeople Assisting The Homeless (PATH) and LA Family Housing (LAFH) in a continuous effort to support Project Homekey, a statewide effort between Los Angeles County and the State of California to relocate unhoused individuals into permanent housing. The utility has provided over $300,000 in assistance towards energy efficiency programs and equipment installation in over 650 Project Homekey units. SoCalGas has been a proud supporter of Project Homekey since its inception in 2020 with active projects at 11 Project Homekey properties.
"Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Los Angeles County has taken many actions to reduce and prevent the spread of the virus among people experiencing homelessness, including rapidly standing up long-term, permanent housing opportunities at hotels and motels through Project Homekey," said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis, supervisor to the First District. "The program is a crucial development and turning point for Angelenos where we can help offer long-term housing for those experiencing homelessness. I am thankful to join forces with SoCalGas and other partners to provide a beacon of hope for our most vulnerable."
Project Homekey is administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, and the state has allocated $2.75 billion in federal funds towards this initiative for the next two years. Funding is available to local public organizations within California to purchase and rehabilitate housing, including hotels, motels, and vacant buildings and convert them into long-term housing in an effort to support Californians impacted by COVID-19 and experiencing homelessness.
Since 2020, SoCalGas has installed low-flow showerheads and aerators as part of the Energy Savings Assistance (ESA) program within four Homekey sites totaling 164 units. The ESA program helps customers save energy and decrease water usage, translating to significant savings on utility bills. Currently, six Project Homekey sites are scheduled for a central water heating system replacement via SoCalGas' ESA Multi-Family Common Area Measures (CAM) program. Additionally, ten properties owned by LAFH, National Core, PATH and The People Concern are enrolled in the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program, helping customers save 20 percent on their monthly gas bills with combined savings of over $15,000 per year. With the implementation of Project Homekey, energy efficient tools and strategies can significantly reduce the amount of energy used and lower natural gas bills within Homekey properties.
"Project Homekey is a tremendous opportunity to house additional individuals experiencing homelessness throughout Los Angeles. Our approach is to promote energy efficient upgrades within these units that lower energy usage and help to keep utility bills affordable," said Gillian Wright, senior vice president and chief customer officer at SoCalGas, and chair of the board for LA Family Housing. "SoCalGas is enthusiastic about this opportunity to address issues within our communities and assist with providing stable housing and much needed relief for people experiencing homelessness."
"With incredible support from SoCalGas and the City of Los Angeles, we've been able to greatly expand available interim and permanent housing in our communities through Project Homekey, the fastest, largest, and most cost-effective method for creating new permanent homes in state history," said Stephanie Klasky-Gamer, president and CEO at LA Family Housing. "LA Family Housing is proud to operate four Project Homekey properties in LA County, which provide hundreds of interim and permanent homes for medically frail and older adults experiencing homelessness and connect them with supportive services that best meet their needs."
"Project Homekey has allowed PATH and our partners to provide more supportive housing units than ever before. Thanks to our valued utility partners at SoCalGas and the leadership they have displayed, our residents have made it home. SoCalGas acted quickly in delivering equipment upgrades and rate discounts that have helped us lower our operating costs and improve our resident experience. Importantly, the money saved on our reduced energy costs will enable us to drive the savings into the supportive services our residents need," said Jennifer Hark Dietz, PATH Executive Director.
SoCalGas' energy efficiency programs have offered consistent energy savings and have been an industry leader for over a decade, conserving over 40 million therms and helping customers save $44 million on their utility bills in 2020. Energy efficiency is one of the most cost-effective tools in lowering greenhouse gas emissions and supports net zero emissions target that includes scopes 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions. SoCalGas' Aspire 2045 strategy aligns with the recommendations of the Paris Climate Agreement and reflects the company's focus on supporting California with a resilient gas grid through the energy transition to support a carbon neutral economy.
About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million consumers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California. Gas delivered through the company's pipelines will continue to play a key role in California's clean energy transition providing electric grid reliability and supporting wind and solar energy deployment.
SoCalGas' mission is to build the cleanest, safest and most innovative energy company in America. In support of that mission, SoCalGas is committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by 2045 and to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply to core customers with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills, and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for customers. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.
About LA Family Housing
The mission of LA Family Housing (LAFH) is to help people transition out of homelessness and poverty through a continuum of housing enriched with supportive services. LAFH is one of the largest homeless service providers and real estate developers in Los Angeles, operating 30 properties of interim, affordable, and supportive housing across the County. The agency helps 11,000 low-income children, parents, and single adults transition out of homelessness annually.
About PATH
Founded in 1984, PATH is committed to ending homelessness for individuals, families, and communities in California. We do this by building affordable supportive housing and providing homeless services in more than 150 cities across the state. Our services support nearly 20 percent of the state's population experiencing homelessness. Since 2013, PATH has helped more than 13,000 people move into permanent homes. More information at www.epath.org
