{"id":4013,"date":"2017-10-18T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-10-18T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gridalt.wpenginepowered.com\/the-current\/revisiting-insights-from-our-multifamily-conference-part-3-of-3\/"},"modified":"2026-09-03T12:04:27","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T16:04:27","slug":"revisiting-insights-from-our-multifamily-conference-part-3-of-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/live-grid-wp.pantheonsite.io\/es\/the-current\/revisiting-insights-from-our-multifamily-conference-part-3-of-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Revisiting Insights from Our Multifamily Conference: Part 3 of 3"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last month, GRID Alternatives Greater Los Angeles unveiled the Los Angeles Energy & Equity Policy Series (LEEPS) with our first symposium on multifamily solar. Here in a series of blog posts, we’re excited to share three important takeaways from our rich conversation on maximizing the benefits of solar to affordable housing tenants and the organizations that operate such housing. Revisit the older posts in this series here<\/a><\/em> or here<\/a><\/em>. Our study with UCLA’s Luskin Center for Innovation provides more data on multifamily solar potential in Los Angeles.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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Takeaway #3 from LEEPS: Without virtual net metering for over 1.6 million multifamily customers in the City of Los Angeles, a significant barrier to energy equity remains in place.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Background: <\/em>GRID Alternatives Greater Los Angeles was proud to host some of the City of Los Angeles\u2019 most prominent policy makers, including keynotes from Lauren Faber (Chief Sustainability Officer, City of Los Angeles) and Nancy Sutley (Los Angeles Department of Water and Power). Speakers and attendees took note of how much potential there is in the City of Los Angeles to encourage energy equity through the development of solar on affordable housing (specifically: 43 MW of rebate-eligible rooftop solar potential on the City\u2019s affordable housing). Solar on affordable housing aligns perfectly with recent commitments from the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to prioritize equity in a rapidly changing energy landscape.<\/p>\n

Yet, for both public institutions, there remains a disconnect between intention and ability to follow through on the commitment, as current utility policy stands in direct conflict with energy equity. More specifically, LADWP<\/a> \u2013 the largest municipal utility in the country \u2013 does not provide virtual net energy metering (VNEM) or a mechanism for the more than 1.4 million LADWP multifamily customers (46% of customer base) to access solar.<\/p>\n

Key Ideas:<\/em><\/p>\n

The absence of virtual net metering creates two adverse policy outcomes for the City of Los Angeles:<\/p>\n