residents and businesses associated with power. go solar s.f. energy efficiency and street lights. most of the capital funds that you see on the slide as a cost, the essential capital costs of 44.7 million is really funding up-country needs to keep the generators operating, to keep the system providing reliable greenhouse gas-free power. and with that i'll go ahead and sit down and take notes on the good comments i'm sure we'll hear from residents. thank you very much for your time. >> appreciate your comments. one just finally guess observation. i understand that there are many competing needs on your services. >> yes. >> i would suggest that this is a program that while low in dollar amounts has generated an enormous amount of community support for all reasons that we talked about today. street lights might be in that category as well. but if you look at all the different needs, i sub petctiontion this has from what

the public understands of what you're able to provide, we've all seen the benefits of this and hopefully we can think about that as we consider our budget priorities. ~ suspect and with that i know supervisor tang has a few questions. >> great. i just wanted to follow-up again about the california solar initiative. i do want to know -- and i think it's great puc is really working on trying to identify additional revenue sources and all that, but it does seem like from a customer standpoint or a -- that rebate program is really a huge incentive. and, so, what are [speaker not understood] that puc is working on to connect with some of the folks who are responsible for that program to say, well, you know, maybe we should continue this, bring it back up, just kind of want to know what the future of a rebate program might look like. >> so, we are active participants at the california public utilities commission and we do regularly monitor legislation in sacramento and at the federal level that affect energy issues.

with state of california, when it adopted the california solar initiative program through the california public utilities commission -- implemented through the california public utilities commission, identified that the program would diminish over time, recognizing that the expectation is solar will become cost-effective. and you won't need to get to enrich it in order to have people participate in the program. and they identified penetration levels that would be indicators for them as regulators of pg&e, that it was time to close the program. [speaker not understood] so, state policy directives that were adopted sometime ago is what has caused the closure of the program. you know, the attention of the legislature on energy issues is typically pretty strong. we can revisit with our california delegation any interest and in looking at new

legislation, maybe centered on higher cost urban centers for solar program. but at this point the california regulators have limited incentive programs to multi-family and low-income households. so, though are the only program areas or types of, of businesses and residents that can get a rebate through the california programs. >> thank you. >> thank you. supervisor, i just also want to mention that the state programs, i know, have been looking closely at what we're doing here in san francisco. [speaker not understood] i think if we're willing to consider investing in this, how other jurisdictionses and cities around the state might want to look at this as well. i know that is a concern to folks, the environmental world the community as well as the industry. >> okay, thank you. >> two other folks i'd like to just quickly acknowledge. jason freed is here from lafco.

i know he has a very brief presentation about some ideas and some funding sources. like to ask you to make a couple remarks on that. >> sure. jason freed, lafco staff. you were asking for other potential revenue sources that could be a permanent source for funding this. the first thing that comes to my mind is the community choice segregation program in the city called clean power sf i know the board is interested in. one of the things that could be done is [speaker not understood] customer rates could go towards funding a go solar s.f. program which would give you permanent funding to for that. the problem we have is the puc ha decided it doesn't wish to work towards that program. you lost that issue but that is a potential revenue stream that could be utilized that supervisor breed stepped out for a minute. on lafco, she has asked that the lafco commission put together an rfp which we have done and are in the scoring process to look at how we do a build out plan and go solar

s.f. funding is what we look at is that a reasonable option for us to use for future can cca program in the city and the other thing that is separate from that, but still goes into it, the budget [speaker not understood] problem the puc is having are real and true, but one of the things cca program could do is help alleviate some of the budget deficits instead of it going out of the puc to do all of the work that needs to be done with like a shell contractor, third-party provider, bringing the work in-house for what they already do for their own municipal load could bring in operational costs the cca program pays for which could help alleviate some of that budget deficit you're looking at. those are two potential streams of revenue [speaker not understood]. >> thank you. we have [speaker not understood] here. the community is looking at the larger context for renewable energy. do you have any additional comments you want to make? i know you're also here to answer any questions we have.

i want to acknowledge you and thank you for the work your department is doing in this area. >> thank you, supervisor, for the chance to make some remarks. the department is very supportive of puc's efforts. we're terrific to see that map of how jobs have been created around the city. it's the right distribution that we'd like to see. we're very excited about any possibility that could bring more money streams to promoting solar and we will continue to support it through our regulatory work efforts to improve the market in san francisco to keep permitting costs down and systems streamlined and to market the program as we market energy efficiency around the city to residents and businesses. >> great, thank you. i want to just thank you for the work you're doing in developing a new green work force power program that i understand is going to be launched later this summer around clean energy financing and in my mind i think this is

very much related and intertwined with that. and then i'll also mention there has been some discussion about whether we could use property tax [speaker not understood] and use that as a way to potentially finance, another conversation we can have with the puc and the department of environment to move this forward. >> sure. i think you're referring to property assessed clean energy financing that we should be launching and releasing an rfp through the office of public finance sometime in the next few days actually. >> great. thank you. i appreciate the city staff and your work and thinking on this. we have a lot more work to do. because there are many members of the public that are here, i'd like to move, if we can, madam chairwoman, to public comment. i did hear a small child somewhere, and if the parent of that small child would like to testify earlier, like to invite them up. but i have at this time only three speaker cards i'd like to name. dr. espinola jackson, [speaker not understood], and john rizzo. if there are other members of the public that wish to speak, feel free to either submit cards or line up after those

individuals. and ms. jackson, why don't we hear from you first. it's doctor. >> dr. jackson. [laughter] that's right. >> hello, dr. jackson. good morning. listening to some of the statements that was being made, i think one of the things that i heard was an audit. i think an audit needs to be done. you know, and i heard about [speaker not understood]. i've been watching and seeing discussions about the general fund. i'd like an audit of the general funds. also, as you know, 2008 when this came about, i was one of the first to receive solar on my home. and when you look on page 12, i think it is, you can see 94 1

24, how many people have received [speaker not understood], that's because i made sure that those of us ~ that are seniors, low-income would receive this. in fact, i am [speaker not understood] by one of the commissioners as -- what am i? ~ i am coined by i'm supposed to be something. ambassador. [laughter] [speaker not understood] for solar. you know, i have a concern about the sewage tax. the fact that we received all of the sewer coming into zip code 94 1 24, and funds are supposed to have been set aside for the community and our work force [speaker not understood]. the mayor's office of housing, hope, eoc, mocd, work force,

city build, i ask for you to look into those programs because of the fact those programs started and the city is receiving grants today from 1992 when this program started in bayview hunters point [speaker not understood] residents of public housing. and i know i'll be talking with you later on about that. y'all have a blessed day. >> thank you, doctor. next speaker. good morning, supervisors. i'm gill hernandez. i'm speaking on behalf of laborer union local 62 1 [speaker not understood]. we have a [speaker not understood] for the past several years. it's hard not to note that every year our articles and news stories about all the backlash when sfpuc proposes to cut this program. we wanted to come out today with some of our members because over the past year the laborers have expended their solar training in the community

and become partners with installers to perform work on the go solar s.f. we have come to believe in go solar s.f. and firmly support go solar s.f. our members are now getting jobs through go solar s.f. and they are excited about working while also helping to do good for the environment. we do not want to see go solar s.f. suffer. we want it to see it continue to be successful and promote similar programs here in the bay area and across california. thank you, supervisor chiu, for your leadership in calling this hearing. thank you for 5,000 members of local 261, we strongly support go solar s.f. thank you. >> thank you very much. and want to thank your members for being here. supervisors, i'm john rizzo with the sierra club. i want to thank chair breed for agendizing this and supervisor

chiu for bringing this to the -- to light, to the public attention. this is an important program. every week practically we read a new article about scientists saying that global warming and climate change is worse than we thought it was. this is the, this is the chance of our times. the city of san francisco likes to think of itself as a leader in fighting this, but that is actually not the fact. the city has been giving lip service to climate change, but it is not putting the money where its mouth is. it is gutting and canceling all the programs that would be used to achieve goals in climate reductions. it has put green power s.f. on a definite hold. it is gutting go solar s.f. year after year.

gavin newsom's clean fleet initiative, most of the city cars have opted out of the program. and, you know, it's time for the city to step up. the sierra club, you know, we think it's our business to say where the money should come from, which department, but we do believe the city does need to step up and fully fund this program at $5 million. but $2 million level is not sustainable for the program. you can't keep -- you'll hear from workers and providers about the hiring and firing cycle that this causes. you can't have a steady program of hiring and building. we're seeing declining solar installations through this program because of the constant cuts. my last thing is mayor ed lee promised a year ago that this would be fully funded and he should live up to his promise. thank you. >> thank you. next speaker.

good morning, how are you doing >>ed my name is chris, chris willis and i'm the proud program manager of [speaker not understood] employment training center. can i have -- if you're ready for a solar job, can you stand up for me, please? >> [speaker not understood]. thank you. sfgov-tv, if you could. thank you. ~ >> a [speaker not understood] goal is to he reduce proofer is, revitalize neighborhood, [speaker not understood] ~ for low-income residents. these solar jobs represent not just a job. we service folks who are coming out of recovery, homeless, former foster youth, come out of prisons, come out of jails. [speaker not understood]. they come to our program for

the training and support and case management and the goal of receiving one of these solar positions. these jobs right now transform our trainee's live. i want to bring attention to that point. [speaker not understood]. we're just here to express the importance of this program. it really, it really gives low-income san francisco residents an opportunity to really transform their lives and the lives of their families. and [speaker not understood] myself, one of our trainees wants to give a little importance of this go solar program. thank you so much. >> thank you. next speaker, please. good morning. my name is nancy kaufman. i am the [speaker not understood] of eight children. i have experienced hardship. in february of 2013, my 13 year old son and two-year old

daughter were struck by a vehicle. we were forced to [speaker not understood] my business and to provide care for my children and it has been a difficult road ahead of us. we are currently homeless. we have no means to financially sustainability from the family. the [speaker not understood] design program i have found hope and i am currently in the 13-week training program that provide solar training and my goal is to become employed in the solar field and provide a rewarding -- provide a future for my family through the program. it is very important to me to be here today to be a part of the program because i believe in reducing the environmental impact of our world. i also want to provide -- i

want to foster awareness of my children of taking care of our planet. i think solar jobs are important because it will provide -- create more jobs for future generations. thank you. (applause) >> thank you. next speaker. good morning, supervisors. my name is kelly pierson and i'm with sun gravity. we are a solar provider located over in oakland. the company was founded in 2007, and we have actually worked with the go solar san francisco program since the beginning. we feel like the program fits in line with our company vision of solar for universal need or sun. and obviously as we heard today the program has been a great success. san francisco has more than quadrupled its number of four roofs. that san francisco, from last to first among bay area counties among solar installations. to participate in the program,

[speaker not understood] with local san francisco based companies who hire from some of the green job training programs through participants we've seen and heard here today, to complete our installations and this has a transformative impact for the community. so, obviously despite the tremendous popularity of this program, budget cuts and budget uncertainty have definitely had a negative impact on operationses. when programs and funding shut down, these crew are directly impacted in a negative way. so, as san francisco work it meet its renewable energy goal and continue the sustained program or the success of go forward s.f., we're here to advocate for a london-term transparent funding solution. again, going forward we highly recommend increased transparency for the installation community and live updates that are available through installers to plan and hire crews accordingly. lastly on the topic of e.

signatures, we find this does tie into the velocity goal and customer satisfaction, and this is something that pg&e was able to implement ~ last april for their solar programs as well. thank you very much. >> thank you. next speaker, please. good morning, supervisors. my name is john cochran. i'm the green building instructor and solar installation trainer for asian neighborhood design employment training center ~. and i want to thank you for your support of go solar s.f. it's a foundation for our success in placing our trainees in green collar jobs and careers. and i want to leave aside the environmental and social justice aspect of what this program means and speak only to the budgetary concerns because that seems to be the focus of this meeting.

and ask that -- well, first i'd like to second the motion to audit the general fund and ask that attention be brought in particular to the effect that continued cuts to the go solar s.f. program would have on general funds tax dollars spent on the jail programs and social services, because without these opportunities more of our demographic who is the reentry demographic and economically disadvantaged san franciscans will be requiring those services. and that's going to cost the city. thank you. >> thank you. next speaker, please. is thank you, supervisors. my name is sarah [speaker not understood] and i'm here representing sun run. sun run is a company funded in 2007. we're based right here on market street. we employ over 300 people right

here in the city and support 4,000 jobs across the country. we have built over 20,000 system in california generating over 200,000 megawatt hours of clean energy each year. so, obviously we have a large stake in the california solar market. and we have heard a lot of arguments today in -- about what this program does for the city of san francisco and i'm going to kind of speak a little bit more about what it does for california as well. san francisco is really the hub of clean energy, clean tech, and solar policy. and it is important for the rest of the state that we remain that hub and we are a model for solar policy throughout the state. this program has really been truly remarkable. it's facilitated the growth of solar in all customer classes as well as fostering job training work force program we've heard about. it is important we remain the hub to be a model for the state so that the rest of the state

can continue to foster these important jobs and this important development. >> thank you. thank you. next speaker. hi, good morning. my name is jeannine carter and i'm a resident in katy tang's district, supervisor katy tang's district. we've done work in all of your districts. i am the primary owner of lumina, which is san francisco's only woman owned certified solar installation company. we have been a huge supporter of go solar s.f., hiring folks from when we had our small little office on 4,000 irving which is three blocks from my home to now 13 20* potrero. we have hired a number of asian neighborhood design students. we support the program. when we invest in the training of individuals, when the young

men and women who are here today invest in themselves in a 14-week training program where they show up every day and work really hard, we should have opportunities for them when they graduate. the opportunity is created when installations are going in, and that requires budgetary certainty and that requires the commitment by the city to enable us to be able to offer opportunities and jobs for folks. i have commitments to people that we already employ. we employ 23 people in san francisco, 23 families live off the revenue that lumina generates. less of that revenue has been coming from san francisco over time as the result of the funding constraint and sort of the lack of clarity of go solar s.f. i really am appreciative of the supervisor chiu for calling it and supervisor breed for

holding the hearing so that we can talk about how do we get funding to enable this program to continue. to your questions about csi and the california solar mission -- may i have a couple more minutes -- seconds? >> why don't we ask you a question. could you answer supervisor tang's question around csi? yes. california's solar initiative had been -- had the desire to drive down the cost of solar. it did not have a work force development component and it had a 10% low-income component. when go solar s.f. was started, go solar s.f. -- and if you see the chart, if you refer back to the chart that amy hale showed about how the money has been sent and how we've driven solar in san francisco, we've really driven solar in terms of job creation and in terms of

low-income installations and in terms of nonprofit installations. the state of california has looked back and has said, wait a minute, we actually didn't address those issues very well when we first started the program. let's look at how we can start to create more low-income installations, how we can start to create jobs. and, so, recently legislation was passed in sacramento to actually do what go solar s.f. has been doing successfully since 2008. >> thank you very much. thank you. >> thank you. next speaker, please. good morning, supervisors. eddie on with bright line defense project. as we see there has been broad support forgo solar s.f. by environmentalists, labor, contractors. the value is undisputed and the sfpuc staff is [speaker not understood], the jobs value. we've seen hundreds of jobs

generated on go solar sf. dozens of economically disadvantaged residents. it is important to make this point once again, but if amd earlier pointed out the community support for this payment, if question could also show who in the labor organization support go solar s.f. and, so, we've seen that there is tremendous economic value, not only in the jobs created from this program, but wages spent by the workers -- thank you -- by the workers who generate wages from the program, but also the smart nuance questions offered by supervisor tang about california solar initiative and how has that program's funding goes dry, that means go solar s.f. more important than ever. which is why there is now a petition to ask for full funding of go solar s.f. [speaker not understood]. change.org petition. and that also indicates as to why earlier questions of why an audit could be appropriate to

figure out where the funds are going and how to restore full funding for [speaker not understood] repeatedly cut despite this important value. so, thank you to supervisor chiu for calling this hearing and we also want to recognize that the s.f.puc has [speaker not understood] to juggle. the advocacy for this program is unrelenting is that go solar s.f. is absolutely important budgetary priority we must protect year to year. thank you. >> thank you. next speaker, please. hello, supervisors. nicholas [speaker not understood], the founder of leadership for a clean economy. i just also want to speak in support. you won't be surprised of the go solar program. it's been a tremendous success so far. but the funding uncertainty going forward is a bit like a bus going from downtown out to the ocean getting to the castro. we're all thinking we've done a great job so far then all of a sudden it dumps everybody on the side of the street. for people to be able to plan

properly whether it's homeowners who want to go through the process of applying and getting solar on their homes, whether it's businesses, we want to build out their capacities to meet those homeowner demand. whether it's even laborers who want to get the training that they're going to need to become productive members of the solar economy, we need that long-term certainty and we need that certainty that go solar is going to be fully funded. and, so, i'd strongly urge you all to put in place that certainty at the fully funding level. thank you. >> thank you. come on up. if there is anyone else who wishes to speak, can you line up to my left? thank you. good morning, my name is javier flores. i'm with the labor local [speaker not understood] vice president local 261. and thank you for supporting thea programs. i just want to make sure my coworker earlier spoke about, that we do certainly support

community groups and we do commit to work with [speaker not understood]. thanks for your support, supporting this project and working together. that's a good feeling. and thank you for that. ~ these >> thank you. are there any other members of the public who wish to speak at this time? seeing none, public comment is closed. [gavel] >> president chiu? >> so, first of all i want to take a moment and thank all the members of the public that came out for this. and, colleagues, i appreciate your patience with this hearing. as you probably know, i don't call for as many hearings as other colleagues, but i thought this was important because -- i'm not referring to anyone here on this committee. i thought this was important because either we talk about this now and start this conversation now, or if it turns out in a month or two that the $2 million level as was proposed we'retion ~ we're going to have a long hearing at that point. [speaker not understood].

one thing i'd like to request of the various city departments that are here, hopefully by the s.f.puc working with the department of environment, working with lafco, working with others, is if you could propose to us how we could get up to the full funding level of that i think everyone here wants. i hope that is something that can be done with the sfpuc budget, but obviously happy to consider other opportunities that might be out there. i also would like to ask from the sfpuc you heard a number of suggestions around this program and if we can get some resolution and clarity over that, i think that would be very helpful. i also just want to note that this is an issue that has brought together really a wide coalition of folks from environmentalists to industry, to workers from many different communities, from the bayview to asian neighborhood design and others, from my perspective, i think when a program like this for the low