SJ Staff's consideration of mandated citywide electrification plan criticized for lame, partisan public outreach
Local social media was abuzz last week after D6 Councilwoman Dev Davis alerted the community to an upcoming plan from SJ's Environmental Services Department that considers forcing homeowners and businesses to switch from gas to electric appliances. Sandra Devlin, co-founder and board member of the grass-roots Families and Homes group, alerted City Manager Jennifer Maguire in a March 4, 2022 letter to the deeply flawed citizen outreach regarding the plan. In an edited excerpt from her letter, below, Devlin notes that the city has contacted numerous progressive social justice non profits for their input, but essentially ignored homeowners who may bear the brunt of the cost.
Lack of Diverse and Complete Resident Input
The table below documents the organizations that participated in the development of the plan. These organizations included affordable housing non-profits; Community-Based Organizations (COBs) that provide direct services to historically marginalized communities; environmental organizations; and, Labor and Workforce Advocates. These are important groups and are well represented.
However, there are several significant and important communities, residents, and groups that were not represented well including, but not limited to, the parties listed below:
Private Housing Providers
Business and Homeowners Network (BAHN)
California Apartment Association (CAA)
Utility Grid Provider &/or Electric Industry Groups (to address grid supply & grid stability, “duck curve”, line loss, and Natural Gas-Fired Electricity Conversion Efficiency)
Pacific Gas & Electric
Electric Power Research Institute
Homeowners
District Leadership Groups (e.g., District 1 Leadership Group, District 6 Neighborhood Leaders Group, District 8 Community Round Table, District 10 Leadership Coalition, etc.)
Almaden Valley Community Association (AVCA) & similar groups
Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility
Neighborhood Associations (NA) (e.g., Lynhaven NA, Willow Glen NA, Coyote Creek NA, Murdock NA, Berryessa Citizens Advisory Council, Santa Teresa Foothills NA, Eden NA, Julian St. James NA, Kooser Woods Coalition NA, Northside NA, Thousand Oaks NA etc.)
Owners of Small Business / Dining Establishments
Real Estate Organizations
Santa Clara County Association of Realtors (SCCAOR)
Neglecting these groups means that a large percentage of the community have not participated; and, in reality, have not been notified of the proposal. And homeowners for whom there will be a potential large financial impacted are uninformed.
Potentially Large Financial Impacts – With No or Limited Input
According to the report on page 9: “The total cost of electrifying all residential buildings in San José by 2030 is an estimated $2.7 to $4.7 billion ... This cost can be shared between federal, state, regional, and local funding sources, as well as building owners and homeowners themselves, but the City will need to provide some portion of the cost to support the transition for its most vulnerable residents.”
Table 1: Parties Missing in Public Outreach
| Missing or Underrepresented Impacted Parties | Potential Groups or Organizations to Contact |
|---|---|
| Private Housing Providers | Business and Homeowners Network (BAHN) California Apartment Association (CAA) |
| Utility Grid Provider &/or Electric Industry Groups (to address grid supply & grid stability, |
Pacific Gas & Electric Electric Power Research Institute |
| Homeowners Comment: Each City Council Office should have a list of NA and other community organizations for their district. |
District Leadership Groups (e.g., District 1 Leadership Group, District 6 Neighborhood Leaders Group, District 8 Community Round Table, District 10 Leadership Coalition, etc.) Almaden Valley Community Association (AVCA) & similar groups Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility Neighborhood Associations (NA) (e.g., Lynhaven NA, Willow Glen NA, Coyote Creek NA, Murdock NA, Berryessa Citizens Advisory Council, Santa Teresa Foothills NA, Eden NA, Julian St. James NA, Kooser Woods Coalition NA, Northside NA, Thousand Oaks NA etc.) |
| Owners of Small Business / Dining Establishments | |
| Real Estate Organizations Comment: They should be required to inform buyers, in writing, that the city is considering this proposal. |
Santa Clara County Association of Realtors (SCCAOR) |
More on the Environmental Services plan can be found here.
More on Families and Homes can be found here.
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Image by Ivan Radic