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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - July 15, 2015 C-17AGENDA ITEM Cw,17 (DCITY OF LODI COUNCILCOMMUNICATION TM AGENDA TITLE: Adopt Resolution Authorizing the City of Lodi to Join the California Statewide Communities Development Authority (CSCDA) Open Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program MEETING DATE: July 15, 2015 PREPARED BY: Business Development Manager RECOMMENDED ACTION- Adopt resolution authorizing the City of Lodi to join the California Statewide Communities Development Authority (CSCDA) Open Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: In July 2008, the Governor signed Assembly Bill (AB) 811 into law which authorized cities and counties to establish PACE programs to enter into contractual assessment agreements with property owners to finance the installation of distributed generation renewable energy sources or energy efficiency improvements that are permanently fixed to real property. An AB 811 program allows municipalities to make assessment financing available to property owners for the purchase and installation of such improvements. Property owners repay the financing through an assessment on their properties. The assessments are recorded as a lien against the subject property, entered in the county tax roll, and are collected on the property owner's tax bills at the same time and in the same manner as property taxes. The Open PACE Program has been established by the League of California Cities and the California Statewide Communities Development Authority (CSCDA) to allow owners of residential and commercial property in participating cities and counties to finance a variety of improvements authorized by Chapter 29 of Division 7 of the Streets & Highways Code, as amended ("Chapter 29"), including, but not limited to, renewable energy, energy and water efficiency improvements, seismic strengthening improvements and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. CSCDA is a joint exercise of powers authority sponsored by the League of California Cities and the California State Association of Counties. The member agencies include 56 counties and more than 500 local agencies throughout California, including the City of Lodi. If a property owner chooses to participate, the improvements will be financed by the issuance of bonds by CSCDA. CSCDA will levy contractual assessments on the owner's property to repay the portion of the bonds issued to finance the improvements on that property. CSCDA has selected AllianceNRG Program (presently consisting of Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc.; CounterPointe Energy Solutions, LLC; and Leidos Engineering, LLC) and Renewable Funding, LLC, to provide administration and financing for the program. The contractual assessment proceedings will be undertaken by CSCDA pursuant to Chapter 29, to allow the financing of the improvements on private property that are authorized by Chapter 29. Pursuant to APPROVED: ephen Schwaba ity Manager Adopt Resolution Authorizing the City of Lodi to Join the California Statewide Communities Development Authority (CSCDA) Open Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program July 15, 2015 Page 2 of 2 Chapter 29, assessments may be levied to finance improvements only with the free and willing consent of the owner of each lot or parcel on which an assessment is levied at the time the assessment is levied, and property owners evidence their consent to the assessments by executing a contract with CSCDA. Only property owners who choose to participate in the program will have assessments imposed on their property. Under California law, the assessment obligation transfers with the property upon sale. The City is not obligated to repay the bonds issued by CSCDA or to pay the assessments levied on the participating properties. CSCDA handles all assessment administration, bond issuance and bond administration functions. This program allows for financing of Chapter 29 -authorized improvements to property owners through the Open PACE Program without the commitment of staff and resources to administer the program. The proposed resolution authorizes CSCDA to accept applications from owners of property within the City's jurisdiction for municipal financing of authorized improvements through the Open PACE Program. It also authorizes CSCDA to conduct assessment proceedings and levy assessments against the property of participating owners within the incorporated territory of the City. As with previously -adopted PACE programs, a jurisdiction can withdraw from the Open PACE Program at any time by passing a resolution rescinding the authorization. Certain mortgage providers - such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — may require that the assessment be paid off at the time the property is refinanced or sold, because they do not purchase properties with PACE liens on them. Some lenders have concerns with PACE assessments being the superior lien (with the lender's lien being subordinate). In order to ease these concerns, the California Alternative Energy and Transportation Financing Authority approved a $10 million dollar loss reserve program that will reimburse the first mortgage lender for the PACE payments made while in possession of the property during foreclosure. The property taxes for properties in the City that do not choose to participate will not be affected by the Program. The CSCDA Open PACE Program is not an exclusive obligation, so the City retains the ability to participate in any available PACE programs. FISCAL IMPACT: Not applicable. FUNDING AVAILABLE: Not applicable. AM -am er6crer ) Business Development Manager RESOLUTION NO. 2015-111 A RESOLUTION OF THE LODI CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF LODI TO JOIN THE CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE COMMUNITIES DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (CSCDA) OPEN PROPERTY ASSESSED CLEAN ENERGY (PACE) PROGRAM ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ WHEREAS, the California Statewide Communities Development Authority ("Authority") is a joint exercise of powers authority, the members of which include numerous cities and counties in the State of California, including the City of Lodi ("City"); and WHEREAS, the Authority is implementing Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs, which it has designated CSCDA Open PACE, consisting of CSCDA Open PACE programs each administered by a separate program administrator (collectively with any successors, assigns, replacements or additions, the "Programs"), to allow the financing or refinancing of renewable energy, energy efficiency, water efficiency, and seismic strengthening improvements; electric vehicle charging infrastructure; and such other improvements, infrastructure or other work as may be authorized by law from time to time (collectively, the "Improvements") through the levy of contractual assessments pursuant to Chapter 29 of Division 7 of the Streets & Highways Code ("Chapter 29") within counties and cities throughout the State of California that consent to the inclusion of properties within their respective territories in the Programs and the issuance of bonds from time to time; and WHEREAS, the program administrators currently active in administering Programs are the AllianceNRG Program (presently consisting of Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc.; CounterPointe Energy Solutions, LLC; and Leidos Engineering, LLC) and Renewable Funding, LLC, and the Authority will notify the City in advance of any additions or changes; and WHEREAS, Chapter 29 provides that assessments may be levied under its provisions only with the free and willing consent of the owner of each lot or parcel on which an assessment is levied at the time the assessment is levied; and WHEREAS, the City desires to allow the owners of property ("Participating Property Owners") within the incorporated area of the City to participate in the Programs and to allow the Authority to conduct assessment proceedings under Chapter 29 within the incorporated territory of the City and to issue Bonds under the 1915 Act to finance or refinance the Improvements; and WHEREAS, the territory within which assessments may be levied for the Programs shall include all of the territory within the City's official boundaries; and WHEREAS, the Authority will conduct all assessment proceedings under Chapter 29 for the Programs and issue any bonds issued in connection with the Programs; and WHEREAS, the City will not be responsible for the conduct of any assessment proceedings; the levy or collection of assessments or�any required remedial action in the case of delinquencies in such assessment payments; or the issuance, sale or administration of any other bonds issued in connection with the Programs. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Lodi City Council: Section 1. Finds and declares that properties in the City's incorporated area will benefit from the availability of the Programs within the incorporated territory of the City and, pursuant thereto, the conduct of special assessment proceedings by the Authority pursuant to Chapter 29 and the issuance of Bonds to finance or refinance Improvements. Section 2. In connection with the Programs, hereby consents to the conduct of special assessment proceedings by the Authority pursuant to Chapter 29 on any property within its jurisdiction and the issuance of Bonds to finance or refinance Improvements; provided that (1) The Participating Property Owners, who shall be the legal owners of such property, execute a contract pursuant to Chapter 29 and comply with other applicable provisions of California law in order to accomplish the valid levy of assessments; and (2) The City will not be responsible for the conduct of any assessment proceedings; the levy or collection of assessments or any required remedial action in the case of delinquencies in such assessment payments; or the issuance, sale or administration of the Bonds or any other bonds issued in connection with the Programs. Section 3. The appropriate officials and staff of the City are authorized, but not required, to make applications for the Programs available to all property owners who wish to finance or refinance Improvements; provided that the Authority shall be responsible for providing such applications and related materials at its own expense. Section 4. The appropriate officials and staff of the City are hereby authorized to execute and deliver such certificates, requisitions, agreements and related documents as are reasonably required by the Authority to implement the Programs. Section 5. The City Council hereby finds that adoption of this Resolution is not a "project" under the California Environmental Quality Act, because the Resolution does not involve any commitment to a specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment, as contemplated by Title 14, California Code of Regulations, Section 15378(b)(4). Section 6. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption. The City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to transmit a certified copy of this Resolution to the Secretary of the Authority at: Secretary of the Board, California Statewide Communities Development Authority, 1400 K Street, Sacramento, California, 95814. Dated: July 15, 2015 I hereby certify that Resolution No. 2015-111 was passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Lodi in a regular meeting held July 15, 2015, by the following vote: AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS — Chandler, Kuehne, Mounce, Nakanishi, and Mayor Johnson NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None ' ,YENNIFERLD - FERRAIOLO City Clerk 2015-111