Appendix & resources
Linked Appendices
Appendix S2-A1 – SWOT Analysis
Appendix S2-A2 – Annual Action Plan
Appendix S2-A3 – Scenario Analysis Template
Appendix S3-A1 – Financial Capacity Assessment
Appendix S3-A2 – Incentives and Grants Tracker
Appendix S3-A3 – Available Incentives and Grants
Appendix S3-A4 – Incentives and Grants in CA/LA
Appendix S3-A5 – Funding Sources Matrix
Appendix S3-A6 – Lender Evaluation Matrix
Appendix S4-A1 – Documentation Checklist
Appendix S4-A2 – Affordability AMI Assessment
Appendix S4-A3 – Property Portfolio Overview
Appendix S4-A4 – Compliance Timeline Matrix
Appendix S5-A1 – Property Evaluation Matrix
Appendix S5-A2 – Property Selection
Appendix S6-A1 – Sample Tenant Survey
Appendix S7-A1 – Electrification Feasibility Assessment
Appendix S7-A2 – Sample SOW
Appendix S10-A1 – Pre-Construction Checklist
Appendix S10-A2 – Construction Timeline Log
Appendix S11-A1 – Document depository
Appendix S12-A1 – Summary Report
Appendix S13-A1 – Equipment Binder Checklist
Appendix S13-A2 – Equipment Binder spreadsheet
Appendix S13-A3 – Preventative Maintenance Schedule
Glossory
As-Builts = Drawings that show how a building was built, including wiring, plumbing, and equipment locations.
Bridge Loan / Bridge Financing = A short-term loan used to pay for construction before incentive payments are received.
Building Decarbonization = Cleaning up a building’s systems by switching from gas to electric equipment, improving efficiency, and reducing pollution.
Capital Providers = Banks, CDFIs, credit unions, or mission-driven lenders who offer financing for retrofit projects.
Capital Stack = All the different sources of money used to pay for a project (loans, grants, incentives, reserves).
Co-Benefits = Extra advantages from decarbonization, such as lower bills, healthier air, more comfort, and safer buildings.
Commissioning = Testing new systems after installation to confirm they operate as designed and meet performance benchmarks.
Construction Phasing = Completing work in steps (such as unit-by-unit) to reduce disruption for tenants.
Credit Package = A set of documents lenders need to review, including the budget, building financials, scope of work, and incentive details.
Decarbonization = Reducing a building’s carbon pollution by cutting fossil fuel use and switching to clean energy.
Due Diligence (DD) = A deeper review of a property’s financial health, documents, and risks before a lender approves a loan.
Electrification = Replacing gas equipment with clean, efficient electric technology such as heat pumps and induction stoves.
Energy Efficiency = Using less energy to do the same job, for example, using LED lights or better insulation.
GoZero = A local incentive program that gives rebates for switching to all-electric heating and hot-water systems.
Heat Pump = A highly efficient electric system that provides heating and cooling for a home.
Heat Pump Water Heater (HPWH) = An efficient electric water heater that uses heat pump technology instead of gas.
Incentive = Money paid to help cover the cost of energy upgrades or electrification.
Incentive Stacking = Using more than one incentive program at the same time to cover more of the project cost.
Induction Cooktop = A fast, safe, efficient electric cooking surface that uses magnets to heat pots directly.
Metering = The equipment that measures electricity, gas, or water use.
Occupied Rehab = Renovation work performed while residents remain living in the building.
Permits = Official approvals required before starting construction work.
Prevailing Wage = Government-set minimum pay rates that apply to publicly funded construction work.
Replacement Reserves = Money saved each year to replace major building components (e.g., HVAC, roofs, water heaters).
Reserves = Savings that owners set aside for repairs or upgrades.
Resilience = A building’s ability to stay safe and livable during emergencies like heat waves or power outages.
RETR-Fund = A revolving loan fund that helps owners pay for retrofits and is repaid using incentive payments after construction.
Retrofit = Upgrading old equipment or systems in an existing building.
TECH Clean California = A state program that offers incentives and support for installing clean electric water heating technologies.
Tenant Habitability Plan (THP) = A plan required by LAHD describing how tenants will be protected and notified during construction.
Thermal Comfort = How warm or cool a home feels.
Underwriting = The process lenders use to review a project’s financial risk before approving a loan.
Acronyms
AHLU (Affordable Housing Liaison Unit) = The Mayor’s Office team that helps affordable housing projects move through the city’s permitting and approval process.
AMI (Area Median Income) = The midpoint household income for a region, used to set income eligibility for affordable housing programs.
AQMD (South Coast Air Quality Management District) = The regional air quality agency for much of Southern California; funds electrification incentives such as GoZero and MAHEP.
CAMR (Comprehensive Affordable Multifamily Retrofits) = LADWP’s program that offers free assessments, technical assistance, and incentives for energy and electrification upgrades.
CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) = A mission-focused lender that finances affordable housing and community projects with flexible loan terms.
CIC (Community Infrastructure Center) = The Milken Institute platform that lets multiple qualified lenders review community projects, including CAMR retrofits, in one place.
EBEWE (Existing Buildings Energy & Water Efficiency Program) = A City of Los Angeles program requiring benchmarking and audit/retrofit compliance for certain buildings.
ELACC (East Los Angeles Community Corporation) = A nonprofit affordable housing developer and service provider based in East Los Angeles.
ESPM (Energy Star Portfolio Manager) = A free online tool from the U.S. EPA used to track building energy and water usage.
FTA (Financial Technical Assistance) = Support that helps owners assemble financing packages and connect with lenders, offered through the CAMR FTA Pilot.
GGRF (Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund) = California’s fund of cap-and-trade proceeds that supports climate programs, including the Low-Income Weatherization Program.
GHG (Greenhouse Gas Emissions) = Pollution that causes climate change; buildings produce GHGs when they burn gas.
IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) = How clean and healthy the air inside a building is.
LAHD (Los Angeles Housing Department) = City department that oversees affordability requirements, tenant protections, and habitability standards.
LADBS (Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety) = The city agency that issues building permits and performs inspections.
LADWP (Los Angeles Department of Water and Power) = The municipal utility that provides electricity, water, and incentive programs such as CAMR.
LACI (Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator) = A nonprofit that supports clean technology companies and workforce programs, including internships that can add project capacity.
LIHTC (Low-Income Housing Tax Credits) = A federal tax credit program used to finance affordable housing construction and rehabilitation.
LIWP (Low-Income Weatherization Program) = A statewide program that provides technical assistance, efficiency upgrades, solar, and incentives for low-income multifamily properties.
MAHEP (Multifamily Affordable Housing Electrification Program) = A South Coast AQMD incentive program, implemented by AEA, that funds gas-to-electric equipment upgrades in low-income multifamily buildings.
MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) = The major systems in a building that provide heating, cooling, power, lighting, and water.
NOAH (Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing) = Rental housing that is affordable without formal subsidies or government affordability restrictions.
PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) = Financing repaid through a property tax assessment, sometimes used for energy upgrades.
PNA (Physical Needs Assessment) = A report that lists all repairs and upgrades a building needs over time.
ROI (Return on Investment) = A measure of what you get back compared to what you spend (e.g., lower bills, fewer repairs, healthier buildings).
Scope of Work (SOW) = A list of all the tasks, equipment, and upgrades that will be done during a project.