Source: VT Digger, 7/25/11, by Taylor Dobbs

Solar panels in East Montpelier. VTD/Josh Larkin

“Vermont will be the first state in the nation to move forward with the federal Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program, which will allow homeowners to borrow money from municipalities to make renewable energy or energy efficiency improvements to their homes.

Homeowners would pay back the loans through an assessment on their property tax bills.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency effectively put the program on hold last year due to concerns about repayment in the event of a mortgage foreclosure. At that point, 26 states had approved some form of the program. Last week, legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to force the Federal Housing Finance Agency to withdraw warnings about the program. [More ...]

Source: Brattleboro Reformer, July 9, 2011, Howard Weiss-Tisman

The PACE legislation was supported by the VAHC this year. Below is a recent article talking about the passing of the legislation and the coming benefits of the Property Assessed Clean Energy Program for homeowners throughout Vermont.

“WESTMINSTER — Early next year, Vermont will become the only state in the country to move ahead with a national program that allows property owners to borrow money against their tax assessments to fund energy efficiency projects.

The Property Assessed Clean Energy Program, or PACE, gives property owners access to low interest loans to pay for energy efficiency projects by pegging the money to the property tax assessments. [More ...]

Source: The Manchester Journal, March 16, 2011
“MANCHESTER – A group of community members committed to promoting energy-efficient, sustainable approaches to building design, construction and building renovation came together in September, 2010.

Since then, the group has grown and met regularly to increase public awareness of energy efficiency and help create a sustainable community. [More ...]