1. Making Affordable Housing Truly Affordable
Matt Petersen President & CEO Global Green USA 04.14.2010

2. GLOBAL GREEN USA
Foster a
global value
shift toward a
sustainable
and secure
future by
reconnecting
humanity with
the
environment

4. GLOBAL GREEN & GREEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING
2005
1995

5. Why Green Affordable Housing?
Long-Term Ownership Supports Life Cycle Approach Projects
are typically owned and operated by the same
organization for 15-55 years – justifying medium- to long-term
payback periods.
$
Dollar Savings Help Low-Income Families Most Utility costs
can be 25% of expenses after rent. Low-income families
spend more on utilities than on education or health care.
Housing Should be Safe, Decent, Affordable & Healthy
Indoor toxins impact children's nervous and respiratory
systems and can be a trigger for asthma.
Affordable Housing is a Public Asset Approximately $500
million annually in Federal tax credits are allocated to
housing. It is critical that these assets are well-designed, do
not create an operation burden, and are long-lasting.

6. OUR APPROACH

7. Los Vecinos
Los Vecinos
•Opened Spring 2009
•42 units- including community room
•3-story naturally-cooled, a/c community room
•LEED platinum – 42% better than CA energy code
•93kW of Photovoltaic

8. LOS VECINOS
•Annually—the average unit PV system
is producing 30% more electricity than
the average apartment is using, making
the entire project a net electricity
exporter
• Electricity bills are an average of 62%
lower than they are at a nearby
affordable housing development

10. “…low-income groups
have additional
vulnerability to climate
change.”
-EPA

11. REBUILDING A GREEN NEW ORLEANS

22. “No
organization
is doing more
to green
New Orleans
than Global
Green
USA…”- TIME

23. POLICY: LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT
• GG launched advocacy in 2000 to “green” the Qualified
Allocation Plan in CA
• Success in CA led to greening QAP in LA after Katrina
• GG launched analysis of all states QAPs in 2005
• GG used this analysis to identify additional states that
needed assistance
- In 2007 we selected NY and TX when they received a “C”
- In 2009, TX received a “B+” and NY received an “A-”
“A-

26. QAP Analysis – 5 year trends

27. Number of States
Ex
ist
in
g
Ho
us
in
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
g
Re Re
vi ha
ta
liz b
at
io
Pr n
ox Pl
im an
Sp ity s
ec to
ifi
ed Se
Ef rv
fic ic
ie es
nt
Pr
Pr od
ox uc
im ts
ity
En to
er Tr
gy an
St sit
ar
Ap
W pl
ia
at nc
er es
Co
ns
In er
su va
la tio
En tio n
vi
ro n
St
nm an
en da
ta rd
lA s
ss
es
HV sm
AC en
Pe t
rfo
rm
an
ce
En
er
gy
Ha Co
za de
rd s
Ab
at
em
Ad en
ap t
W tiv
et e
la Re
nd us
sP e
Fl re
oo se
dp rv
at
la io
in n
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es
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va
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n
Top 15 Strategies in QAPs

28. QAP Analysis Summary
• Steady increase in incorporating green in QAPs.
• Increased emphasis on resources and health.
• Increased emphasis on specific green certifications.
• States that make an effort are see big jumps in scoring.
• Most efforts are focused on creating better requirements.
• Only a few states are providing additional funding for green
projects.

29. POLICY: ENERGY POLICY ACT 2005
Corzine amendment championed by Global Green:
• Directs HUD to allow Public Housing Authorities to
integrate their Capital Budgets with their O&M Budgets
• Requires PHAs to purchase Energy Star appliances
• Requires all housing constructed or rehabbed with HUD $
to meet the 2000 Internatl Energy & Conservation Code
• Requires HUD to draft energy strategy to reduce utility
expenses in public and Indian housing

30. HOW DOES THIS
RELATE TO
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING
PRESERVATION?

31. HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PRESERVATION?
The greenest building
is the one that already exists...
and there are millions of existing
multi-family buildings in the US

32. HUD spends $5 billion
on utilities

33. Asthma is at FOR US TO BElevels
NOW IS THE TIME
epidemic BOLD
in many US inner city
neighborhoods
The incidence of asthma linked directly to
housing-related hazards costs the U.S. economy
approximately $3.5 billion each year.

34. THE LINKAGE BETWEEN GREEN AH &PRESERVATION
If preservation and rehabilitation of these
properties occurs, green building practices
can provide a variety of benefits including
healthier,
healthier, more habitable housing through
the use of more durable, non-toxic
non-
materials.
materials. Affordability can be maintained
through the use of energy efficiency and
renewable energy.

35. NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO BE BOLD
- Show deep green
retrofits are
possible in existing
buildings
- Demonstrate there
are benefits to low-
income residents
and
neighborhoods
- See preservation as
an entry point for Action now on energy
collaborative
policy making and and GHG regulations
Integrated problem
solving

37. Where there is the will
There is the way
Global Green USA 2218 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90405 (310) 581-2700
581-
www.globalgreen.org