Los Angeles, May 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The California Energy Commission (CEC) and the County of Los Angeles hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 27 to mark the first Equitable Building Decarbonization (EBD) project in Southern California. The EBD program provides no-cost retrofits to replace aging and inefficient appliances with electric appliances in single-family, multi-family, and manufactured homes.
The ceremony was held at McKinney Manor in San Diego County. This affordable housing complex for low-income seniors is now benefiting from the program’s no-cost electrification upgrades. Through the EBD program, residents received in-unit induction ranges and electric heat pump water heaters.
This event celebrates a major milestone in the state’s effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency for residents. The EBD program is overseen by the CEC and administered by the County of Los Angeles Internal Services Department in the Southern Region in partnership with trusted public agencies and community-based organizations. This program contributes to the state’s and the County of Los Angeles’ commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and climate resilience strategies.
Based on household needs and preferences, participants may receive efficient electric appliance upgrades and home envelope improvements, with installation completed by certified local professionals. The upgrades may include electric heat pumps or heat pump water heaters, induction ranges for cooking, and electric clothes dryers. The program also covers critical building envelope work, such as insulation and air sealing to lock in maximum efficiency, as well as necessary remediation for retrofit installation.
“The Equitable Building Decarbonization Program is turning climate ambition into real benefits for people: delivering cleaner, safer homes through targeted upgrades that replace polluting appliances with efficient electric technologies. By putting Cap-and-Invest dollars to work in communities, California is demonstrating that climate action can also advance affordability and improve quality of life,” said Commissioner J. Andrew McAllister, Ph.D, at the California Energy Commission.
The EBD program will initially prioritize selected communities throughout Southern California based on high pollution levels, economic hardship, and greater climate risk. These communities include Bassett Avocado Heights Advanced Energy Community, Bell Gardens, Brawley, Buena Park, Carson, Chula Vista, Compton, El Cajon, El Centro, El Monte, Escondido, Fullerton, Hawaiian Gardens, Hawthorne, Hesperia, Huntington Park, Indio, Lancaster, Lawndale, Maywood, Moreno Valley, North Hollywood, Oceanside, Pacoima, Paramount, Pico Rivera, Pomona, Ramona, Riverside/Highgrove, San Bernardino, San Marcos/Vista, Santa Ana, South Gate, STORM (Severely Threatened, Overburdened, and Resource-limited Municipalities) Communities in San Diego, Victorville/Apple Valley, and Wilmington. Additional information is available on the CEC website here.
Photos of the event will be made available here in the future: https://www.flickr.com/photos/caenergy/
Notice: Attendees were informed that this would be a public event and that they may appear on camera.
About the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program
The Equitable Building Decarbonization Program is overseen by the California Energy Commission and administered by the County of Los Angeles in the Southern California region. The program is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Invest, formerly known as Cap-and-Trade, dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities. Partial funding is provided by the Home Efficiency Rebates (HOMES) Program overseen by the U.S. Department of Energy. For more information on the EBD program in Southern California, please visit SoCalEBD.org or email ContactUs@SoCalEBD.org.
Nancy Murphy Nancy.Murphy@ICFNext.com
