``Green'' Affordable Housing Advocates Celebrate Anticipated Solar Roofs Victory; Urge PUC to Go Further to Meet Needs of Californians Who Can Benefit Most -- Low Income Families.

LOS ANGELES -- Edward Norton and Global Green USA Applaud Solar Initiative; Urge PUC to Create Loan Program, Other Incentives to Ensure Smart Investment, Lowering of Energy Bills for Low Income Families

Global Green USA applauds the historic action of the California Public Utilities Commission, which is expected to approve a $3.2 billion solar program today that includes a 10% set-aside for low-income families, but cautions that this victory for the Affordable Housing program will be ineffective without a low-interest loan fund.

"I applaud the PUC for approving this historic Solar Roofs Initiative and for setting aside funding for solar on affordable housing," said actor/activist Edward Norton, a board member of Global Green USA and the Enterprise Foundation. "We need the PUC to help low income families, who are the hardest hit by utility bills and who get the biggest benefit from solar power, by creating a loan program that meets the unique needs of the sector, and makes funds more accessible to all Californians." Edward Norton joined Global Green USA in 2003 to first advocate for the loan program and set aside for affordable housing.

Last year, Global Green and Assembly Member Fran Pavley advocated for the creation of a low-interest loan fund that would address the need in the affordable housing sector. The bill, AB 1383 was passed by the legislature but vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger. Rather than wait for further PUC Analysis, both Pavley and Global Green have appealed to the PUC to include a loan finance program in the proposed decision, a mechanism based on the needs of the non-profit affordable housing sector.

Unfortunately, the proposed PUC program neglects to create a funding mechanism that will allow Californians of all income levels to participate. The PUC program proposes both a set aside and higher level of incentive for affordable housing developments; however, these incentives may prove disadvantageous to the majority of affordable housing developments which are financed through tax credits as they have unique needs and do not benefit from direct subsidies.

"Energy costs are the second highest monthly expense for a low income family, and the PUC can begin to immediately help the poorest in California who are taking the hardest hit to their pocketbooks with the soaring prices of energy -- including gas at the pump and spikes in the price of natural gas," said Matt Petersen, President of Global Green USA. "The PUC must act now to make solar power accessible to everyone, and we urge them to create a loan program that has already been thoroughly vetted and approved by the California legislature."

"Affordable housing in California is highly energy efficient, further making solar incentives and a loan program for this sector both critical and a smart investment," concluded Mary Luevano, Global Green's Director of Legislative and Policy Affairs.

Global Green USA (www.globalgreen.org) is the only national environmental group headquartered in greater Los Angeles, and has offices in Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. Global Green is the US affiliate of Green Cross International, founded by Mikhail Gorbachev in 1993.