People’s Self-Help Housing was awarded over $630,000 from the Low-Income Weatherization Program’s (LIWP) Multi‑Family Energy Efficiency and Renewables program to invest in the health and well-being of its low-income farmworker community in Santa Maria, known as Los Adobes de Maria. The homes of the 65 farmworker families living in Los Adobes de Maria will receive energy efficiency upgrades that will reduce energy consumption and lower their bills.

Technical support from the Association for Energy Affordability, LIWP’s Multi-Family program administrator, helped guide People’s Self-Help Housing to invest in the right technology and energy efficiency solutions that would deliver benefits to ease the energy burden of the property’s hardworking multi-generational households. Residents’ townhomes were upgraded to include electric heat pump water heaters, smart thermostats, in-unit LED lighting, ventilation improvements, and duct sealing. The project also leveraged Santa Barbara County’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Program to assist with installation services.

The next construction phase is currently underway and will eventually include a 168kW solar photovoltaic system that can power the entire property. Upon completion, scheduled in 2022, residents can expect to receive energy and solar credits produced by the solar array. All told, Los Adobes de Maria will see an annual reduction of nearly 120 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents.

“The patience, knowledge, and flexibility of the LIWP program has been invaluable in assuring that the low-income tenants at these three sites receive the full benefits this commitment has promised,” said Todd Broussard, Director of Construction at People’s Self-Help Housing. “The LIWP program, coupled with other grants, will allow tenants to utilize their limited resources on other endeavors, which in turn will provide a fundamental change in their quality of life.”