Staff says Palm Springs can continue reach‑code work despite AB 130 pause; $1 million pilot will target low‑income homeowners

Sabina Walbert, a Civic Spark Iron Fellow assigned to the city, updated the commission on Palm Springs’ reach‑code work and an equity‑focused pilot program aimed at low‑income homeowners.

"Reach codes are a city or county's way of going beyond the state and basically being a leader in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability," Walbert said, outlining the local effort that began in 2021 and has involved multiple fellows and staff over several years.

Walbert acknowledged that Assembly Bill 130 paused most local reach‑code adoptions from October 2025 to June 2031 but said the law includes exceptions when jurisdictions have already embedded energy‑efficiency language in their governing documents. She told commissioners Palm Springs included such language in its general plan and climate action plan, so staff can continue to pursue reach codes under that exception.

Because reach codes typically exclude low‑income homeowners from mandatory upgrades, Walbert said the city is developing a pilot program to fill that equity gap by offering financial assistance. She said the program has about $1 million in combined funding from multiple sources for incentives and that next steps include soliciting general contractors through an RFP, finalizing an incentives list, and rolling out an application form.

Walbert described the pilot’s structure as a score‑based compliance path that awards points for measures such as heat‑pump water heaters and other efficiency upgrades; the idea is to make remodeling more cost‑effective while improving efficiency. She said reach codes in the current draft would target existing homes, focusing on residences built before 2011.

Commissioners raised concerns that complex permitting or added costs could deter homeowners from pursuing upgrades. Walbert said a user‑friendly guide was underway and that she would work with the building department to improve customer support and internal capacity before the program is broadly publicized.

Next steps: staff will refine the draft reach‑code ordinance in coordination with the building department, finalize contractor procurement and the incentives stack for the pilot program, and prepare materials for future commission and council review.