Mayor Edwin M. Lee today signed landmark green building legislation that will improve energy efficiency in existing buildings, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower energy costs, and create green jobs. Passed last week by the Board of Supervisors, the Existing Commercial Building Energy Performance Ordinance will require owners of existing non-residential buildings to determine how much energy each building consumes, and to make that information public on an annual basis. The new city code will also require commercial buildings over 10,000 square feet to conduct energy efficiency audits every five years in order to help the building owners and managers optimize building efficiency and utility savings.

“San Francisco needs to increase the energy and resource efficiency of existing buildings if we are going to meet our aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets,” said Mayor Lee. “This new green building code will educate building owners about what they need to do to save energy and money, and boost our local green economy.”

“San Francisco continues to provide visionary leadership to protect our environment,” said Board of Supervisors President David Chiu. “Making our commercial buildings more energy efficient shows we can work together creatively to make real progress.” Read more.

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced that the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded San Francisco $18.7 million in HUD’s Continuum of Care grants to fund a wide variety of programs from street outreach and assessment programs to transitional and permanent housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The HUD Continuum of Care grants are awarded competitively to local programs to meet the needs of their homeless clients, and this year, 51 San Francisco-based organizations and programs received grant awards.

“In the last seven years, San Francisco moved in a new direction on efforts to end homelessness, helping thousands of people get off the streets and into supportive housing and services instead,” said Mayor Lee. “These grants from HUD demonstrate the Obama Administration’s commitment to cities and will help San Francisco continue to make real progress helping people and combating chronic homelessness.” Read more.

Mayor Gavin Newsom today marked the 37th Project Homeless Connect (PHC) event held at Bill Graham  Civic Auditorium by announcing the opening of a permanent PHC office location at 187 Golden Gate Avenue early next year. The PHC office will provide information and referral services for clients needing assistance navigating the system of care in between the large bi-monthly events.

“Project Homeless Connect has changed the lives of thousands of people on the streets of San Francisco, enlisting thousands of volunteers to connect people in need with services and supportive housing,” said Mayor Newsom. “We’re moving in a different direction on homelessness, putting politics aside in favor of smart policy and measurable outcomes, with a 40% reduction in homelessness on our streets since I’ve been mayor. We must continue to make progress on homelessness, and the new permanent home for Project Homeless Connect will help ensure we keep moving in the right direction.” Read more.

Mayor Also Challenges City to Commit to Path to 100 Percent Renewable Power and Announces New Grant, Task Force to Develop Plan & Benchmarks

 Mayor Gavin Newsom today announced the completion of California’s largest municipal solar installation, the Sunset Reservoir Solar Project. With nearly 24,000 solar panels installed on top of the North Basin of the Sunset Reservoir, the new array is online and generates up to 5 megawatts daily of clean, 100 percent renewable energy. Over the 25-year lifetime of the project, the Sunset Reservoir will reduce carbon emissions by approximately 80,000 metric tons, while helping to satisfy the diverse clean energy needs of the City’s municipal buildings and facilities.

“With this one project, we are tripling the amount of solar power used by San Francisco’s local government and powering up California’s largest municipal solar array,” said Mayor Newsom. “San Francisco is leading by example towards California’s future of green jobs and a growing economy built on renewable energy and a cleaner environment.” Read more.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signs Assembly Bill 1199 into law to allow the Port of San Francisco to proceed with infrastructure improvements along the waterfront in the Pier 70 area.

Mayor Gavin Newsom today praised the signing of Assembly Bill 1199 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that will provide future funding for parks, infrastructure and rehabilitation of historic resources in the Port of San Francisco’s Pier 70 area. Under the terms of the legislation crafted by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors may approve an infrastructure financing district at Pier 70 to capture projected growth in property tax revenues arising from new development at the site to pay for publicly-oriented site improvements. The Port has developed a Pier 70 Preferred Master Plan that envisions a vibrant, continued ship repair operation, a new National Register Historic District, more than 20 acres of parks and open space and commercial development that will provide 6,000-8,000 jobs. The legislation was supported by a broad, bipartisan coalition of community leaders, labor organizations, business organizations and elected officials. Read more.