People Organizing to Demand Environmental and Economic Rights (PODER)

Overview

The San Francisco Healthy and Resilient Homes project will deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate electrification education to Latinx and Filipino communities in the Eastern neighborhoods of San Franscisco. Building on the electrification outreach and education training received through the California Energy Commission’s Equitable Building Decarbonization Direct Install Program, People Organizing to Demand Environmental and Economic Rights (PODER) and South of Market Community Action Network (SOMCAN) will reach at least 900 residents and connect eligible households to incentives, heat pump water heater and HVAC opportunities, remediation, panel upgrades, and installation pathways. Working in collaboration with the San Francisco Environment Department and the Climate Equity Hub, the project will support both renters and homeowners as they move from the educational phase to the adoption phase.

Research Questions:

• How does sustained, in‑language engagement through trusted community organizations shape residents’ understanding of electrification options and their willingness to explore upgrades?
• In what ways can hands‑on program coordination navigation services influence residents’ ability to move from interest to program enrollment and electric equipment installation?
• What patterns emerge in how residents engage, pause, or proceed throughout the process, and what do those patterns reveal about how to support electrification in similar communities?

Market Barrier

Income-qualified renters and homeowners in Eastern San Fracisco face practical and structural barriers to electrification. Many residents lack access to in-language information about heat pump technologies and incentives from trusted sources, making it difficult to understand their options or take the first step. Even when interest is high, complex eligibility requirements, administrative burdens, and the need for panel upgrades, remediation, or coordination with landlords make the process hard to navigate. For renters in particular, concerns about displacement during building upgrades further discourage participation. These conditions limit adoption of heat pump technologies despite potential benefits to indoor air quality, comfort, and energy affordability.

Proposed Solution

PODER and SOMCAN will deploy a trusted, community-led outreach model in Spanish, Tagalog, and English that connects residents from education to enrollment and installation as well as post-install support. Using these materials, the organizations will carry out structured community education efforts designed to build understanding and generate interest among residents. They will also assist participants through enrollment and installation pathways and provide post‑installation follow‑up to ensure systems function properly, ultimately guiding a cohort of residents from awareness through successful adoption of heat pump technologies.

Theory of Change

Through sustained, in‑language engagement, trusted community organizations remain alongside residents as they consider, plan, and carry out electrification upgrades. Rather than treating participation as a single decision point, the project supports households through the relational work of coordination, enrollment, and installation, helping residents move forward at a pace that reflects their circumstances. By guiding households through complex decisions and coordinating next steps, this effort aims to reduce friction in the upgrade process while reinforcing housing stability during San Francisco’s transition away from natural gas. In doing so, the project demonstrates how culturally rooted outreach and hands‑on support can help communities engage with electrification in ways that feel accessible, relevant, and grounded in everyday needs.

Project Status:

In Progress

Housing Type:

Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing

Technology:

Heat Pump HVAC and Heat Pump Water Heaters

Location:

San Francisco