The Bay Area tops the list of U.S. regions grappling with soaring costs of living. While housing, food, childcare, and health care expenses have strained residents’ budgets for years, a new expense has emerged as a major issue: utility costs. PG&E electricity rates have skyrocketed by a staggering 63% in just three years, contributing to widespread struggles to make ends meet in one of the most expensive regions of the country.
For homeowners, investing in clean energy technologies can provide crucial relief, reducing energy bills by more than $1,400 annually. But the nearly 50% of Bay Area residents who rent are left watching our meters spin and our bank accounts dwindle.
Apartment dwellers have historically been left out of California’s solar transition — and a decision from the California Public Utilities Commission last year exacerbated the situation. We are dependent on our landlords to make the investment – and under the current policy, they have no incentive to do so.
The good news? California Senate Bill 1374, introduced by Sen. Josh Becker from Silicon Valley, would help expand solar benefits to apartment buildings by aligning the financial interests of landlords with those of their tenants. This bill could unlock significant cost savings for renters — the very people who stand to benefit most from reduced energy bills.
The current rules are fundamentally flawed. Landlords are arbitrarily prohibited from using solar on their apartment buildings to offset electricity use in common areas like hallways, elevators, or EV charging stations — spaces they’re responsible for powering. This begs the question: why would a property owner invest in solar if they are prohibited from reducing their electric bill?
The consequences of this misguided policy are stark. Since the new rules went into effect, solar installations on multifamily buildings have dropped 94%. This represents a missed opportunity for cleaner energy and lower utility costs for renters amidst an exploding utility bill affordability crisis. Renters living in apartment buildings with solar see significant bill savings compared to those who don’t.
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Apartment buildings aren’t the only properties disproportionately impacted by California’s new solar rules. Schools, farms, and places of worship also face barriers to investing in this clean energy technology. Under SB 3714, schools would immediately benefit by closing a loophole that prevents schools from leveraging solar across their campus. Farms, places of worship and other properties with multiple electricity meters could also benefit from the legislation, thanks to language that directs the California Public Utilities Commission to reevaluate their rules.
As the fifth-largest economy in the world, California cannot justify leaving renters and other vulnerable communities behind. The state is facing an affordability crisis that directly impacts residents’ ability to meet basic needs. Skyrocketing utility costs have become an undeniable burden at kitchen tables across the state, where families are struggling to keep up. SB 1374 presents a pragmatic opportunity to ensure that all Californians, regardless of whether they own or rent homes, can benefit from solar energy. The time for action is now — our wallets and our planet cannot wait.
Shanti Singh is the legislative and communications director at Tenants Together. Jeff Levin is the senior director of policy at East Bay Housing Organizations.
