Francisco Tapia has long struggled with protecting his family from the penetrating cold that seeps through the poorly insulated walls of his modest home in Lowell.
​Originally from the Dominican Republic, the winter months in Massachusetts feel particularly harsh. Tapia used to cover his windows with makeshift plastic sheets in a desperate attempt to keep the cold at bay, but still his family struggled to keep the home warm.

The Massachusetts Community Climate Bank (MCCB) is the first green bank in the United States to focus on decarbonizing affordable housing, and the Energy Saver Home Loan Program is the MCCB’s first consumer product. The new loan program will lower barriers to clean energy adoption and assist property owners to cut their energy use and reduce or eliminate their reliance on fossil fuels by providing affordable financing and high-touch customer service features.

"Last year, we were proud to launch the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank – the nation's first green bank dedicated to affordable housing. Today, we are thrilled to take its work to the next level with the launch of its first consumer loan product that will help people across the state afford energy efficient homes," said Governor Maura Healey. "Low- and moderate-income families disproportionally carry the burden of both climate change and the high cost of housing. Programs like this will help provide affordable financing options for homeowners to support our clean energy transition. We congratulate the teams at the Office of Climate Innovation and Resilience and MassHousing for their leadership."

"The Massachusetts Community Climate Bank addresses two of our most pressing challenges — climate change and the high cost of housing," said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. "This new consumer loan program will help us move forward on our climate goals and make housing more affordable."

"I am thrilled about the Community Climate Bank’s new Energy Saver Home Loan Program! For the first time, low and moderate-income homeowners will have concierge support—a real person—to walk them through, every step of the way, what needs to be done to make their home more energy efficient, switch to clean energy, and take care of coordinating all the eligible rebates in addition to flexible low-cost financing," said Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer. "The Community Climate Bank took the initiative to find out what customers want, and designed a program that delivers. This will be a hassle-free experience for busy homeowners. Getting fossil fuels out of your home and reaping the savings from clean energy should be easy, and thanks to the Community Climate Bank, now it will be!"

The housing stock in Massachusetts is among the oldest in the United States and Massachusetts homes are some of the most reliant in the country on oil heating. Residential and commercial buildings are responsible for 30 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts, and 60 percent of building emissions are generated by single family and small multi-family homes. Transitioning these homes to clean energy is a core component of Massachusetts’s ambitious goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions in the year 2050.

The Energy Saver Home Loan Program is designed to accelerate the adoption of clean energy technologies by low- and moderate-income homeowners. 

The new loan program will provide flexible financing for a wide range of residential clean energy projects that support emissions reduction and healthier homes. Eligible homeowners may use Energy Saver loans to finance health and safety improvements such as roof replacement and oil tank removal, home weatherization, electrical system upgrades, heat pumps, new efficient appliances and fixtures, and installation of rooftop solar panels, battery storage and EV charging stations. To receive financing through the program, home improvements must reduce total energy usage by at least 20 percent.

The Energy Saver Home Loan Program is unique in its ability to finance a larger amount (up to $100,000) in home improvements, including improvement costs eligible for clean energy rebates, utility incentives and tax credits. Financing will feature affordable loan terms with no upfront cash required. The new loan program will finance the cost of approved improvements, with rebate and incentive proceeds – including existing Mass Save and new federal rebates expected to be made available later this year – being used to pay down a portion of the loan amount. This provides bridge financing, helping customers with the upfront costs associated with weatherization, electrification and solar projects while they await rebates and tax credits.

The MCCB financing will come in the form of a low-cost, long-term subordinate mortgage. Interest rates will range from 0.5 percent to 2 percent, depending on household income. Mortgages will have a 240-month term, allowing for lower monthly payments. Loans will include an 18-month interest-only period, providing consumers with low-cost bridge financing for clean energy incentive and rebate programs, and will be serviced at MassHousing’s Mortgage Servicing Center.

"The Energy Saver Home Loan Program takes advantage of MassHousing's statewide reach, high-touch customer service model, and expertise serving needs of lower and moderate-income homeowners," said MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay. "This new loan product will empower homeowners across Massachusetts to help advance our state’s ambitious clean energy goals, while slashing their home energy usage and making their homes healthier and more comfortable."

"The Energy Saver Home Loan Program is a game changer for our residents looking to get fossil fuels out of their home and reduce their energy costs," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "Reducing emissions from buildings are essential to meeting our climate targets. With the innovative solutions offered by the Climate Bank, Mass Save, and historic federal funds, Massachusetts residents will see more efficient, cleaner, healthier homes."

The Energy Saver Home Loan Program is designed specifically to meet the needs of low- and moderate-income homeowners.

The loan program will employ flexible underwriting requirements and repayment structures that will lower the monthly costs associated with clean energy improvements. The program builds on MassHousing’s existing network of partner lenders and the Agency’s decades of experience supporting Massachusetts homeowners.

The new loan program also offers new consumer supports not available through other publicly supported home energy programs across Massachusetts. The program will provide homeowners with wraparound customer service that will make clean energy improvements more accessible to consumers.

The MCCB will administer the Energy Saver Home Loan Program in partnership with service providers across Massachusetts, who will help consumers to develop a customized home improvement plan, find quality contractors, and access available rebates and incentives to make the project more affordable. The high-touch program model will reduce barriers and connect consumers with resources more quickly and effectively. All In Energy, the Cape Light Compact and CET will provide consumer-facing concierge services. Abode Energy Management will serve as the program’s statewide energy services provider.

The Energy Saver Home Loan Program is available to all income-qualified Massachusetts homeowners. The program may be used to finance energy improvements in either owner-occupied single-family homes, or in owner-occupied multifamily homes with up to 4 residential units. Homeowners earning less than 135 percent of the area median income are eligible for financing. Income limits vary by county and range from $190,775 in greater Boston to $124,875 in Berkshire County.

The MCCB has allocated up to $20 million for the program, with a goal of committing up to 1,000 loans over the next two years. The program is designed to be scaled up with federal Inflation Reduction Act resources.

MassHousing will work with a network of originating lenders to support the program. Participating lenders include Avidia Bank, Bank of Canton, Bristol County Savings Bank, Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank, Fall River Five Cents Savings Bank, Fidelity Cooperative Bank, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Holyoke Credit Union, Mill Cities Community Investments, Monson Savings Bank and The Cooperative Bank. The program is open immediately and homeowners may check their eligibility and begin the application process by visiting www.massclimatebank.com.

The MCCB is an ambitious new climate finance initiative announced by Governor Maura Healey in June 2023. Located within MassHousing, the MCCB’s initial focus is to support decarbonization strategies in the residential sector, specifically in the low- and moderate-income multifamily rental and single-family homeownership markets.

The MCCB is the first climate bank in the nation to launch with a specific focus on decarbonizing affordable housing. MassHousing is drawing on its decades of housing finance and investment expertise and lending capabilities serving these markets to advance the MCCB mission. The Climate Bank was established with $50 million in seed funding from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Climate Mitigation Trust. The Energy Saver Home Loan Program will utilize a portion that that seed funding.

From day one, the Healey-Driscoll administration has been committed to making Massachusetts a global leader in climate resilience and the clean energy economy. On Governor Healey’s first day in office, she established the nation’s first cabinet-level Climate Chief to coordinate climate policy across all executive agencies. Focused on making Massachusetts the world’s climate innovation lab, she recently proposed a $1 billion, 10-year investment in climatetech which will create thousands of good-paying jobs. Additionally, the administration has aligned state capital investment with mandated emissions reduction targets, established a clean energy innovation pathway for high school students, and filed an historic housing bond bill that would provide $150 million to decarbonize state-owned public housing and incentives for development of energy efficient, fossil-fuel-free homes.

​January 18, 2024
​FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: agoldstein@ninetywest.com

BOSTON — Local, state, and federal leaders came together yesterday to advocate for policy that protects Massachusetts residents from predatory third party electric suppliers. The call follows years of data illustrating that third party suppliers frequently rely on aggressive, misleading tactics and lead to massive consumer overpayment. 

In 1997, Massachusetts deregulated its electricity market, allowing customers to choose between their utility and third party suppliers. But as in other states with deregulated electricity, third party suppliers have failed to deliver promised benefits to residential customers; instead, they often charge exorbitant rates and lean on misleading marketing as well as aggressive - sometimes downright illegal - sales tactics.
​
Beginning in 2018, a series of reports by then-Attorney General Maura Healey and current Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell have documented consistent, significant consumer losses – including $525 million in overpayments between July 2015 and June 2021 – disproportionately impacting low income residents and people of color. 

“Our research in the Attorney General’s Office continues to show that vulnerable residents across Massachusetts are losing money when they sign contracts with competitive electric suppliers. This is an issue of economic security and energy injustice as we continue to see suppliers enrolling disproportionately high numbers of low-income residents and residents of color with false promises of savings on their utility bills,” said Liz Anderson, Chief of the Energy and Ratepayer Advocacy Division at the Attorney General’s Office, speaking on behalf of Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “With Senator Crighton and Representative Moran’s proposed legislation, there is a solution sitting at the State House that must be passed. Attorney General Campbell is proud to support this bill and will continue to push for its passage on behalf of consumers.”

In a recent letter to the Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey joined with U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-7) to urge regulators to “immediately open an investigation into the unfair and deceptive marketing acts and practices of competitive electric suppliers.”

“As winter continues and competitive electric suppliers across the nation continue to prey on fears of high electricity bills, we must not tolerate business as usual,” said US Senator Markey. “Consumers deserve protection, not deception. The green energy revolution must have a level playing field.”

In the City of Boston, some residents have paid suppliers as much as $300 extra per month compared to the City’s Community Choice Electricity (BCCE) program, at rates as high as $0.60/kWh. The City’s BCCE program offers consumers an alternative to basic utility service, including a 100% renewable option, that reduces costs while maintaining transparency and accountability. 
​
“Boston is one of the places where competitive electric suppliers have been most aggressive. These companies aggressively target low-income residents, seniors, in some instances members of the disabled community, Black and brown residents, immigrants, in particular those who don’t speak English as their first language,” said Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, Chief of Environment, Energy and Open Space for the City of Boston. “Many times, we are hearing about these same predatory companies misrepresenting themselves as part of the City of Boston program. I know this to be true because they made the mistake of coming to my front door and telling my husband that they were connected to the City’s program.” 

Rev. White-Hammond continued: “There has been more than enough opportunity for these companies to change their behavior. The fact that they continue to do these predatory practices is a choice, and a choice for which they should be held accountable.”

Across Massachusetts, there are 167 cities and towns with municipal aggregation — and more programs are pending approval from the Department of Public Utilities. A ban on third party suppliers from signing up new residential customers would not apply to  aggregations, preserving consumer choice and contributing to clean energy goals through the many programs that offer renewable options.  

“The evidence is clear: third party electric suppliers are frequently greenwashing through misleading pro-environmental marketing. Suppliers use consumers’ good intentions to jack up the price for a product that hurts consumers without really helping the planet. By contrast, most municipal aggregations offer renewable energy that can save consumers money and advance Massachusetts climate goals,” said Larry Chretien, President of the Green Energy Consumers Alliance.

“In the course of meeting community members and enrolling them in Mass Save programs and low-income community solar, we were reviewing their electric bills and seeing that many were on these harmful third party supply contracts, were carrying a balance, and were not enrolled in discounted rates even though they qualified for them,” said Gabe Shapiro, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, Partnerships at All in Energy. “In one campaign in Boston we directly supported 77 mostly low income residents. Many of these families were struggling to pay their bills. Over 40% were carrying a balance. More than half of these families were on third party supply contracts, and on average they were paying 43% more than they would have been if they were enrolled in the City’s Community Choice Electric program. Some residents didn’t even remember signing up for these contracts.”

Shapiro read a statement on behalf of Michelle, a resident from Dorchester who supports banning third party suppliers. “My father, who is an older member of the community, had an agreement with a third party supply company and they were charging him $0.49/kWh. Once the initial agreement expired, his energy bill doubled in price,” said Michelle. “Once my father applied and was approved through the City’s program, his electric bill came down tremendously.”

A bill by Massachusetts State Senator Brendan Crighton and State Representative Frank Moran would ban third party suppliers from signing up new residential customers. The ban would not apply to commercial customers or municipal aggregations. 

“Because competitive suppliers are able to charge whatever rates they want without approval from the state, too many customers get charged more as a result. Many customers don’t know what they’re signing up for, or are even signed up without their knowledge. These tactics are predatory and deplorable. We must put a stop to it,” said State Senator Brendan Crighton. "Our legislation would help these folks by preventing suppliers from entering into new contracts with individual residential retail customers. This will end the patchwork solutions to this pervasive problem and put a stop to these harmful practices once and for all.” 

As the Massachusetts State Legislature moves forward on a large climate package, it has the opportunity to put an end to third party suppliers' legacy of harming Massachusetts customers. Opposing the move are third party electric suppliers and industry associations. Supporting the ban are Attorney General Campbell, Mayor of Boston Michelle Wu, Governor Maura Healey, and many clean energy and consumer protection advocates. 

A recording of yesterday’s virtual briefing is available to interested media upon request, as well as any additional inquiries relative to the third party electric supplier industry. 

Hello everyone, my name is Ana Lucia Lopez, and it's a pleasure to share a little bit of my journey with you.

I'm originally from Colombia and have been living in the U.S. for 8 years. Back in my college days at Bunker Hill Community College, I was studying Visual Design, and eager to find an internship that would not only help me grow my skills but also contribute to my professional growth.

My journey with All In Energy began in 2020, at a time when I felt like I was riding a roller coaster. We were navigating through the challenges of a global pandemic, I was far away from my family, and in a political environment that created doubts about my immigration status. 

So all of those things combined weighed me down, a sentiment very familiar to many immigrants. There's a constant struggle with feeling undervalued when English isn't your first language and you weren't born here. 

As many of you know, All In Energy turned five years old this year! As this year comes to a close, I’ve been thinking about what we’ve accomplished in our first five years as an organization. I wanted to share a quick recap of the tremendous growth we’ve had since we started in spring 2018 and share some of what is so exciting about where we are today.

Thinking back a little over 5 years ago, Gabe and I didn’t even know each other! We were introduced by a professor at BU and, after a 2 hour conversation over coffee, Gabe invited me to join him in launching a new nonprofit All In Energy with a mission to accelerate an inclusive clean energy economy. The vision was to bring energy efficiency and renewable energy programs to underserved communities and to leverage this work to create first-time career-launching clean energy jobs for diverse candidates. Looking back, I hardly knew this guy, but I took the biggest risk of my career and said yes. Boy am I glad I did. ​