The Yonkers Housing Authority (YHA) and The Group Builders (TCB) have labored collectively for greater than a decade to redevelop the Forties-era Cottage Place Gardens public housing complicated into The Ridgeway, a contemporary mixed-income group in Southwest Yonkers.
So far, the six-phase grasp plan has constructed 327 reasonably priced rental items with one other 81 set to be accomplished this month and 92 extra design items. The primary two phases of The Ridgeway include three multifamily buildings with 172 items situated at 33 and 43 Ashburton Avenue and 188 Warburton Avenue in downtown Yonkers. These buildings, accomplished in 2015 and 2016, are designed as solar-ready, with roofs that may accommodate the extra load from future photo voltaic photovoltaic programs.
When the Metropolis of Yonkers amended its constructing code in December 2020 to permit group photo voltaic initiatives, YHA and TCB determined to proceed retrofitting the roofs of those buildings with photo voltaic panels. TCB is working with Resonant Vitality, a photo voltaic firm that makes a speciality of serving reasonably priced housing and different non-profits, to assist authorize and develop customized financing for photo voltaic initiatives which might be equally diminished. residents’ electrical energy payments, whereas additionally offering financial savings on the buildings’ common electrical energy prices. .
A photo voltaic group is a program designed in order that electrical energy financial savings generated by photo voltaic panels in a single location might be shared amongst a number of subscribers within the utility supplier’s service space along with the proprietor of the constructing that hosts the system. ..
By means of this program, Sunwealth Energy, a regional photo voltaic financing firm, will personal and keep 345 photo voltaic panels, over 140 kilowatts DC, on three roofs. Constructing homeowners will buy electrical energy in trade for electrical energy invoice credit with a internet estimated financial savings of $229,000 over 25 years that can go towards offsetting the electrical energy prices of working these buildings. 172 Warburton, the fourth part of the grasp plan, opened final fall with 183 roof-top photo voltaic panels; the fifth part, 178 Warburton, is being constructed with 154 photo voltaic panels; the sixth part is anticipated to have greater than 200 panels.
As a group photo voltaic program, TCB and YHA will have the ability to share the financial savings with 19 residents on a primary come first serve foundation. There isn’t any price to residents and financial savings are estimated at $200/12 months/family.
A resident who indicators up will proceed to obtain their month-to-month utility invoice from Con Edison and, from the time the photo voltaic is accomplished and related to the grid, they are going to see a credit score towards their present payments. The set up of the panels at 33 and 43 Ashburton Avenue and 188 Warburton Avenue is full and interconnection with the electrical energy grid system is anticipated earlier than the tip of the 12 months.
“Sustainability is a prime precedence of my administration. I commend the Yonkers Housing Authority and The Group Builders for growing this necessary and progressive Group Photo voltaic program. Not solely does it assist scale back our carbon footprint it additionally supplies financial savings in the price of power for the residents. It is a win-win for our metropolis,” mentioned Mayor Mike Spano.
“I used to be just lately in DC attending a gathering of the Nationwide Environmental Justice Advisory Council the place it was clear that many different communities can’t or have no idea methods to present rooftop photo voltaic in reasonably priced housing developments. . However right here in Yonkers, working with Mayor Mike Spano’s Administration and our group improvement companions, TCB, we have made it occur,” mentioned Wilson Kimball, President and CEO of the Yonkers Housing Authority.
“Group Builders is dedicated to sustainability and is worked up to put in photo voltaic expertise at The Ridgeway to advertise clear power with our companions on the Yonkers Housing Authority,” mentioned Jesse Batus, Vice President of Growth at The Group Builders. “Due to Mayor Spano’s management, the Metropolis of Yonkers’ progressive zoning welcomes photo voltaic options that decrease utility use and scale back electrical energy prices. We’re proud to companion with the Yonkers Housing Authority to create extra reasonably priced housing. environment friendly and extra sustainable communities in Yonkers.
