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Council adopts CPACE financing program allowing voluntary energy/water efficiency projects
Summary
After a staff presentation and questions about administration and lender priority, the council adopted Resolution 24091 to establish a CPACE program for Coeur d’Alene, providing a voluntary mechanism for property owners to secure long‑term financing for energy and water improvements with a $500 application fee and a 1% service fee capped at $50,000 per project.
The City Council voted to adopt Resolution No. 24091, establishing a Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (CPACE) program for Coeur d’Alene under enabling state legislation (cited in the staff presentation as Idaho Code, Chapter 67, §38).
Staff described CPACE as a voluntary financing mechanism that allows private property owners to finance energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation improvements through a lender; the loan is repaid via a special assessment attached to the property tax bill. Staff said the city’s role is administrative: receive applications, confirm they meet statutory and program criteria, sign necessary city documents, and certify assessments to the county tax roll. Staff emphasized the program creates no direct city liability and said the city would receive a $500 application fee and be entitled to a 1% service fee of the project value up to a $50,000 cap per project (the presentation said the city would be entitled to $500 per application and up to $50,000 total per project at 1% of project value).
Councilors asked technical and consumer‑protection questions: whether the city has capacity to administer the program (finance director reviewed materials and raised no staffing concerns), whether the assessment is superior to other liens, and what disclosure to other lenders is required. Staff said CPACE assessments are treated like a property tax assessment for collection and are generally superior to mortgage liens (staff cited that CPACE liens are secondary only to property tax), and that lenders and borrowers must be informed by standard disclosure. One councilor raised concerns about potential consumer harms and cited cases where CPACE programs have been controversial; another councilor said the Marriott had been an early proponent and that a local hotel project could be a near‑term user of the program.
After public comment (none signed), a motion to adopt the program guidebook and forms passed on roll call. The transcript records one 'no' vote (Councilor Gookin) and otherwise affirmative votes, and the motion passed.
Clarifying note: staff reported a statutory and program structure that requires the assessment be attached to the property and collectable in the same way as other tax assessments; questions raised by councilers about loan‑to‑cost caps and lender practices were answered in part by staff and will be part of implementation oversight.
Next steps: staff will administer the program under the adopted guidebook and forms, accept applications from property owners and coordinate with lenders; the city will publish program materials and accept inquiries through the finance department.
