Citizen Portal
Sign In

City staff propose workshop series and resource hub for electrification outreach

ECC (advisory committee) · January 9, 2026

Loading...

AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Staff presented an electrification outreach and education plan centered on a workshop series, office hours and an online resource hub (a reworked —navigator' concept) to help residents access incentives and technical assistance; committee members suggested broader branding and clear separation from formal policy engagement.

City staff outlined a community-facing outreach plan for electrification on Jan. 14, proposing a hybrid workshop series, follow-up office hours and a resource hub on the city website to host recordings and materials. The initiative repackages elements of an earlier "energy navigator" concept to prioritize accessible education and connections to trusted partners rather than a single, city-run caseworker service.

"We've revamped the website, run in-person events, grown newsletter subscribers and piloted community partnerships," the presenter said while asking for feedback on workshop topics and branding. Staff proposed a slate of workshops tailored to homeowners, renters and low-income residents, plus technical sessions for multifamily housing, weatherization, health-and-air-quality co-benefits, and statewide policy context. Staff said community partners would deliver many presentations and receive compensation for their time.

Committee members debated whether to retain the "navigator" label or brand the program as "efficiency and electrification" or a similar phrase that may be clearer to the public. Several members urged separating policy engagement from assistance: use workshops to connect residents to retrofit resources and trusted organizations while keeping formal policy-decision processes (council and any joint committee) distinct and clearly labeled.

Staff said planning and partner coordination will continue over the next two months, a resource hub will be built, and a pilot workshop is expected to launch in spring. Additional elements under consideration include free home energy audits and targeted outreach via community partners to improve attendance among underrepresented audiences.