Committee forwards home energy score ordinance with 150% AMI subsidy cap

The General Government Committee voted to forward to the City Council a proposed ordinance to add a new chapter (15.22) for a residential energy performance rating and disclosure program.

Alyssa, the presenter and regional collaborative lead for workforce development, said the draft ordinance was amended to set 150% of area median income (AMI) as the upper eligibility cap for subsidies after council feedback that an 80% AMI threshold was likely too low. She displayed HUD AMI figures for Tumwater and said 100% AMI was $122,880; 150% AMI therefore equates to $184,320. "We've amended the language ... it's 150% area median income as the top income cap for being recipients of the subsidy," Alyssa said.

Alyssa also clarified that a standard home inspection is primarily a visual review for structural and safety defects, while a home energy score audit measures energy use and loss, inputs measured and modeled data (including insulation depth and R‑values) to produce a ranked list of retrofit suggestions and estimated savings. She noted the U.S. Department of Energy sets standards for home energy scores.

On implementation, Alyssa said Thurston County has released a request for qualifications for a national service provider that could provide quality assurance, IT systems, regional reporting and compliance monitoring; the county expects the contract to go before the Board of County Commissioners in early August. She said workforce development for assessors, a communications plan and program monitoring are underway, and jurisdictions that adopt the ordinance hope to launch relevant program elements by spring 2027.

A motion to place the ordinance on the July 21 City Council consideration calendar with a recommendation to approve and authorize the mayor to sign was moved and seconded; committee members discussed whether the item should be on consideration or consent but ultimately voted to forward it to council.