Sustainable Property Improvements

Solar energy provides clean, renewable energy, can help lower utility bills, and can improve the value of a property.

A solar feasibility study for Miami-Dade County, released in October 2018, evaluated the feasibility of on-site solar energy generation and use at County properties. With technical assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the initial screening revealed 238 County facilities had suitable roof areas for photovoltaic panels. Potential installation of photovoltaic panels at the facilities were determined to have a total solar photovoltaic capacity of 61,725 kW and an annual solar energy production of 87,855,519 (87.8 million) kWh.

• Solar Installations - Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology has been integrated into many facilities throughout the County, including parks, school crosswalks and over 900 bus shelters
• SolSmart Gold Designation - SolSmart recognizes local governments for making it faster, easier and cheaper to go solar. Miami-Dade County has a bronze designation
• Read details on solar photovoltaic permitting

Solar cooperatives for bulk purchasing and shared contracting

Solar United Neighbors is a nonprofit that organizes the Miami Dade Solar Purchasing Cooperatives program. This program facilitates lower pricing through bulk purchasing of solar photovoltaic equipment and special contractor pricing.

The program is open to all single-family homeowners and small business owners in Miami-Dade County who would like to benefit from the advantages of going solar. Each cooperative serves as a neutral third-party organization to educate property owners about solar, bring homeowners together and provide unbiased, installer neutral support to participants who are transitioning to solar power.

Learn more about Solar Bulk Purchasing Cooperatives, including upcoming information sessions.

Read the Solar United Neighbors - Solar Information Session presentation.

Miami-Dade County homeowners, businesses and industries in unincorporated Miami-Dade County interested in solar panels, hurricane windows and other energy saving upgrades now have another financing option through the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program.

PACE allows property owners to receive upfront financing for a variety of energy-related home improvements, then repay the debt through voluntary assessments on their property tax bills.

Although the County has to authorize PACE programs to operate in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, the County does not administer or operate the programs in any way. All contractual PACE agreements are between property owners and the PACE district, a non-County entity.

To foster competition and protect consumers, Miami-Dade County has included compliance requirements in its agreements with each PACE provider such as provisions for clear communication with customers, disclosure of all fees and risks associated with participating in the program, prepayment penalties and hardship exceptions, and mandatory data reporting.

To request a copy of a data report from one of the approved PACE providers, call the resilience department at 305-375-5593 or send an email to [email protected].

Currently, the County has an agreement with four districts to provide services to Unincorporated Miami-Dade County.

Authorized by Miami-Dade County to provide services in Unincorporated Miami-Dade County:

Florida Green Finance Authority
Administered by Renew Financial Group, LLC
Phone: 844-589-7953
[email protected]
Florida Green Finance Authority Related Agreements

Florida PACE Funding Agency
Phone: 850-400-PACE (7223)
[email protected]
www.FloridaPACE.Gov
Florida PACE Funding Agency Related Agreements 

Florida Resiliency and Energy District (FRED)
Administered by Renovate America
Phone: 877-747-4889
[email protected]
FRED Related Agreements

Green Corridor Property Assessment Clean Energy District
Administered by Ygrene Energy Fund
Phone: 305-569-0015 or 855-965-7283
[email protected]
Green Corridor Related Agreements

Effective immediately, Ygrene has suspended all PACE operations including funding.  Ygrene is working hard to secure potential funding sources, however, there is no set date for when operations will resume.
This suspension results in the suspension of Ygrene PACE financing only. It does not cancel any home improvement contracts. Property owners and Contractors should coordinate on any obligations under their contract and seek alternate forms of financing. Even Financial may be able to assist with obtaining non-PACE financing. The application with Even Financial is available through Ygrene.com. Ygrene apologizes for any inconvenience.

Miami-Dade County does not endorse any PACE provider, administrator or contractor. Therefore, any flyers, signs, or advertisements that you may encounter using the Miami-Dade County name or logo to imply endorsement are improper and misleading.

PACE is a financing tool that is available to property owners in unincorporated Miami-Dade County to finance specific types of property improvements. Other types of financing tools are available. Miami-Dade County does not guarantee that PACE financing is the best financing option for you. It is up to you to make the best financial decision for yourself. 

Miami-Dade County does not endorse any PACE provider, administrator or contractor.  Therefore any flyers, signs, or advertisements that you may encounter using the Miami-Dade County name or logo to imply endorsement are improper and misleading. 

It’s important to know that property owners are legally the ultimate responsible party for all property improvements and must ensure that all governing jurisdiction-required permits have been applied for, inspections have been performed, and proof of final approval(s) has been obtained from the contractors, companies or consultants that you hire/contract with. Even if property owners use contractors or consultants that are approved or affiliated with a particular PACE administrator or similar program, ultimately, the property owner is responsible for the work a contractor or company performs on their property. Here are some key points to be aware of: 

Contractor Elements:

• Property owners should refer to these tips and the referenced links to ensure that all improvements to their property meets federal, state, and local regulations and laws.
• If a property owner uses contractors or consultants approved or affiliated with a particular PACE administrator or similar program, the property owner is advised to inquire what screening process the PACE administrator has used to approve the contractor(s). The property owner should conduct their own research on the contractor(s) and make sure the contractor(s) meets all the requirements of the governing jurisdiction(s) for the type of work to be performed, as the property owner is considered to be the responsible party for any improvements to their property, even if property owners use contractors or consultants that are approved or affiliated with a particular PACE administrator or similar program.  Consult with your PACE administrator as to whether you can use or choose your own contractors, as many PACE programs allow this.
• In particular, property owners must ensure and are strongly advised to obtain proof from contractors, subcontractors, or companies performing work on the property owner’s property that:
  • All contractors, subcontractors, or companies performing work on the property are authorized by governing jurisdictions through a license or certification to perform the specific type of work) that they are undertaking at the property.  For example, a painting contractor cannot perform roofing work unless they also have a license to perform roofing work.
  • All contractors have pulled permit(s) from the governing jurisdiction for each and every project element requiring permits.
  • All contractors have requested and obtained permit inspections (including final permit inspection)  from the governing jurisdiction for each and every project element requiring permits.
  • All contractors have received all final inspection approval(s) from the governing jurisdiction for each and every project element and have provided proof of these approval(s) to the property owner.
• Property owners are strongly advised to have proof of final inspection approval(s) for each and every project element prior to approving / requesting payment from the PACE District Administrator to the contractor.  It is recommended that property owners do NOT sign off on any type of “Notice of Completion” form or a form stating they are satisfied with their property improvements until proof of final inspection approval(s) from the governing jurisdiction(s) for each and every project element has been provided to the property owner and the work has been done to the satisfaction of the property owner.  For example, a window replacement final inspection and approval would be handled separately from a solar photovoltaic system final inspection and approval.
• A project should not be considered complete nor satisfactory until each and every type of property improvement requiring a permit has received final inspection and approval, with proof being provided to property owner AND each and every project component has been completed to the property owner’s satisfaction.
• Final inspection approvals can also be found online by searching for “permit project status.” 
• You can contact the County’s Contractor Licensing unit at 786-315-2880 to determine if contractors have been licensed for work by Miami-Dade County, whether any complaints have been filed about the contractor, and whether the contractor has current liability and worker’s compensation insurance in effect, as is required of licensed contractors.
• The Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) regulates licensed contractors and provides enforcement against unlicensed contractors. Contact Contractor Enforcement at 786-315-2424, or dialing 311, or email RER-[email protected] to verify if there are any complaints against the contractor. 
• You may also contact the State of Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) at 850-487-1395 or check online to determine if the contractor is licensed, insured, or has complaints/violations on record.

Financing Elements:

• PACE is a financing program (not a rebate or grant) through which the property owner agrees to pay back the financed amount on their annual property tax bill through a legal contract between the property owner and their selected PACE provider.
• PACE providers are private companies that administer PACE programs. PACE providers are also known as PACE administrators. PACE programs are not operated by Miami-Dade County.
• If you agree to obtain PACE financing, your annual property tax bill will increase. If you pay your taxes through escrow, your monthly mortgage payments will also increase.
• PACE financing is considered a Non-Ad Valorem Property Assessment.
• Miami-Dade County does not charge property owners any fees regarding PACE. There are administrative fees and interest associated with PACE financing from the PACE providers - and those vary depending which PACE provider you choose.
• PACE financing is recorded against the property as an assessment. The tax lien is in the first position, meaning that if a homeowner goes into default, the PACE provider gets paid before any other creditors, including the lender(s) that hold the mortgage.
• Failure to pay a PACE assessment is treated the same as nonpayment of taxes. Nonpayment by property owners puts a residential or commercial building at risk of foreclosure and default on the property owner’s traditional mortgage.
• PACE assessments don’t always show up on the first tax bill; they often show up in the second tax cycle, so property owners may find themselves in a situation of having to pay more (up to double) the first year. You should call your mortgage servicer immediately if you choose PACE financing.
• Due to the tax bill cycle, a prepayment made to your PACE provider between July - November could result in an inaccurate tax bill.
• For the most part, conventional loan institutions (i.e. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac) and some banks currently won't lend on a property unless the PACE debt is settled in full prior to closing (selling the property) or refinancing.
• Property owners must notify potential buyers that there is a PACE assessment on the property prior to sale.

• Call SELF representative Juliana Orozco at 305-502-1814 
• Email [email protected] 
• Read more online.