Low and Moderate Income Report
Executive Summary
New Jersey has ambitious climate and clean energy goals, which include an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 2006 levels by 2050 and 100 percent clean energy by 2035, as outlined in the Global Warming Response Act (GWRA),1 the Energy Master Plan (EMP),2 and Executive Order 315.3 Building electrification is integral to meeting these goals, especially in the low- and moderate-income (LMI) multifamily housing sector,4 as this building stock represents a significant portion of energy use and emissions and intersects directly with equity and affordability
concerns.
This report evaluates the barriers and opportunities to electrify New Jersey’s existing and new LMI multifamily housing stock. The report identifies actionable strategies to support an equitable transition toward clean, electric, multifamily affordable housing (MFAH) through interviews, focus groups, data analysis, and policy review.
Study Purpose
The study assesses the potential for electrifying New Jersey’s existing and new LMI multifamily housing stock. As the state intensifies efforts to decarbonize the built environment, electrification of LMI multifamily housing has emerged as both a policy priority and a social, economic, and technical challenge. Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 3165 established a goal to make 10 percent of LMI properties electrification-ready by 2030. For this study, LMI multifamily housing refers to housing units occupied by households at or below 80 percent area median income in buildings with five or more units. Through focus groups, interviews, and data and policy analysis, this research identifies electrification barriers and opportunities facing LMI multifamily stakeholders (i.e., developers, investors, facility managers, tenants, utilities, and designers) to inform New Jersey’s existing electrification efforts.