I write this obituary in loving memory of Barbara Jean Kanen, born October 8, 1948. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 9, 2024. I know obituaries are usually short and to the point, but there is no way to quickly sum up this amazing woman’s 75+ years of life. She deserves to have books written about her, but this will have to do for now. Hopefully by the end of this you’ll feel like you know Barb a bit better.

Where do I start? Barbara, Barb, Barbie, GG, Grandma Um, Grandma Jean, she really was a woman of many names. Please call her whatever you want to call her, just never call her Babs.

Barbara was born in Washington, and she was raised in Humboldt County where she remained her whole life. Barbara was the second oldest of 4 sisters, whom she absolutely adored.

Barbara spent her early life on farms and ranches while her father, Lowell Kanen, worked as a ranch hand and caretaker. She occasionally could be found helping him, but more often up to no good. She used to tell us stories about teasing bulls with brooms, dangling from the barn rafters, laying in fields playing dead waiting for the vultures to come get her, harassing the cattle, and generally being up to no good. When she wasn’t helping her dad and causing trouble, she was helping her mother, Bobbie Kanen, out with the more domestic side of life. Barb loved cooking, gardening and sewing with her mom, but she had some other hobbies as well. Such as giving bouquets of poison oak, jumping out of a second story window (at the age of 2) and in general giving her mom a run for her money. Eventhough Barb was the second oldest of her siblings, she was typically the leader in trouble making, teasing boys, and getting into trouble.

Barbara attended Fortuna Junior Academy, until the 10th grade where she went to Rio Lindo Academy and Lodi Academy to complete her high-school education.

She had developed a knack for baking and spent several years working at the little bakery in Fortuna, called Better Bread Bakery, and wedding cakes were her favorite to make. She made dozens of wedding cakes over the years.

Barbara got married in 1969, the following year her oldest daughter, Robyn was born. In 1972 her youngest daughter, Janet was born. She took in her son, Tim several years later. Barbara divorced 16 years into her marriage and continued raising her children as a single mother. Barbara went on to raise her oldest granddaughter, also named Robyn, as well. She taught us all of the skills we needed to be strong independent women, and that it’s possible to make it on your own.

Barbara was a devout Seventh Day Adventist and truly lived her life for God. She dedicated over 20 years of her life to volunteering as the Dorcas director for the local SDA church community service center, helping the homeless, running food drives and toy drives, filling bellies with warm food and giving people a warm place to sleep. She had an incredible singing voice, she often enjoyed doing the special music for the church service, singing hymns and praising God. She was also one of the church florists for many years and provided the church with bouquet arrangements for church service. Barb really did dedicate her life to volunteering for the church in every shape and form.

Barb was also a Pathfinder leader for several years, teaching multiple badges and honors, including the sewing and birdwatching honor, organizing camping trips, backpacking trips, camporees and fundraiser events.

She also spent many years helping with the SDA Redwood Area Camp Meeting meal program, treasury and coordination.

Barbara was a professional yenta, jack of all trades, animal lover, and a force of nature on her own. She had an answer for just about everything, a solution and a method, followed by 3 alternate options if the first answer wasn’t right. Barb was fiercely independent, hard headed and opinionated. She had a deep love for the outdoors and spent many deer seasons hunting with a bow & arrow, camping, backpacking, and exploring.

Along with her love for the outdoors of course came a love for birdwatching, agate hunting, wildflower picking and weather watching. I have spent countless hours, and I mean countless, sitting in the car being as quiet as a little kid could be waiting for whatever fancy bird she was prowling for to show up. Does anyone else remember calling the Audubon hotline for local rare bird sightings? I sure do.

In the first part of spring we would go pick wildflowers and she taught us how to perfectly press them, identify them, and she taught us what they could be used for. We have spent hours at the beach sifting through sand, building sandcastles and comparing who got the biggest agate of the day. She loved chasing storms, sitting in the rain, and watching the surf get way too close for comfort.

Aside from her love of birds and flowers, Barbara found tons of joy in her hobbies, primarily sewing and embroidery, painting and making floral arrangements. With her love of sewing she also became titled the family seamstress. She spent many years quilting with the church ladies making baby blankets for families and church members in need, sewing clothes for her girls, making dresses and blouses for herself, and every year at Christmas her grandkids got a set of homemade PJs. Barb also loved music, you could find her humming along to Willie Nelson, Marty Robbins, or a hymn almost constantly.

She shared her love of sewing with her daughters and granddaughters, she taught us to embroider and make our own clothes, she taught us how to fix, repair and maintain anything and everything, she taught us survival skills, hunting, cooking, baking, cleaning and above all she taught us patience.

Barbara lived life on her own terms, and nobody could change that. She was stubborn and loving, and was pretty sure she was always right. Most of the time, turns out, she was.

She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Lowell & Bobbie Kanen, and she leaves behind her two daughters, Janet, and Robyn, her adopted son, Tim, her granddaughters, Kitana and Robyn, and her great grandchildren, Marshall, Saphira and Christina. She preceded her 3 sisters and their husband’s in death, and far too many distant relatives to list. Of course we have to mention her precious dog Bella.

Barb absolutely adored her family, but her great grandchildren were really the light of her life in these recent years.

There’s a lot more I could say about Grandma Jean, no words can sum up her life, but I hope this gave you some insight into the kind of woman she was.

Barbara’s celebration of life will be held March 10, 2024 at 1 p.m. in the Fortuna Seventh Day Adventist Dining Room. Please join us in her memory.

In lieu of flowers please make a small donation to Fortuna Dorcas, or the SDA church flower fund.

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Charles Earl Clinton went home to be with Jesus at the age of 87, on January 8, 2024, with his wife, Patti holding his hand. He was born in March 1936, to J.D. and Mamie Clinton in Hochatown, Oklahoma.

In 1956, Charles left Oklahoma upon graduation from Eagletown High School to never again farm. He came out to Roseburg, Oregon, with friends looking for work. After a short period of time, he moved to California and eventually settled in McKinleyville.

Charles was drafted into the US Army in 1959. His basic training was in Ft. Hood, Texas; then he was sent to Ft. Lee, Virginia. He had to leave his dearly loved 1956 Chevy in Hochatown because he couldn’t afford the additional car insurance to keep it on base. When Charles was shipped to Germany, he served in Kaiserslautern and Pirmasens. After released from active duty to serve his remaining time in the Army Reserve, he was recalled, during the Berlin Crisis, and sent to Ft. Lewis, Washington, to complete his remaining service obligations.

Charles worked in the lumber industry for many years before being hired by the City of Arcata and spending his last 23 years as a backhoe operator. He retired from the City in 1998.

Charles loved hunting and fishing. His pride and joy were his two deer mounts, Bucky and Bucky II. He relished showing these to any and all who stepped in our home, including workmen off the street. He prized his North River fishing boat and spent many a day on the ocean fishing for salmon.

Charles was a friend to all in our neighborhood. His family is grateful for the kindness and help he received from our neighbors in his final years. From baked treats, to help around the property and chopping wood, we knew they were quick to make themselves available.

Charles especially enjoyed the time he spent with his son Mike. He loved Mike with all his heart and wanted to see him or talk to him every day. Mike was always available to help him with every need.

Charles was predeceased by his parents, Joseph Daniel (J.D.) Clinton and Mamie Clinton, and his seven siblings: Joseph Clinton, Janelle Penner and spouse Deryle, Marvena Shelley and spouse Jerry, Beatrice Smith and spouse Ken, Inez Hudson and spouse Bennie, Patsye Roberts, Nelda Coulter and spouse Howard, his aunt Vivian Johnson, his nephew Daniel Shelley; and good friends Bill Hogan, Al Benham and Jim Dimmick.

Charles is survived by his wife Patricia Clinton of 38 years, his son Michael Clinton (Katrina) of McKinleyville, his daughter Earline Pickens of Locksburg, Arkansas; his step-sons Walter Butterfield (Jamie) of Haiku, Hawaii, and Chris Butterfield (Dawna) of Hillsboro, Oregon; his grandchildren Nichole Zubiri (Cameron), Haley Gentry, Taylor Butterfield, Dana Butterfield, Jacob Butterfield, and Alyssa Kramer; his great grandchildren Walker Zubiri and Kannon Kramer; his brother-in-law Jerry Roberts; numerous nieces and nephews; and his best buddy Earl Dimmick.

Charles spent his final days in Mad River Community Hospital surrounded by his loving family. In fact, he was moved to a larger room to accommodate us. The family wants to thank the caring support that Charles and family received from the staff at MRCH.

To abide by Charles’s wishes (“no big to-do”), a private family service was held for Charles at New Heart Community Church on January 21, 2024. His ashes will be spread at his favorite hunting and fishing places.

Bill Richard Diffin, aged 49, passed away peacefully on January 23, 2024, in Fortuna. Born on September 16, 1974, in Modesto to Clara Diffin and the late William Richard Diffin, Billy, as he was affectionately known, was a beacon of joy and generosity throughout his life.

A proud alumnus of Fortuna High School, Billy was wholeheartedly devoted to his family, prioritizing their care and welfare above all else. He was a familiar face and a friend to many, known for his unwavering willingness to lend a helping hand and a smile that could brighten anyone’s day. Beyond his dedication to his loved ones, Billy and Clara were members of the Rio Dell Baptist Church community.

Billy’s passion for life was evident in his personal interests. An avid storyteller, he enjoyed recounting life’s moments while indulging in his favorite shows. His playful spirit came alive through his love for food, especially his fondness for beef jerky and Subway sandwiches, often sharing this delight with his nephew Charlie. Billy’s sense of humor and jovial disposition will be remembered by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Left to honor Billy’s memory are his mother, Clara Diffin; his son, Dakota Diffin; his cherished grandchildren, Connor and CW; his ex-wife and best friend, Patricia Diffin; sister, Amanda Johnson; brother-in-law, Charles Persinger; nephews, Dillon Moore and Charlie Persinger; great nephew, Tanner Moore; cousins, Larry Hall, Doris Hurdle, and Stan Calkins; sister-in-law, Cindy Jones; brother-in-law, Kent Jones; and nephew, Garrett Jones. Billy is also preceded in death by his daughter, Kelsey Lee Diffin.

Billy will be cremated as per his wishes. A celebration of his life will be announced and held at a later date. The family welcomes donations in Billy’s memory to a GoFundMe page, the details of which will be provided shortly.

The Diffin family has entrusted Gobles Mortuary with the arrangements. Billy’s absence will be deeply felt, but his spirit and the memories shared will continue to live on in the hearts of those who loved him.

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At a special, single-topic meeting that lasted more than six hours on Friday, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors denied an appeal aimed at blocking a McKinleyville subdivision and housing development project, instead approving a modified, slightly downsized version of the project. 

The original proposal, which was approved by the Planning Commission back in November, calls for a 2.47-acre property near the future Town Center to be subdivided into 19 parcels and developed with 62 new housing units, some multi-family, others single-family, built in two-story townhome style.

McKinleyville resident Laura Peterson speaking on behalf of the appellants, dubbed the Coalition for Responsible Housing.

The appellants, a group of neighboring residents going by the name the Coalition for Responsible Housing, raised a number of objections to the project, including its density, height (and resulting shadows), potential fire and flooding hazards and the fact that it never went through an official design review process, as required by statute.

In presenting the facts, history and regulatory context of the project, Planning and Building Director John Ford highlighted the county’s profound need for housing and the increasing difficulty of getting it built in California – and Humboldt County, in particular.

Regarding the design review requirement, Ford said that absent an official committee, the board itself could serve that function during today’s hearing. He also noted that larger and denser housing development is principally permitted on the site.

The public comment period was dominated by neighbors of the project, who insisted that they are not NIMBYs and not against housing generally but feel this particular project is inappropriate for the area.

“[W]e are more than willing to provide our fair share of housing,” said Laura Peterson, a member of the neighborhood coalition. “We just want it to be beautiful housing that fits with the character of our neighborhood, and we don’t think the goal of housing and the goal of beauty are mutually exclusive.”

Developer Dane Valadao addresses county supervisors.

Developer and applicant Dane Valadao, who lives near the project site with his family, said he purchased the property in 2019 because it was already zoned for multi-family housing and seemed perfect for development.

“We liked this property because it’s the definition of infill and well located for walkability purposes,” he said. Later he added, “We are invested socially, financially and professionally in our community. We live in this neighborhood, about two blocks up the streets, with no plans to move. We’re very involved locally and want this to be a successful development as much as anybody.”

During the deliberation process among the board, Supervisor Steve Madrone, who represents the McKinleyville-inclusive Fifth District, advocated largely on behalf of the appellants’ concerns, and he suggested a series of potential modifications to the project, including reducing one row of townhomes to a single story. However, the motion he wound up making failed for lack of a second.

After further deliberations, county staff met in a closed room with both the appellants and the applicant. The opposing sides emerged having arrived at “an uncomfortable consensus” regarding a compromised version of the project.

The revised plan reduced the number of lots from 19 to 17 and the total number of units from 62 to 56. The spacing of lots on the western property line will be expanded to increase green space, and among other conditions, Valadao agreed to attempt to form a Permanent Road Division that would fund road maintenance. Speed bumps and a crosswalk will be added to the design and must be approved by the Department of Public Works.

Furthermore, four of the planned “half-plexes” will be reduced to two single-story, single-family residences, and hydrological studies will be conducted.

The board unanimously denied the appeal and approved the revised project.

PREVIOUSLY: Environmental Review Period Begins for California Offshore Wind Lease Areas

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The environmental review process for the development of the Humboldt Offshore Wind Lease Area has begun, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) wants to hear from you!

Last month, BOEM released a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) that will analyze the potential impacts of offshore wind development in the five offshore wind lease areas off the California coast, two of which are located about 20 miles off Humboldt Bay. The release of the NOI initiated a 60-day public comment period that will inform the scope and alternatives of the PEIS.

“Based on a preliminary evaluation of these resources, BOEM estimates that potential impacts may occur on certain marine life from underwater noise caused by construction and on marine mammals from collisions with project-related vessel traffic,” according to BOEM. “Structures installed by the projects could permanently change benthic and fish habitats. Commercial fisheries (including Tribal fisheries) and recreational fishing could be impacted. Project structures may also pose an allision hazard to vessels.”

This environmental review period is one of the first steps in a years-long regulatory process that could culminate in the first commercial-scale floating offshore wind development in the United States, bringing the federal government one step closer to its goal of deploying 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy by 2030, and 15 GW of floating offshore wind energy by 2035.

The public comment period for the PEIS will end on Feb. 20. Those interested can share their comments online at this link. Snail mail must be labeled “California OSW PEIS” and sent to the Chief, Environmental Assessment Section, Office of Environment, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 760 Paseo Camarillo, Suite 102, Camarillo, Calif. 93010.

The virtual public scoping meetings will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. and Thursday, Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. More information, including the registration link, can be found below.

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Press release from BOEM:

On December 19, 2023, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS), which will analyze potential impacts of Federal offshore wind energy development activities on the five offshore wind lease areas off California’s central and northern coast. The NOI also initiated a 60-day comment period to solicit public feedback on the scope of the PEIS, including potential alternatives and draft mitigation measures. 

BOEM will host two virtual scoping meetings where the public can learn about the environmental review process and provide comments on the scope of the draft PEIS. The virtual scoping meetings will be held on:

Tuesday, February 6, 2024
10:00 am PT
Registration Link

Thursday, February 8, 2024
5:00 pm PT
Registration Link
 
Additional information on the California Offshore Wind PEIS can be found on the CA Offshore Wind PEIS page.

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DOCUMENT: Notice of Intent to file a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement

Thousands of volunteers fanned out across California this week, peering down alleyways, into parked cars and along creek beds in a mass effort to count the state’s homeless population.

The federally mandated census, done every two years and dubbed the point-in-time count, serves as the main framework Californians use to understand their state’s homelessness crisis. The data it produces influence everything from allocations of state funding, to local policy decisions, to the way politicians talk about homelessness in campaign speeches.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which requires the counts every other year, compiles the data from across the country into an annual report submitted to Congress. Last year, the department tallied 181,399 unhoused Californians — 28% of the nation’s total homeless population. That’s up nearly 40% from five years ago.

But the counts, despite being mandated by federal law and serving as the basis for any number of decisions on California housing and homelessness policy, rely on unpaid volunteers and are far from an exact science. Different counties in California tally their numbers differently. Some attempt to talk to each person they count, while others use algorithms to estimate how many people live inside each tent and RV. Experts agree the real number is higher than the count.

“It is not a finite count,” said Tamera Kohler, CEO of the Regional Task Force on Homelessness in San Diego County. “It is at a minimum, you know you have this many people. …You’re going to miss some folks. You’re just not going to be able to get in every little area in that period of time.”

Several counties tested out new methods this year in an attempt to improve accuracy. In the last count, Alameda County volunteers were instructed to tally tents and RVs without bothering the people inside. This year, volunteers instead tried to talk to everyone inside those tents and RVs, and get them to answer a 15-minute survey.

Surveying the homeless

The sun hadn’t yet risen Thursday morning when Andrea Zeppa, homeless services regional coordinator at Alameda County Healthcare for the Homeless, led her team down a row of RVs parked along the side of a street in Berkeley. Each volunteer was equipped with a map speckled with red dots that signified known encampments. Bundled up against the early morning chill, they picked around piles of trash as a fluffy cat with a bell on its collar darted back and forth between the vehicles.

“Hello, hello,” Zeppa called softly. “I’m here for the homeless count. Anybody awake?” A generator powering one of the RVs droned in the background.

Across the street, 61-year-old volunteer Deidra Perry met a young woman in a long peasant skirt. She was living in a silver SUV adorned with a “Zombie outbreak response team” sticker in the rear window. As Perry asked her a series of increasingly personal questions about everything from her mental health to her HIV status, the woman revealed a glimpse into her life, and how she ended up on the street. She survived domestic violence in 2012, she said, and her post-traumatic stress disorder makes it impossible for her to sleep in a crowded homeless shelter. She sleeps on the streets when she isn’t working as a live-in nanny or house-sitting. At one point she’d had a tent, but it was stolen before she even had a chance to set it up.

As the sky began to lighten and birds started chirping, Perry typed the woman’s answers into an app on her phone. At the end of the interview, Perry handed her a $10 Safeway gift card. The woman thanked her, and Perry moved on.

“They’re tough questions to ask,” Perry said afterward. It was her first time participating in a point-in-time count. “It feels very intrusive.”

Most of the vehicles they approached remained dark and silent. Starting the count before dawn helps ensure people aren’t moving around town and at risk of being counted twice, but it means many people are still sleeping.

Even so, by mid-morning Zeppa said the surveys were going “really well.” The people who were awake were receptive to sharing their stories — which Zeppa hopes leads to more accurate information about the region’s homeless population, and helps agencies like hers plan better programming and spend their money more effectively.

Busting myths

After the last census, there were concerns that Black and indigenous unhoused people were undercounted in Alameda County, said Sharon Cornu, executive director of St. Mary’s Center, which provides housing and support services for homeless seniors in Oakland.

“We are hopeful this year that the count will provide us better data that helps us design and run a stronger system to bring people home,” Cornu said.

St. Mary’s Center uses the point-in-time count data in its applications for funding, Cornu said. The data also helps them learn about the people falling through the cracks in the area’s net of social services.

“It really busts a lot of the myths,” Cornu said. For example, the 2022 count showed that 65% of people surveyed had lived in Alameda County for 10 or more years, compared to just 8% who had lived there a year or less — contrary to speculation that unhoused people are traveling there from out of the area to take advantage of social services.

But lingering impacts from the COVID pandemic have complicated efforts to paint a statewide picture of the homelessness crisis. Counts that were supposed to happen in 2021 were delayed until the following year over fears that they could put unhoused people and volunteers at risk of catching the virus.

The counts went ahead in 2022. But then things got messy. Some counties, such as Santa Clara, opted to count again in 2023 — reasoning counts in the past had happened in odd-numbered years. Others, including the rest of the Bay Area and Sacramento, chose to count this year instead.

As a result, parts of the state are out of sync. Even the federal government doesn’t know which counties are counting when.

“It is not easy to predict which (continuums of care) will conduct a count every year,” Andra Higgs and Andrew Ten said in an emailed statement on behalf of the housing department. “COVID-19 complicated the regularity of counts. Most of Southern California has historically counted every single year. However, the Inland Empire upwards to Northern California follow less-clear patterns.”

In Los Angeles County, about 6,000 volunteers spent three nights counting.

The “coolest feature” of this year’s count was new geo-fencing technology on volunteers’ smartphones that alerted them if they strayed outside of their assigned area, said Ahmad Chapman, communications director for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. It also alerted count organizers if streets were skipped, so they could go back and count them later.

Volunteers in Los Angeles County don’t try to survey every unhoused person they meet. Instead, they tally the number of people, tents and vehicles they see. That data then goes to researchers at USC, who use it to estimate how many people are living in each tent and vehicle.

The result isn’t a precise count, said Ben Henwood, project lead for the homeless count at USC. But the estimate can pinpoint trends, such as places where the population is going up or down.

And the count has other benefits, Henwood said.

“This is a mass civic engagement project that gets people out of their house and involved in thinking about homelessness,” he said, “which serves its own purposes.

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CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Weldon Kennedy and his wife make it their business to keep up with California’s fast-changing clean energy landscape. So when the climate-conscious couple began planning to add a solar system to the roof of their Oakland home, they took their time to talk to installers and shop around for the best deal.

But then, last spring, he heard that a neighbor had decided to accelerate their solar project. Other homeowners in the area were rushing to get in line, too.

“I don’t think I fully understood the scope of it, but I had people telling me, ‘You better get going, get your solar now,’ ” Kennedy said. “It seemed like a bunch of tomfoolery was coming down.”

Kennedy’s neighbors and other consumers were reacting to a profound policy shift in California: The state Public Utilities Commission in late 2022 slashed by about 75% the rate that utilities pay homeowners with new solar panels when they sell surplus power to the grid. The rate structure went into effect for solar applicants beginning last April.

The state’s decision has caused consumer demand for residential solar to plummet since the new rate took effect. Solar companies say they’ve been shoved to the edge of a cliff, forcing them to lay off workers or even shut down.

Experts worry that the steep decline could stall the state’s battle against climate change. Solar power is critical to meeting California’s ambitious requirement to switch to 90% carbon-free electricity in 2035 and 100% in 2045. Large-scale and rooftop solar is projected to provide more than half of the grid’s power by 2045.

The imminent change in payments to customers drove a three-month surge in homeowners applying for solar connections leading up to the deadline. But then came a 90% decline last May compared to May of 2022, according to state data for areas served by Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric.

In all, about 82% fewer customers applied for solar connections from May through November of last year compared to a year earlier. Fewer than 4,000 customers applied in November, the last month with available data.

“The market is in the gutter. It should be no surprise to anybody. If you are a business and your market took a 80% nosedive, with great pain you have to lay off.’
— Bernadette Del Chiaro, California Solar & Storage Association

Now California’s utilities and solar companies have to wait to see if these delines are short-term or permanent.

Deepak Rajagopal, an energy economist at UCLA’s Institute of Environment and Sustainability, said it’s no surprise that consumers balked at going solar after the reimbursement rate changed from what he called the “generous” system. He said the higher payments were a burden on people who don’t have solar.

“It is a given, demand is going to slow down. The overall effect will be a slowdown in the rate that people will demand rooftop solar. Over time it may come back up, but it’s hard to tell,” he said.

Questions about the impacts remain: How will California meet its climate change goals without a healthy and growing residential solar market?

And can Gov. Gavin Newsom’s vision of making clean energy affordable to disadvantaged communities become a reality with fewer companies and lower reimbursements?

“The state is betting so strongly on power from rooftop solar. They will have to recalibrate,” Rajagopal said.

Rajagopal intended to install a solar system at his newly purchased house. But like many Californians, he missed the April deadline to get in on the higher payments.

“I just had very few months to decide, and now I’m cursing myself that I didn’t find the time to quickly sign up,” he said, adding that he will wait to see what happens before installing solar.

The new rule’s impact on the solar industry has been immediate. As many as 17,000 solar workers in California might have lost their jobs by the end of last year, according to industry estimates. 

“The market is in the gutter,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of the California Solar & Storage Association, an industry group. “It should be no surprise to anybody. If you are a business and your market took a 80% nosedive, with great pain you have to lay off. Some companies shut their doors.

“We are talking about the largest solar market in the country,” she said. “This was the most impactful energy decision, easily, for this century so far.”

The utility commission rule was hotly debated and ultimately passed by unanimous vote. Part of the agency’s rationale was about equity: Because solar customers, largely middle class or wealthy, are being paid near-retail prices for their excess power, they are not paying their fair share of fixed costs to maintain the state’s grid, saddling other ratepayers with higher bills. That burden, regulators said, disproportionately falls on low-income households that can’t afford solar panels. 

The utilities commission said the high rates paid to solar customers amounted to a subsidy, and that state incentive programs for installing battery storage systems alongside rooftop solar would provide better, longer-term value for ratepayers.

The new rates only apply to new solar installations and only for the customers of PG&E, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric.

It’s not just homes: The utilities commission in November voted to expand the lower payment rates to commercial businesses and multi-family homes that install solar panels.

A spokesperson for the Public Utilities Commission did not answer CalMatters’ questions about the impact of the recent steep declines in solar projects or the job losses in the industry, and declined to make anyone available for an interview. 

Instead, in a statement, the agency said residential solar installations have increased 16% a year over the last five years, and that 2022 saw an increase because solar customers and companies were rushing to beat the changes in rates.

More than 255,000 applications for new residential solar projects were reported in PG&E, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric areas last year.

“California leads the nation in supporting the solar industry, and has provided billions in rebates and incentives since 2006,” the commission said in its statement.

PG&E, the state’s largest utility, said in an email response to CalMatters’ questions that it received a record number of solar connection applications in 2023, a 20% increase from the previous year and “unprecedented volume” in the four months before the rate change. The company spokesperson did not answer questions about the downturn.

‘This is 100% a job killer’

Solar industry executives say California’s rate changes are affecting low and middle income homeowners, where rooftop solar had begun to gain inroads. The Berkeley Lab reported that in 2022 about 45% of solar adopters nationwide were below a threshold used to define low and moderate income. In California, household incomes between $50,000 and 100,000 are the largest segment of solar customers, the report found.

As the solar market has matured, costs have come down, allowing homeowners of modest means to adopt solar systems and lower their utility bills. 

“Rooftop solar is not just the wealthy homeowners anymore,” said State Sen. Josh Becker, a San Mateo Democrat.  “Central Valley people are suffering from extreme heat. The industry has been making great strides in low-income communities. This (utilities commission decision) makes it harder.”

The utilities commission has $280 million in an “equity fund” to assist low-income consumers. None of the money has been spent yet; the agency said it would soon release a plan for operating the program.

Solar can still make financial sense for homeowners who can afford the upfront costs and wait out the return on their investment. Federal tax credits can cover 30% of the installation cost. And as their use of power from the grid declines and they get paid for excess power, customers generally expect to have their new solar system paid off in six to eight years, according to the utilities commission. It’s faster for installations that include battery storage.

Some solar company owners said the new rules extend the payback period to 10 years or more. One installer said some of his customers would go from being paid 30 cents a watt for selling excess power to 4 or 5 cents a watt.

The job losses are being acutely felt in the small communities where careers in clean energy are a pathway into good-paying jobs for women and people of color. The average salary for a solar installer in California is $70,000, Del Chiaro said.

“These jobs have been a foot in the door for people who have been in the justice system, their lives have changed,” said Adewale OgunBadejo, vice president of workforce development for the Oakland-based non-profit Grid Alternatives, which focuses on underserved communities for clean energy projects. 

“This is 100% a job killer.”

Solar energy gave Ken Wells a second chance. Wells was raised amid gangs and few options in South Los Angeles. When his friend was killed by a rival gang, the 15-year-old Wells got a gun, carjacked a vehicle and led authorities on a high-speed chase. He was tried as an adult, found guilty and served six years in prison.

Carrying the indelible tag of a felon, Wells worked his way through bootstrapping programs to gain training in something that might help disadvantaged communities: bringing clean energy and low utility bills to his neighbors.

By 2017, Wells started his own company, O&M Solar Services. He was making a great living and created jobs for 20 employees. They are now all laid off.

“We need to transform our communities not just with clean energy but with these jobs,” said Wells, 35. “When I hear the policies coming out of Sacramento, I am floored. Why? We are talking from both sides of our mouth?

“On the one hand we want to promote clean energy and on the other hand we are shutting it down. We cannot afford years of setting back the solar industry, just cutting it off at the knees with these policies. These policymakers got it wrong.”

Other factors also are at work to stall an industry that had just recovered from COVID-19 shutdowns. Interest rates have made it difficult for small companies to grow and for homeowners to borrow money to pay for systems that can start at $30,000. The extension through 2030 of a federal tax credit, which had been scheduled to be phased out this year, may have removed the urgency for some consumers.

For small companies like Wells’, even small blows land hard. So far his customers are waiting to see if things change.

“I don’t know what the future holds,” he said. “Here in South Central, it’s a solar desert. You are not getting the community excited, looking to transition to clean energy. It’s going to get worse.”

Carlos Beccar, marketing manager for Energy Concepts in Fresno, said the company, which has been in business for 30 years, has recently laid off half of its workforce. Beccar said 60% of the firm’s installations in the last five years have been in ZIP codes where the median household income is lower than the market average.

His service area covers neighborhoods that experience extreme heat, where it’s common to see utility bills averaging $800 in the summer months, he said. “This policy was a bat to the knee, not a soft punch to the gut,” he said.

Susan Stephenson, executive director of California Interfaith Power & Light, an Oakland-based organization that advocates for clean-energy adoption in houses of worship, said the new policy “made it difficult (for some churches) to pencil out,” she said.

“Solar can be a solution that eventually pays for itself. Now with this change, they have to look harder and longer.”

Not all congregations can afford the upfront costs or wait years to recoup their investments, Stephenson said. Until recently, tax-exempt religious organizations couldn’t take advantage of federal solar tax credits, making the state’s reduced payments a real blow, she said. That policy has changed, but many nonprofit organizations have yet to navigate the new rules and even the 30% direct payment may not make up for the reduced reimbursements.

“Ironically, it’s going to make solar less equitable and less accessible,” Stephenson said. “There are good people who work at the PUC who want to do the right thing. It’s unfortunate they made this decision based on information from utilities that perhaps did not give the full picture. We could see the very equity goals they were trying to achieve being harmed. I hope they will reconsider.”

Becker, the state senator, said “where’s the just transition for the laid off solar workers?” noting efforts to create a fund to assist workers in the state’s oil industry who lose their jobs.

Ross Williams has owned HES Solar in San Diego since 2013. After the pricing decision, sales “fell off a cliff,” he said. “We sold 600 deals in the first quarter of the year and in the month of May we made one deal. That’s how dramatic it was, the disruption was so insane.”

Like many other solar installers, his company now does roofing jobs and is considering expanding into Nevada and Arizona in search of customers.

“We are a small company and we don’t have massive cash reserves we can stand on for years,” said Williams, 41. “I used  to think we could weather this, that demand will come back. So far nothing I thought was going to happen has happened. My crystal ball is way off.”

Asked what his message is for policymakers, Williams said, “Was that your intent for me, to be a roofer and move to Arizona? Thanks, California.”

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CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.