A pilot initiative in Ithaca, New York has been helping landlords and tenants transition rental homes away from fossil fuel heating toward all‑electric systems, such as heat pumps. The Clean Energy and Equity Pilot was run by Sustainable Finger Lakes with funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). It assisted more than a dozen property owners and renters in Tompkins County by making it easier and more affordable to install electric heat pumps and access state and federal grants.
For example, one homeowner replaced her gas furnace with electric heat pump units in both her and her tenant’s apartment, allowing both units to heat and cool more cleanly and efficiently. The program also helped landlords and tenants work through challenges such as understanding potential changes to utility costs and coordinating upgrades. Though the pilot is now closed to new applications, some electrification grants remain available for interested property owners.
