PRESS RELEASE
July 30, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Sarah Henry, Public Information Officer
510-747-4714
The City of Alameda is not affiliated with a misleading advertisement
Recently, the City of Alameda was made aware of an advertisement (excerpt reprinted below) that was mailed by “OaklandUpgrade.com” to some Alameda residents. The mailer references a “new” program for home improvements, including solar, heating, air conditioning, roofing, windows, and more.
Please note: the mailer below was not sent, approved, or sponsored by the City of Alameda. The City of Alameda has not authorized use of the City’s name in this mailer, or any others like it. Accordingly, the City of Alameda is concerned that this misleading advertisement may target vulnerable members of our community.
If you have questions or concerns about the mailer (or other similar advertisement), please contact John Le in the City Attorney’s Office at 510-747-4764.
The mailer directs interested individuals to a website and phone number where some residents have been informed that an associated contractor is “Renewable Energy Builders” and that they work under the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing program. PACE is a government program approved by the Department of Energy, the State of California, and the County (CaliforniaFIRST Program), which allows homeowners to finance certain home improvement expenses.
While PACE financing can be used to finance clean energy upgrades, some contractors may have made false or misleading claims about the program (e.g., homeowners may make home improvements at “no cost”). We encourage you to do your own research if you decide to participate in the PACE program using any contractors recommended by this mailer.
