Local Government
Benefiting Communities
Wisconsin communities are invited to join PACE Wisconsin, a statewide program that empowers building owners to save energy and money, communities to create new jobs, and local economies to flourish—all without any taxpayer assistance.
Communities across the United States are taking advantage of the economic development potential offered by Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE). Now, Wisconsin Statute § 66.0627(8) authorizes Wisconsin counties and municipalities to make PACE Financing available in local communities. PACE Financing stimulates local economies by providing property owners low-cost, long-term loans for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation improvements.
PACE Wisconsin helps communities:
- Stimulate--PACE-funded projects stimulate job creation, investment in goods and services, and savings on building operating expenses—improving the market for investment in your community.
- Profit--PACE lowers the cost of doing business in your community. Low-interest PACE financing reduces building owners’ overall cost of capital to fund necessary building improvements that result in lower operating costs.
- Revitalize--Buildings can be revitalized through the installation of efficient windows, lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, and more—improving the local building stock and, in turn, helping raise the value of property and the potential tax base.
- Sustain--PACE Wisconsin fosters the completion of commercial energy and water conservation projects, helping communities improve efficiency and achieve environmental sustainability goals.
Statewide approach, county-wide benefits
PACE Wisconsin provides a uniform, statewide approach to implementation—managing program guidelines, project qualification, and general program oversight. Offering PACE Wisconsin in your community is simple, due to:
- No cost to local governments--Neither credit exposure, dedication of general funds, nor allocation from constricted budgets is required for local governments to implement PACE Wisconsin. To help promote no-cost, efficient implementation, PACE Wisconsin is administered by a Wisconsin nonprofit organization which recovers its costs through transaction fees assessed on completed projects.
- Statewide approach--The PACE Commission establishes uniform standards, documents, and best practices applied consistently across the state. A single PACE program promotes scalability by simplifying participation for stakeholders (financial institutions, contractors, project developers, and building owners).
- Centralized program administration--The Program Administrator serves as a single point of access for stakeholders to access PACE Financing. Serving as an agent of the PACE Wisconsin Commission, the Program Administrator maintains and enforces comprehensive program guidelines to ensure each PACE project meets the requirements of the Wisconsin PACE statute and program goals, and certifies that repayments occur according to contract.
- Open market--PACE Wisconsin is an "open market," meaning any qualified lender can participate—providing property owners with access to competitive rates and financing terms. Furthermore, any contractor or project developer can work on a qualified project, fostering local business development.
- Voluntary participation--Building owner participation in PACE Wisconsin is 100 percent voluntary. No property owner is obligated to take any action; only those who choose to use PACE to improve their property pay the Special Charge.
- Lender consent--PACE Wisconsin requires mortgage lenders to consent to PACE Financings made on properties on which they hold a lien, ensuring PACE projects receive buy-in from necessary stakeholders while helping promote the economic viability of PACE-funded projects.
Participating Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
A political subdivision must adopt a local ordinance authorizing the use of special charges to secure PACE financings and must create a program structure for the use of PACE special charges to ensure that PACE financings made in its jurisdiction are consistent with the PACE Statute.
With the support of the Wisconsin Counties Association and the League of Wisconsin Municipalities—Wisconsin local governments established the Wisconsin PACE Commission (the “PACE Commission”). Wisconsin counties and municipalities utilized their joint exercise of powers authority under Wisconsin Statute § 66.0301, to form the PACE Commission. Under the terms of a Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement (the “JPA”), County members agree to adopt a Model PACE Ordinance, and to delegate to the PACE Commission the ability to impose PACE special charges according to a single, uniform PACE program operated in the PACE Commission members’ jurisdiction. Municipal members (cities, villages, and towns) join the PACE Commission, participate in its governance, and agree to support the PACE Commission.
For an individual unit of government, creating a PACE program from the ground up can be time consuming and resource-intensive. That’s why—with the support of the Wisconsin Counties Association and the League of Wisconsin Municipalities—Wisconsin local governments established the PACE Commission, which offers an efficient and cost-effective option to collectively administer a uniform PACE program in Wisconsin entitled "PACE Wisconsin." The PACE Commission establishes uniform standards, documents, and best practices applied consistently across the state. A single PACE program promotes scalability by simplifying participation for stakeholders (financial institutions, contractors, project developers, and building owners).
The market facing brand name for the PACE program offered by the PACE Commission and administered by the Program Administrator pursuant to the terms of the Program Manual.
How to Participate
Any Wisconsin community may elect to become members of the PACE Wisconsin Commission pursuant to the terms of the JPA.
- Pass a resolution authorizing execution of the JPA and (for County members) passage of the Model PACE Ordinance through your county board of supervisors.
- Sign the JPA.
- Building owners in your community can now access PACE Financing!