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California Takes Steps To Require Solar Panels On New Homes

A state proposal that would require solar panels to be built on new homes was approved by the California Energy Commission Wednesday, moving the motion one step closer to being enacted in Santa Clarita.


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The California Energy Commission approved a proposal Wednesday that would require solar panels on all new homes beginning in 2020.

The measure would cover all low-rise residential buildings, although houses that are frequently in the shade would be exempt, and would only apply to new construction, according to officials.

While some officials cite long-term savings on utilities as a positive economic outcome of the proposal, the measure would also increase the cost of new construction, adding an average upfront cost of $9,365 to the already record-high housing prices in Southern California, according to a report commissioned by the state.

However, the report found making solar panels mandatory would ultimately be cost-effective. The report also found the measure to be the only feasible way for the state to fulfill its goal of making new homes produce as much power as they consume.

Several cities across the country, including San Francisco, already have similar residential solar panel requirements.

The measure comes at a time when California is experiencing some of the highest home prices in the country, as well as a housing shortage. The median price for new and resale houses and condos in Southern California reached $519,000 in March 2018, which is up $40,000 from March 2017, according to real estate data provider CoreLogic.

In a report released by the California Association of Realtors last month, the median home prices for California were reported to be steadily increasing across the state.

Los Angeles prices increased the most at 13.6 percent and continued to surge by double digits for the fourth straight month. San Diego and Orange County followed with a 9.5 percent and 8.5 percent annual increase, respectively, marking new record high median prices for the two counties, according to the California Association of Realtors.

The next step for the proposal is to seek the approval of the state Building Standards Commission.

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California Takes Steps To Require Solar Panels On New Homes

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About Michael Brown

Michael Brown has lived in Santa Clarita his whole life. Graduating from Saugus High School in 2016, he continued to stay local by attending The Master’s University, where he achieved a Bachelor's Degree in Communication. Michael joined KHTS in January of 2018 as a news intern, and has since gone on to become the News Director for the KHTS Newsroom. Since joining KHTS, Michael has covered many breaking news stories (both on scene and on air), interviewed dozens of prominent state and federal political figures, and interacted with hundreds of residents from Santa Clarita. When he is not working, Michael enjoys spending time with his family, as well as reading any comic book he can get his hands on.