Electrify Menlo Park completes full electrification of two homes in the Belle Haven neighborhood

Two low-income households in Menlo Park recently completed full electrification retrofits through Electrify Menlo Park, a collaborative public-private partnership between the local nonprofit Menlo Spark, BlocPower, contractors, and JobTrain.

These homes now use clean electricity instead of gas for heating, cooling, and cooking. This results in reduced carbon emissions, which will help fight climate change while making the homes healthier and safer for occupants.

Electrify Menlo Park’s goal to decarbonize 10,000 homes by 2030 combines affordability, green job creation, and equity measures to support the city’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2030. Transitioning homes away from gas appliances to cleaner electric alternatives is a central component of Menlo Park’s Climate Action Plan.

Over the past year, the first two full electrification retrofits of single-family homes in Menlo Park’s Belle Haven neighborhood were completed. This paves the way for a much larger program supported by $4.5 million in state funding, focusing on Belle Haven. The program demonstrates an efficient and practical method for assisting homeowners, at all income levels, in installing electric vehicle charging, heat pumps for heating, air conditioning and water heating, electric appliances, and solar panels. The program also includes weatherization and health and safety measures.

Homeowners are expected to save hundreds of dollars per year in utility bills, and the retrofits will also improve indoor air quality, balance interior temperatures, and reduce stovetop cooking times. For both households, the costs of electrification were fully covered by Electrify Menlo Park.

“Electrifying my house was a great decision, both economically and environmentally,” said Patricia Harris (home shown above), whose utility bills will be reduced by hundreds of dollars each year. “I want people in Belle Haven and beyond to know that making these changes to your home is possible and beneficial to families and communities.”

“Homeowners who participate in Electrify Menlo Park will have healthier homes with clean air, helping to scale a transition off fossil fuels to clean electricity throughout Menlo Park,” said Diane Bailey, Executive Director of Menlo Spark. “This program will also chart a successful path for other communities to follow, making progress towards a carbon neutral future while advancing equity, economic vitality, and community health.”