In October of 2020, East Palo Alto passed a strong and robust electrification policy requiring all-electric construction in new residential and commercial buildings. However, the city made an exception for affordable housing and commercial kitchens, leaving folks in those place vulnerable to dangerous gas pollution. Then in March of 2023, they strengthened this policy, removing some of the loopholes and adding requirements for including EV charging spaces. In the California Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley case, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that this policy approach, along with the building electrification policies of many other cities, was preempted by federal appliance policy. In 2024, Palo Alto passed an energy efficiency policy for new construction.
East Palo Alto passed an electrification policy requiring all-electric construction. East Palo Alto passed an energy efficiency policy for new construction.
