Gulfport City Council

EcoCity Partners to Run PACE in Gulfport

Gulfport City Council unanimously agreed to hire EcoCity Partners as the third party administrator to run the Commercial PACE program in Gulfport.

Two years after council first approved creating a Commercial PACE Ordinance, city leaders unanimously agreed on a third party administrator to run the program. EcoCity Partners will provide services for the design, implementation and administration of the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program in Gulfport. Amy Elliot with EcoCity Partners says they're excited about the approval and plan to be up and running soon. She says Gulfport is their first city on the west coast of Florida, making them a bicoastal company. The unanimous vote Tuesday night, minus Mayor Mike Yakes, allowed City Manager Jim O'Reilly to enter in a contract with the Florida Green Finance Authority, with EcoCity Partners, L3C, as the program's third party…

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Gulfport City Council

PACE Moves Forward in Gulfport

Gulfport City Council unanimously agreed to begin contract negotiations with EcoCity Partners to administer the PACE program.

EcoCity Partners say the PACE program in Gulfport could be up and running within a month if contract negotiations go as smooth as Thursday night's unanimous vote. Gulfport City Council members voted 5 - 0 to move forward with EcoCity Partners as the third party administrator for the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. The next step is completing a contract; last night's vote authorized City Manager Jim O'Reilly to begin negotiations. "Once that’s done we can be up and running very quickly, so within a month, we can be live and operational within the city,” Erin Deady with EcoCity Partners said. Erin Deady and Amy Elliot attended the Gulfport City Council meeting last night in case councilors had any questions about the services…

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5 Things to Know in Gulfport: Police Academy, PACE, Fresh Market

The Gulfport Police Department's citizen's police academy begins tonight. There is a city council workshop and regular meeting back to back tonight. That and more in "5 Things to Know Today."

Citizen's Police Academy: The Gulfport Police Department is hosting an 8-week citizen's academy that will include learning about traffic stops, crash investigations, problem oriented policing and more. I've applied and been accepted into the program and will begin the course tonight at 6 p.m. at the Gulfport Police Department. PACE: The Gulfport City Council is holding a workshop tonight at 5 p.m. at Gulfport City Hall (before the regular meeting.) There will be no public session. Instead, there will be a complete presentation by Distric Management Services (DMS). DMS is applying to be a third party administrator for the City of Gulfport's PACE program. PACE is the Commercial Property Assessment Clean Energy Program. The ordinance passed …

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Gulfport City Council

PACE Halted By City Council

Gulfport City Council did not discuss or vote on an agreement for District Management Services to serve as a third party administrator for the PACE program.

About one year ago, the Gulfport City Council passed a PACE Ordinance that applies only to commercial businesses. Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) offers loans to business owners specifically for upgrades and retrofits that improve the property value and cut energy costs. City Council Meeting During Tuesday night's meeting, City Council Member Sam Henderson made a motion to vote on the bid and contract submitted by District Management Services to become the third party administrator for Gulfport's PACE program. Previously, council members agreed that a third party administrator would be needed to supply the loans and run the program. In May the City Manager put out request for proposals and DMS has since responded and submitted a …

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Will South 49th Street be Florida's First Green Corridor?

At Gulfport Business Association Meeting, Vice Mayor Michele King said the PACE lending program for commercial properties "would improve the lives of Gulfport residents."

A new Florida Statute (163.08) encourages city council to establish an energy finance district that provides a way for business owners to upgrade their properties to make them more energy efficient. The program to implement the statute is called PACE, an acronym for Property Assessed Clean Energy. It's aim is to provide financing for a wide range of energy saving improvements, including wind resistant shingles, impact windows and doors, storm shutters, weatherization overhauls, insulation and solar power. Property improvements, financed 100 percent up to 20 years, would be based on property value, not borrower credit. The lending would come at no cost to the city, and would be available to owners. The program is voluntary and would require…

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