Bay Area

Some Californians Say moving From Natural Gas to Electricity Will Cost Too Much

Published

7 years ago

August 30, 2019

Some labor and business leaders — as well as residents of different communities around the state – are pushing back against green energy policies that Sacramento has taken on to fight climate change.

About a month ago, business and political representatives from more than 20 cities across the Inland Empire – a metropolitan area east of Los Angeles that covers parts of Riverside and San Bernardino counties – held a press conference in the city of Riverside.

At the meeting, they sounded off against new California Energy Commission and California Public Utilities Commission (PUQ rules designed to move energy users away from natural gas, toward electric power “Affordability is a key factor for the Inland Empire. More than 120 people move to the Inland Empire a day — and for a good reason,”‘ said Paid Gramllo, CEO of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership ‘‘California is known for its high housing market, but oui” Inland Empire residents enjoy the area’s inexpensive costs of living, in comparison to neighboring cities. If natural gas is eliminated as an affordable fuel option, our home- owners and businesses would be in jeopards¹.”

About 90 percent of California residents still use natural gas as the main energy source in then homes.

Last Tuesday in Sacramento, the California Business Roundtable also held a press conference, bringing together labor leaders, businesspeople and citizens to call on Gov. Newsom to consider sources of energy other than electricity.

“California regulators should not be in the business of picking and choosing energy winners,” said Rob Lapsley, president of the California Business Roundtable. “We need diversity in energy supplies. Manufacturing and bio-tech will not survive without natural gas. Nor will many other Utilities Commission (PUC) is in the process of implementing SB 1477 authored by Sen. Henry Stem (D- Malibu). The legislation instructs the PUC to provide incentives to developers to reduce their use of natural gas-dependent technologies in new construction.

One effort is called the Building Initiative for Low Emissions Development (BUILD) program. The initiative offers up to $20 million per year for four years if developers meet green energy requirements. Another program, Technology and Equipment for Clean Heating (TECH), offers developers $30 million a year for up to four years for using low- emissions heating sources or technologies.

In terms of policy, California remains ahead of most of the country on greening its economy and laws. Berkeley for. example, has already banned natural gas in new low-rise buildings. And about 60 more cities and towns across the state are considering measures to ban natural gas or programs that would give developers incentives to install electric appliances only.

But many Inland Empire residents warn that these policies would put more of a financial burden on businesses, homeowners and renters if new regulations require them to retrofit existing buildings to accommodate electric power only.

Between 2011 and 2016. the number of businesses in the Inland Empire also grew by 11%, outpacing the state rate at about 8%, according to the University of California – Riverside.

However, the economic boom in the EE doesn’t tell the full story when it comes to affording a switch to cleaner energy.

“I was stunned to learn that the California Public Utilities Commission has decided that to meet emissions reduction goals they want to switch all homes and businesses in California to electricity only and eliminate natural gas as an energy source. Knowing costs are a concern.” said Andy Melendrez. Riverside Mayor Pro Tern.

Manny Otiko, California Black Media

Posts by Manny Otiko, California Black Media

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

1 week ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Oakland Post

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Activism

Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.