Social Equity & Green Jobs
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Low-income populations, minorities and other communities of concern are likely to be most impacted by future climate changes. Therefore, the City’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) includes the consideration of socially equitable climate adaptation, equitable implementation of mitigation measures and a focus on the creation of green jobs.
The following section provides information related to programs and projects the City has implemented that address social equity and green jobs.
Social Equity
Equity & the CAP
Underserved and underrepresented communities often do not have the same level of participation in planning processes as other members of the community. Thus, the City has worked to engage community members of diverse backgrounds by attending various citywide events to promote the Climate Action Plan and related opportunities. In 2025, staff from the City’s Sustainability Division attended 16 community events. Events included the Home Electrification Fair, San Diego Climate Week, Arbor Day, Cyclovia, elementary school science and zero waste fairs, Dia de los Muertos, Spring Egg Hunt, Spring and Holiday Street Fairs, Bike Anywhere Day, EcoFest, TEDxEncinitasBlvd and Oktoberfest.
In October 2025, the City of Encinitas participated in the first ever San Diego Climate Week, a community-powered movement to inspire sustainable action and build climate resilience. The City held a Green Business Network informational webinar highlighting its local branch of the California Green Business Network and the impact it has on Encinitas and the climate. This webinar showcased Encinitas’ support for sustainable business practices and climate action.
The first of its kind Home Electrification Fair, put on by Citizens Climate Lobby, was held on February 22, 2025, serving as a resource for the community to provide guidance on building decarbonization and bridge the gap between policy goals and individual action. At this event, the City helped homeowners navigate local programs and federal incentives to remove barriers and demystify the switch from gas to electric home equipment and appliances.
Social Equity
Equitable Energy
San Diego Community Power (Community Power) offers clean energy at completive rates to utility customers in member jurisdictions. As a not-for-profit public agency, Community Power reinvests any profits into equitable energy efficiency programs for customers. These programs seek to increase access to renewable energy and energy efficiency upgrades for low-income customers or those located in disadvantaged communities.
Community Power’s Community Power Plan outlines an implementation plan of customer programs based on a community needs assessment. In the plan, possible programs include energy education, application assistance, community solar green tariffs, building electrification assistance, energy storage systems, assistance installing electric vehicle charging stations, transportation electrification and more. Community Power continues to announce new programs, grants and initiatives to make energy more equitable for Encinitans and their other customers. Visit San Diego Community Power’s website to view current Community Power program offerings.
In California, a regional energy network is a local government-led entity that is authorized by the California Public Utilizes Commission to design and implement energy efficiency programs that fill gaps left by existing utilities and have a focus on hard-to-reach communities. In December 2024, San Diego County’s Board of Supervisors approved a partnership between the County’s Office of Sustainability and Environmental Justice and Community Power to create the San Diego Regional Energy Network (SDREN). With a four-year, $124 million budget, SDREN will provide tools, resources and education to help local governments, residents and businesses advance energy projects and programs. The formation of SDREN ensures that sustainability progress remains community-driven, equitable and accessible. Following approval from the California Public Utilities Commission, SDREN programs were designed and developed throughout 2025 with programs expected to begin launching in early 2026.
Green Jobs
Economic Development & Green Jobs
The City cultivates green jobs in our local community and around the region through the implementation of the Climate Action Plan. Development and completion of the various CAP measures increase the demand for green jobs in Encinitas and the San Diego region.
Through its procurement of renewable energy, Community Power is committed to supporting local green jobs and building San Diego County’s green economy. As a service to its member agencies, Community Power works closely with clean energy generators to provide its member communities with clean energy. In 2024, Arevon Energy entered into a 15-year energy storage service agreement with Community Power to enhance energy reliability and energy grid stability through the Avocet Energy Storage Project. This project is estimated to generate 75 union construction jobs in southern California. As Community Power grows its energy portfolio, new renewable energy projects will create local construction, maintenance and management jobs in the clean technology sector.
Policies created to require the installation of renewable energy systems at residential and commercial buildings in Encinitas directly support the creation of green jobs. Every year in Encinitas, hundreds of solar PV systems are installed at homes and businesses, both voluntarily and as a result of Encinitas’ green building regulations. Of the solar installed, a majority of installers are locally based companies. Solar PV systems installed by San Diego County companies directly support our local green economy and create green jobs. According to CleanTech San Diego, a nonprofit member organization that supports green jobs, their organization supported 25,000 jobs in the San Diego region in 2025.
Green Jobs
San Diego Community Power
Through its procurement of renewable energy, San Diego Community Power (SDCP) is committed to supporting local green jobs and building San Diego County’s green economy. The agency works closely with clean energy generators to provide its member communities clean energy. The Jacumba Valley Ranch (JVR) Energy Park— located in southeastern San Diego County— is a solar and storage facility commissioned by SDCP in 2021. Construction on the project began in early 2022 and created approximately 350 construction jobs, utilizing a Project Labor Agreement with local unions. As SDCP grows its energy portfolio, offering a greater proportion of renewable electricity to customers, more new renewable energy projects will be commissioned like JVR Energy Park. These projects will create local construction, maintenance, and management jobs in the clean technology sector.