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King County C-PACER Program

King County C-PACER Program

A financing tool for more efficient, resilient commercial and multi-family properties

Are you ready to make your building more efficient and safer, and lower your operating costs?

Apply now for C-PACER financing!

Step 1: Talk to a PACE lender and consult with your legal and financial advisors to see if C-PACER is right for you.

Step 2: Work with your lender to complete an application.

Step 3: Submit your application materials with each document as a separate attachment to cpacer@kingcounty.gov.

What is C-PACER?

Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy + Resiliency (C-PACER) is an innovative financing mechanism to help commercial, industrial, agricultural, and multi-family buildings become more efficient and resilient .

C-PACER does not use any government funds, it is a loan agreement between a private lender and the property owner, like a mortgage or home improvement loan. The unique part about C-PACER financing is that the county records the loan as a lien on the property, which means that if the property owner sells the building, the assessment stays with the building (unless the payoff is part of the sale agreement).

Examples of projects that can be financed using C-PACER include:

  • Energy and water efficiency
  • Electrification improvement (eliminates fossil fuel combustion)
  • Renewable energy
  • Electric vehicle charging
  • Seismic hardening
  • Fire detection and suppression
  • Flood readiness
  • Stormwater management
  • Energy storage

Benefits of C-PACER financing

  • Property owners can save money by lowering utility bills and energy costs
  • Longer loan payback terms can make PACE-funded projects cash-positive sooner than traditional loans
  • PACE loans rarely require cash up front, making them more accessible to property owners than other loans
  • Lower interest rates on PACE financing makes loans more affordable
  • Creates local jobs and spurs economic activity through the funding of new efficiency and resiliency projects

Learn more about making C-PACER work for you!

Clean buildings King County video series

How does C-PACER financing work?

C-PACER program steps

(Click or tap for an Acrobat pdf version.)

PACER steps

Text version

  1. Property owner develops energy generation, energy efficiency, water conservation or resiliency project.
  2. Property owner identifies capital provider for their project.
  3. Property owner submits application materials to program administrator.
  4. Program administrator reviews application.
  5. Program administrator approves application or requests additional information.
    1. Capital provider closes financing.
    2. King County records lien agreement.
    1. Capital provider funds work.
    2. Contractor implements project.
  6. Post-implementation: property owner repays loan over term to capital provider.

C-PACER key parties

(Click or tap for an Acrobat pdf version.)

C-PACER key parties

Text version

  • Property Owner
    An owner of a qualifying eligible property. This is the owner listed on the building's title (may be an individual person, business, corporation, or nonprofit).
  • Program Administrator
    King County or a third-party program administrator that accepts the property owner's application and ensures that all steps of the loan/lien process are completed.
  • King County
    King County records the lien on the property.
  • Capital Provider (Lender)
    A registered C-PACER capital provider. This can be a corporation, bank or credit union, or another private entity.
  • Existing Lien Holder
    The lender that holds the building's existing mortgage or other loans. All existing lien holders on a building must approve the property owner's C-PACER application.
  • Contractor
    Licensed and bonded contracting business or businesses that will complete the qualified C-PACER improvements to the building.
  • Project Certifier
    A licensed professional engineer or other qualified individual or firm that certifies that the improvements are qualified for C-PACER financing.

C-PACER application forms

Sign-up for C-PACER news:

For more information about the King County C-PACER Program, please contact CPACER@kingcounty.gov.

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