Portland’s climate action fund is expanding outreach for its free air-conditioning program ahead of a potentially hot summer. People can now apply by calling 311, or by filling out an online form.
The Portland Clean Energy Fund’s Cooling Portland program offers a free portable air conditioning unit to city residents with lower incomes.
The program’s inception came right after the deadly 2021 heat dome, when nearly 100 people died of heat-related stress throughout the state. Many of those deaths occurred in Multnomah County, where temperatures reached 116 F. Most were found home alone with no air-conditioning units.
Now, the Portland Clean Energy Fund is partnering with PDX 311 to help interested Portlanders learn more about the program and help residents apply. PDX 311 is a city program aimed at simplifying access to local government programs, including Cooling Portland.
FILE - A cooling/heating unit installed in an apartment on June 27, 2022, provided by the Portland Clean Energy Fund.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
“This helps streamline the application process for those who are not currently already working with [a] community-based organization in the Cooling Portland program and helps people know whether they’re eligible right away, whether they live within the city of Portland, and be able to take that information about their vulnerabilities,” PCEF Strategic Partnership and Policy Manager Jaimes Valdez said at a press conference on Thursday.
People must live within Portland city limits and earn less than 60% of area median income to qualify for a cooling unit. The program prioritizes people over the age of 60, people living alone and people with medical conditions that make them more susceptible to heat.
“Those were all risk factors that were identified by Multnomah County during the extreme heat event and other events that we’ve had since then,” Valdez said. “It was clear that people with health risks and in our aging communities needed access to cooling and that PCEF could play a role and should play a role in providing that.”
Related: Many Oregonians living in state’s hottest homes lack cooling devices, study shows
It can take between 15 to 60 days from applying to installation for people identified as vulnerable residents, Valdez said. People with low incomes living within city limits who do not meet these risk factors can still apply for a unit but may have to wait longer to receive one.
PDX 311 received more than 1,000 calls in 24 hours, officials said Thursday.
Addressing climate change’s higher burden on vulnerable Oregonians
Human-caused climate change is making extreme weather events, like the 2021 heat dome, more frequent and more intense. Earlier this year, a state Department of Energy study found that many of Oregon’s most vulnerable residents lack the necessary equipment to stay cool in their homes during hot summers. The study also found that residents in Multnomah County are more likely to be exposed to extreme heat and have limited capacity to adapt to it.
Since 2021, the state has steadily adopted policies that would help vulnerable Oregonians have access to life-saving cooling devices and created a goal of installing 500,000 heat pumps by 2030.
Related: 2021 delivered ‘warning signs of things to come’ for Pacific Northwest summers
City programs like Cooling Portland aim to increase access to cooling devices and to provide education on how to keep cool during hot summer days. Most of the portable units the program provides are also dual-use heat pumps, meaning they can help keep people warm in colder months.
FILE - A cooling/heating unit installed in a Portland home on June 27, 2022, provided by the Portland Clean Energy Fund.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Cooling Portland’s goal is to install 15,000 cooling units by the end of 2026. So far the program has installed more than 8,400 units. According to Valdez, most of the installations have occurred in East Portland, a region of the city that was heavily impacted during the 2021 heat dome.
“The majority of installations from the last couple of years have happened in those zip codes, particularly East Portland and in areas that have particular vulnerabilities or impact from the heat dome event,” he said.
Earth Advantage is the local organization in charge of buying the units, managing inventory and coordinating with community partners with delivery and installation.
Related: Oregon’s latest climate package targets building resilience, and hefty federal dollars
Pilar Calderin, Earth Advantage’s Cooling Portland program manager, said Earth Advantage works with 13 partners, including five housing providers and eight community-based organizations.
“The partners are very excited about these programs,” Calderin said. “I have partners telling me this is a feel-good program for their soul. They are interacting with very vulnerable recipients and everybody in the community is very grateful about the job that they do. So, it’s very motivating for them.”
The PDX 311 phone line is staffed seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. People can apply online here.