PACE Program

Information about business-oriented programs will be posted as we become aware of them.

PACE Program

Antrim County is a part of Lean & Green Michigan™, one of America's first statewide Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) initiatives - and Michigan's marketplace for energy efficiency and renewable energy financing.

The partnership with Lean & Green Michigan is a positive step for Antrim County. The PACE plan will bring new economic development tools to entice reinvestment and redevelopment in our County while helping to green the community. The Antrim County PACE Program and PACE Program Report were last amended on February 13, 2024. You can read the current Pace Program Report here.

Why PACE?

• All funding is provided by private sources
• Help property owners save money and make buildings more energy efficient
• Attract tenants as buildings are more comfortable, less expensive, and greener
• Raise tax base steadily over time
• No risk to the County

How PACE Works

Lean & Green Michigan™ enables commercial, industrial and multi-family property owners in Antrim County to take on a voluntary special assessment in order to achieve favorable terms and longer amortizations in financing energy efficiency, water efficiency and renewable energy projects.

Property owners can eliminate waste and save money while greening the community and creating a more comfortable environment for their employees or tenants. Financing is available for virtually all types of commercial and industrial property for all private for-profit and private non-profit property owners.

Lean & Green Michigan™ is a public-private partnership that uses Michigan's new PACE statue to develop a market-based approach to energy finance and economic development. In essence, we leverage the PACE statute to maximum effect by bringing private capital to bear to solve companies' energy problems, to create work for contractors and jobs for workers, and to green our communities.

Property owners, contractors and financial institutions get a free market in which to arrange energy deals that pencil out for all concerned, using the PACE financing mechanism to lower the cost of capital and create positive cash flow from day one.

Find out more by visiting www.leanandgreenmi.com.

Overview of PACE

Public Act 270 of 2010 (“Act 270”) authorizes local units of government to adopt PACE programs to promote the installation of energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems by owners of commercial or industrial property within a district designated by the local government. Act 270 provides for repayment to local governments through a voluntary property assessment. The property assessment remains with the property and has the same priority as other property tax and assessment liens in the event of foreclosure.

In 2024, two bills were signed into law which updated Act 270, making PACE financing more accessible to Michigan's business owners. 

• For retrofits or rehab projects, the updated statute provides the option to waive the energy savings guarantee. For new construction, the energy savings guarantee is no longer required.
• C-PACE was expanded to allow for financing of Environmental Hazard Projects including the mitigation of lead, heavy metal or PFAS contamination, and lead paint contamination. Additionally, projects to mitigate the effects of floods or droughts and increasing resistance of property against sever weather are included in the expanded financing.