Consumer Alert: PACE Program Solicitations
Pinellas County residents are advised that there has never been an authorized residential Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program in Pinellas County.
The County has been made aware of solicitations received by residents that offer to finance energy efficiency, renewable energy, or wind resistance improvements to a property (such as windows, energy-efficient heating or cooling systems, solar energy systems, or a new roof) to be collected as an assessment on the property tax bill.
The Pinellas County Commission has determined that PACE providers do not provide adequate consumer protections for residential owners. Pinellas County adopted a consumer protection ordinance in 2017 that does not allow any PACE provider to offer PACE financing to residential property owners due to the inadequacy of consumer protections in the PACE programs offered.
Pinellas County is currently in litigation to prevent the ongoing offering of residential PACE by the Florida PACE Funding Agency (FPFA). It appears from records that FPFA has been operating illegally in Pinellas County since early 2023. They have continued to operate despite their knowledge of the County’s insistence that they stop and while litigation on this issue has been ongoing. FPFA appears to be associated with and utilizes FortiFi Financial and Home Run Financing. This may not be the full list of entities with whom FPFA is working, and all financing products offered by these companies may not be affected with the problems associated with PACE. If you are offered financing from one of these companies or another entity associated with FPFA for residential improvements in Pinellas County, you may want to be sure that the financing that they are offering is NOT based on PACE assessments until the ongoing litigation is resolved.
If you have already contracted with one of these entities or have had a contractor offer you financing for residential improvements in Pinellas County through one of these entities, you may want to contact a private attorney to become aware of your rights and options relating to negligent or fraudulent misrepresentation, slander of title, or other courses of action.
For residents that have a concern or wish to file a complaint this can be done online through the Pinellas County Consumer Protection website or by calling (727) 464-6200.