PASADENA, Calif. – April 28, 2025 – Pacific Community Fund (PCF) CEO Filiberto Gonzalez, Director of Operations Maria Bojorquez-Gomez, and sustainability consultant Aura Vasquez recently participated in Charging Ahead: Cutting Vehicle Pollution During the New Trump Years, an insightful symposium hosted by the Emmett Institute on Climate Change & the Environment at the UCLA School of Law.
They joined current and aspiring attorneys in environmental law, activists, community members, and public officials, such as California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who joined virtually and participated in a live Q&A. The discussions on innovative approaches by local government to reduce transportation emissions were incredibly insightful, especially concerning the need to ensure equitable access to transportation electrification in historically disadvantaged communities throughout California.
On March 12, 2025, PCF attorney Salomon Zavala filed a motion for party status with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to ensure the CPUC fulfills its commitment to fund the installation of public electric vehicle (EV) chargers in low-income communities. On March 24, Administrative Law Judge Marcelo Lins Poirier ruled that Pacific Community Fund had shown good cause and granted PCF party status on this matter.
For the last several years, PCF has partnered with Pacific Gas & Electric Company to raise awareness among diverse communities throughout Northern and Central California of state tax credits that are available for the purchase of used EVs. Thanks to this work, PCF witnessed first-hand how low to moderate-income communities throughout California could not participate in these public benefits because of the dearth of publicly accessible EV chargers in their neighborhoods or apartment complexes.
This experience led PCF to file the claim with the CPUC to ensure public resources that have been committed to the installation of public EV chargers in disadvantaged communities are finally released. “While we welcome fiscal incentives by the state government to promote the conversion to EVs, CPUC is failing underserved communities by not doing more to ensure equal access to EV chargers for all Californians. We believe our claim will help move the State in the right direction,” said PCF attorney Salomon Zavala.
PCF sustainability consultant, Aura Vasquez, stated “As we navigate the current federal administration, California has a powerful role in championing the transition to clean vehicles in communities most impacted by pollution and climate change. The essential work PCF is leading on embodies the justice that communities of color, often overlooked in this transition, truly deserve.”
About Pacific Community Fund
Pacific Community Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization certified by the U.S. Dept. of Treasury CDFI Fund and the Small Business Administration (SBA) as a Microlending Intermediary, continues to leverage its extensive community networks to provide critical financial support to low-income communities throughout California. Learn more at https://pacific-fund.org.