(a) A program must establish a C-PACER application and review process to evaluate project applications for C-PACER financing. The program must prescribe the form and manner of the application. At a minimum:

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 68-205-107

  • Capital provider: means a private third-party entity, including its designee, successor, and assigns, that makes or funds C-PACER financing, including refinancing, under this chapter. See Tennessee Code 68-205-102
  • Code: includes the Tennessee Code and all amendments and revisions to the code and all additions and supplements to the code. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Commercial property: means :
    (A) Privately owned commercial, industrial, or agricultural real property. See Tennessee Code 68-205-102
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
  • Financing: means financing and refinancing for qualified projects under this chapter. See Tennessee Code 68-205-102
  • Financing agreement: means the contract under which a property owner agrees to repay a capital provider for the C-PACER financing, including, but not limited to, details of finance charges, fees, debt servicing, accrual of interest and penalties, and terms relating to treatment of prepayment and partial payment, billing, collection, and enforcement of the C-PACER financing. See Tennessee Code 68-205-102
  • Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. Source: OCC
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • Local government: means a county, metropolitan government, municipality, or other political subdivision of this state. See Tennessee Code 68-205-102
  • program: means a commercial property assessed clean energy program established under this chapter. See Tennessee Code 68-205-102
  • Program administrator: means the entity designated by a local government to administer a C-PACER program, including:
    (A) A department or individual within a local government. See Tennessee Code 68-205-102
  • Program guidebook: means a comprehensive document that illustrates the applicable program and establishes appropriate guidelines, specifications, underwriting and approval criteria, and standard application forms consistent with the administration of a program and not detailed in this chapter, including:
    (A) A form assessment contract between the local government and the property owner specifying the terms of assessment under the program, financing provided by a third party, and remedies for default or foreclosure. See Tennessee Code 68-205-102
  • Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Property owner: means the owner or owners on title, duly recorded, of a commercial property. See Tennessee Code 68-205-102
  • Qualified project: means a project approved by the program administrator, involving the installation or modification of a qualified improvement, including new construction or the adaptive reuse of eligible property with a qualified improvement, and including qualified improvements installed no more than two (2) years prior to the date of application. See Tennessee Code 68-205-102
  • written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(1) An applicant must demonstrate that the project provides a benefit to the public, in the form of energy or water resource conservation, reduced public health costs or risk, or reduced public emergency response cost or risk;
(2) For an existing building:

(A) Where energy or water usage improvements are proposed, an applicant must provide:

(i) An energy analysis by a licensed engineering firm, engineer, or other qualified professional listed in the program guidebook; and
(ii) A statement by the author of the analysis that the proposed qualified improvements will either result in more efficient use or conservation of energy or water, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, or the addition of renewable sources of energy or water; or
(B) Where resilience improvements are proposed, an applicant must provide certification by a licensed professional engineer stating that the qualified improvements will result in improved resilience;
(3) For new construction, an applicant must provide certification by a licensed professional engineer or engineering firm stating that the proposed qualified improvements will enable the project to exceed the current building code‘s requirements for:

(i) Energy efficiency;
(ii) Water efficiency;
(iii) Renewable energy;
(iv) Renewable water; or
(v) Resilience; and
(4) The applicant must include a certification by a licensed professional engineer or professional firm in the appropriate area of expertise that the economic benefits of the improvements exceed the costs of the assessment.
(b) A local government shall establish a process for reviewing and approving applications for C-PACER financing. The local government may require a qualified capital provider to certify to the local government, in accordance with a process approved by the local government, that the property owner and the project qualify for financing within this chapter and complies with this chapter and the program guidebook.
(c) The local government’s duties also include:

(1) Execution and recording of the written assessment contract between the property owner and the local government, by a duly authorized official, as well as execution and recording of the local government Notice of Assessment and C-PACER lien; and
(2) Execution and recording of the assignment of the assessment agreement, the Notice of Assessment and C-PACER lien, and Notice of Assignment of Assessment and C-PACER lien to the capital provider.
(d) A local government may choose to bill, collect, and enforce the C-PACER assessment and lien, subject to the following guidelines:

(1) The local government may enforce the assessment lien in the same manner that a property tax lien against commercial property is enforced by the local government as follows:

(A) Delinquent installments of the assessment incur interest and penalties in the same manner as delinquent property taxes;
(B) In an enforcement or foreclosure action, assessments not yet due must not be accelerated or eliminated by foreclosure, including the foreclosure of a property tax. However, delinquent interest in accordance with the financing agreement must be included in the enforcement or foreclosure action; and
(C) The local government may apply the proceeds of an enforcement action in the same manner as it applies the proceeds from enforcement actions for delinquent property taxes, including the local government’s right to apply the proceeds to the payment of the actual costs of the enforcement action as provided in § 67-5-2501;
(2) The local government may delegate these responsibilities to the capital provider if the capital provider is solely responsible for billing, collection, and enforcement of the special assessment and lien. Under this subsection (d), delinquent installments incur interest and penalties as specified in the financing agreement between the property owner and capital provider. Enforcement of a delinquent installment must be in the same manner as that of a deed of trust, except that assessments not yet due may not be accelerated or eliminated by foreclosure of the past due amount of the lien. Outstanding and delinquent property taxes at the time of the enforcement action must be satisfied along with the delinquent amounts of the special assessment, subject to § 68-205-110; and
(3) The local government, its officers, and employees, are not liable at law or equity for actions taken pursuant to this section, except in cases of gross negligence, recklessness, or willful misconduct.
(e) After an approved project is completed, an applicant shall provide to the local government written verification provided by a licensed professional engineer or engineering firm, as defined in the program guidebook, stating that the qualified project was properly completed and is operating as intended.
(f) For an improved project, the capital provider may be subject to an audit regarding the assignment of the C-PACER assessment and lien from the local government or program administrator.
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