Brevard County Quietly Moves to Bring Back a Program That Once Put Homes at Risk

BREVARD COUNTY, FL. - On January 13, 2026, the Brevard County Commission will take up an agenda item that could reopen a controversial financing system that the county shut down just three years ago after residents were harmed.

The item, listed as J.7 – Legislative Intent and Staff Direction, asks the Board of County Commissioners to direct the County Attorney to draft a resolution that would allow PACE loans to once again be used by homeowners. The agenda notes that “the backers of the PACE program have requested that the Brevard County Board of Commissioners revisit the issue.”

PACE stands for Property Assessed Clean Energy, a financing program that allows homeowners to fund things like roofs, hurricane windows, air conditioning systems, and solar panels. But instead of being a traditional loan, PACE is attached to a home as a tax lien and repaid through property taxes.

That structure is why the program has been so controversial.

What Brevard Already Decided

Brevard County originally approved PACE in 2018, allowing several private PACE companies, including Renew Financial, to operate in the county.

But in 2022, the County Commission partially shut the program down.

In Resolution 22-067, the Board formally ended PACE for single-family homes and nonprofit properties, stating that the program was not in the best interest of residents because of a lack of consumer protections and oversight. That decision followed mounting complaints about misleading sales tactics, unaffordable debt, and homeowners finding themselves unable to sell or refinance their homes.

The County did not erase existing PACE debts, but it stopped new residential homeowners from being enrolled.

In 2024, the County updated its PACE rules again to match new state law, but it kept PACE limited to commercial properties only, such as apartment complexes and business buildings.

That is the current legal status:
PACE is allowed in Brevard for commercial projects, but not for homeowners.

What Is Being Proposed Now

The January 13 agenda item would begin the process of reversing that decision.

The Board is not being asked to approve PACE immediately; instead, it is being asked to instruct the County Attorney to draft a resolution that would allow residential PACE again.

The key language in the agenda reads:

“It has been requested by the backers of the PACE program that the Brevard County Board of Commissioners revisit the issue.”

The agenda does not identify who those backers are.

Who Profits From PACE

One of the largest PACE companies operating in Florida is Renew Financial, a California-based company that runs RenewPACE in the state.

Renew Financial makes money when homeowners sign PACE contracts. Those contracts place a long-term lien on the home that is collected through the property tax system. The company collects interest and fees over many years.

Two people with strong ties to Brevard County politics, Mindy Gibson, a former Satellite Beach council member and current candidate for Florida House, and Courtney Barker, a former Satellite Beach city manager, are now registered lobbyists for Renew Financial.

That means they are paid to advocate for Renew Financial’s interests.

At the same time, the PACE issue has returned to the Brevard County agenda.

Why Homeowners Are Concerned

PACE is often marketed as “free government money” or “no-cost upgrades,” but consumer advocates have warned that it functions very differently from a traditional home improvement loan.

Unlike a mortgage or bank loan:

• PACE does not require a minimum credit score.
• The debt does not appear like a typical loan.
• It is added directly to the property’s tax bill.
• It takes priority over the homeowner’s mortgage.

If a homeowner falls behind on property taxes, the PACE lien can be sold as a tax certificate, a process that can ultimately lead to foreclosure.

Because PACE is usually sold by contractors, roofers, solar companies, and HVAC installers, rather than banks, critics say there is a strong incentive to push homeowners into contracts without fully explaining the risks.

Florida passed new consumer protection rules in 2024, including recorded confirmation calls and a three-day cancellation period. However, the underlying structure of PACE, a tax lien on a home, did not change.

Why the Timing Matters

Florida homeowners are currently facing a severe insurance crisis, with premiums rising sharply and many insurers leaving the market. Roofs and storm upgrades are becoming harder to afford.

Supporters of PACE argue it can help homeowners pay for upgrades.

Opponents argue that it does the opposite, replacing one crisis with another by loading families with long-term debt tied to their homes.

Brevard County previously concluded that the risks were too high.

Now, that decision is being reconsidered at the request of PACE backers.

The Questions the Public Is Asking

Because the agenda does not identify who requested this change, residents and watchdogs are asking:

• Who specifically asked for residential PACE to be brought back?
• Were PACE companies or their lobbyists involved?
• Did county commissioners discuss this with industry representatives before it was placed on the agenda?

Commissioner Thad Altman of District 5 is the sponsor of the agenda item.

As of publication, the County has not publicly disclosed who requested the revisit or what data was used to justify reopening the program.

What Happens Next

On January 13, the Board will vote on whether to instruct staff to draft a resolution to reinstate residential PACE. If approved, that resolution would come back for a future vote.

If passed, it would reopen the door for PACE companies to once again place tax liens on Brevard homeowners.

For many residents, the concern is simple:
Brevard already tried this, and it went badly.

Now, with powerful financial interests pushing to return, the county faces a choice between protecting homeowners or reopening a system that once put their homes at risk.