Disadvantaged communities (DACs) are identified by the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) through the CalEnviroScreen tool as those communities that are most affected by multiple sources of pollution and where people are most susceptible to the effects of pollution.

• For all CALeVIP rebate projects launched in 2023 or later (CALeVIP 2.0), a DAC is defined as an area that falls into one of the following categories:
  1. Census tracts receiving the highest 25% of overall scores in CalEnviroScreen 4.0 (1,984 tracts).
  2. Census tracts lacking overall scores in CalEnviroScreen 4.0 due to data gaps, but receiving the highest 5% of CalEnviroScreen 4.0 cumulative pollution burden scores (19 tracts).
  3. Census tracts identified in the 2017 DAC designation as disadvantaged, regardless of their scores in CalEnviroScreen 4.0 (305 tracts).
  4. Lands under the control of federally recognized tribes.
• For all CALeVIP rebate projects launched prior to 2023 (CALeVIP 1.0), a DAC is defined as any census tract that scores in the top 50% of CalEnviroScreen 3.0. Applicants are screened for DAC/LIC eligibility as part of the application review process.

Low-income communities (LICs) are census tracts that are either at or below 80% of the statewide median income or at or below the threshold designated as low-income by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

• For all CALeVIP rebate projects launched in 2023 or later (CALeVIP 2.0), an LIC is defined as the census tracts that are either below 80% of the statewide median income or at or below the threshold designated as low-income by the HCD’s Revised 2021 State Income Limits.
• For all CALeVIP rebate projects launched prior to 2023 (CALeVIP 1.0), an LIC is defined as the census tracts that are either below 80% of the statewide median income or at or below the threshold designated as low-income by the HCD’s 2016 State Income Limits.