LA MESA, Calif. (KGTV) — The City of La Mesa is opening applications to its E-bike Incentive Program on Wednesday at 12 p.m. becoming the first city in the San Diego area to offer such a program.
Funded by a $45,000 grant from San Diego Community Power, the incentive will give applicants a voucher toward the purchase of an electric bike from Stay True Cycleworks, the program’s approved local bike shop.
The base amount is $800, and income qualified applicants will receive a $1200 voucher.
The pilot program’s website says replacing car trips with e-bikes will mean cleaner air and healthier communities, and the vouchers are intended to give more residents and workers in La Mesa that opportunity.
To qualify, applicants must be 18 years of age and either a resident of La Mesa or a worker at a business within the city, with various options to prove residency or employment listed on the program website.
Applicants with income lower than 50% of the area median income, or who participate in Medi-Cal, CalFresh, or other select programs, qualify for the $1200 voucher.
Those who are selected are required to complete a free virtual training course presented by the San Diego County Bike Coalition to receive their voucher.
Priority will be given to the first 150 applicants and those who intend to use the bike the most often, ideally daily and replacing significant vehicle trips. Only one rebate is allowed per household.
The program’s eligible equipment list details the bikes that are available, with their price, range, and other features.
Applications open at 12 p.m. on March 26 and close at 11:59 p.m. on April 14.
California recently offered vouchers in a similar program that is no longer accepting applications due to the high volume already received.
