Frigid temps are putting a strain on families in the Northeast and shining a spotlight on the relief bill being debated by Congress
November 2020 News Wrap-up
Pennsylvania has always been among the coldest of Northeastern states during the winter, with a frost stretching across the state at the end of November that sent a chill strong enough to turn the thermostat UP, as PennLive.com re-broadcast the National Weather Service’s forecast that “temperature drops will bring snow to western and northwestern Pa., including a possible 6-12 inches in Meadville and 6-8 inches in Erie.”
Only the beginning of a frigid season of winter fast approaching, resources around the state were teaming up in a united front to get as far ahead of the coming storms as possible, with Bucks County’s Levittown Now reporting that “Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller joined Public Utility Commission (PUC) Chair Gladys Brown Dutrieuille and United Way of Pennsylvania President and Pennsylvania 211 Executive Director Kristen Rotz on Friday to announce the start of the annual Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) application process for the 2020-2021 season.”
An early Christmas gift arriving just in time, Pennsylvania DHS Secretary Teresa Miller acknowledged that “we know that the pandemic and economic downturn have made it difficult for many to keep up with home energy bills. As winter approaches and we prepare to spend more time indoors, these bills may only get more expensive. I encourage everyone who may need assistance, or who has a loved one or neighbor that could benefit from this program to urge them to apply for LIHEAP. No one should feel like they have to choose whether they should heat their home because they are worried about making ends meet. DHS administers safety-net programs to help some of the commonwealth’s most vulnerable citizens get through times like these, and Pennsylvanians should know that LIHEAP is here for them if they need it.”
PUC Chair Gladys Brown Dutrieuille added the important note that “LIHEAP is an important tool for helping Pennsylvania families stay warm and safe during the winter,” said PUC Chair Gladys Brown Dutrieuille. “This year, more than ever before, we encourage families to explore all the options available – including LIHEAP and PUC-required utility customer assistance programs. Working in combination, these essential programs help hundreds of thousands of households across the Commonwealth.”
Up in traditionally-frigid Massachusetts, Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) President John Drew sounded the announcement of the start of the winter LIHEAP application season for broader Boston, and the corresponding alarm that money would run out quick given the financial strains of Covid on more households than usual, noting that “with COVID-19 surging and no sign of Congress passing a second sweeping virus relief bill that would keep unemployed workers and small businesses afloat and make it possible for struggling families to survive, the elders and families served by ABCD face a desperate situation.” With over 25,000 families helped last winter, Drew made sure to thank “our Congressional delegation for their tireless advocacy for fuel assistance and appreciate the work of HHS in getting the funds released as bitter cold descends on America’s northern tier.”
In the state’s even colder outer rural regions, Attorney General Maura Healey delivered the welcome news that an additional $570,000 had been awarded to 14 organizations around the state to help with winter heating bills, arguing it was coming not a minute too soon as “each winter, thousands of Massachusetts households struggle to come up with the funds to pay their monthly heating bills, and we expect many more to be in need this year amid the COVID-19 public health crisis. This grant program will help us ensure that families have the financial support they need to stay warm during the cold months.
Across New York, thousands of households experienced a feeling of relief vs. panic as Governor Cuomo announced along with his recent extension of a shut-off moratorium, a staggering $316 million in Heating Aid would be available during the winter LIHEAP application season, adding up to an average of over $700 for a family of four. Speaking on the urgency of the moment to apply for assistance as early as possible, the Governor made the powerful point that “cold weather brings yet another challenge for many New Yorkers already struggling to make ends meet during this unprecedented pandemic. This critical funding will help hundreds of thousands of them manage the cost of heating their homes and apartments as autumn brings in cooler temperatures and winter approaches.”
In the District of Columbia and surrounding suburbs like Bethesda, Maryland, Channel 9 WUSA reported last month that thousands of households were facing the threat of shut-off after Maryland’s moratorium was ending with over 130,000 families behind in their bills. Profiling Mike Jones, a laid-off restaurant manager from Montgomery Village, one of those in arrears, he put his unusual circumstance in common context with the admission that “I’m looking at the longest time I’ve been out of work in quite some time. How do you recharge those laptops in the dark, much less take care of your family? A lot of those people are in the restaurant community, and they have families. I’m pretty concerned right now.” In Virginia, Governor Ralph Norton signed a revised budget prohibiting utility shut-offs for the foreseeable future, noting that the move will “help keep people in their homes with their lights on and their water running.”
Responding to concern from citizens like Mike Jones, Bill Freeman, Director of the Office of Home Energy Programs at the Maryland Dept. of Human Services sought to reassure the public that “we are acutely aware of the financial impact that COVID-19 has had on many of our fellow citizens. And in these most trying of circumstances, we want to place solution-oriented possibilities at the forefront. We encourage affected Marylanders to take advantage of the available energy-assistance options and to do so in a timely manner. Don’t wait until the last possible minute for a helping hand that could be given now.”
Governor Hogan, who worked with the state legislature in November to fund a $70 million emergency relief package, including $2 million in energy assistance, offering his candid assessment that “the sad truth his the next several months will likely be, by far, the most difficult that we have faced, and I want to continue to remind everyone that this truly is an all-hands-on-deck operation. Unfortunately, we have more tough times ahead of us, and it's likely going to get worse before it gets better. But we truly are all in this together, and if we all do our part and rise to this challenge and to meet this moment, we will get through this together. The $70 million of new investments I'm announcing today will help us to protect the health and safety of more Marylanders. As we renew and redouble our efforts to flatten the curve once again, we're also committed to doing everything we can to help struggling Maryland families and small businesses who are desperately in need of additional and immediate relief."
Down South, the Kentucky River Foothills Development Council was sounding the same sign-up alarm for households around the state both rural and urban, whether heating homes with electric, gas, kerosene, coal, wood or propane, KRFDC representative Karen Atkins was encouraging residents in need to sign up, reasoning that “not only does this vital program help residents with their home heating costs, it also frees up money that can be spent on groceries, medicine and other essential household items. KRFDC has helped bridge the gaps for residents in our community for 58 years. We’re aware that COVID-19 has taken a financial toll on many people, and we want to help those who have been directly affected by a significant loss or lapse of earned income directly attributed to the Coronavirus pandemic.”
Next door in Ohio, Cuyahoga County announced a $2 million approval of CARES Act pandemic LIHEAP funding, administered by CHN Housing Partners with designs, according to Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish, on “continuing to do everything we can to assist residents in need during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. During this pandemic, the need for rent and utility aid has never been greater. CHN Housing Partners reported that 66 percent of applicants seeking rental assistance are also seeking utility assistance. This program will support eligible residents in need of assistance paying sewer, water, wastewater, electric, and gas utilities.”
Up in Iowa, always among the coldest Midwestern states during winter months, Community Action Agency of Siouxland was working hard to spread the word to local residents in need of the start of their heating LIHEAP application season, with Siouxland CAA rep Kim Wilson strongly endorsing the program’s helping hand as a strong one to “be able to help them and give them that financial boost, especially during this time because so many families have been impacted whether that be that they were laid off, that they were furloughed. So every little bit helps as they are trying to get back on their feet. I think LIHEAP, like I said before, really helps people as they’re struggling financially. We seen so many families impacted with the COVID-19 pandemic, whether that be with their rental assistance, paying their credit card bills, paying their essential bills.”
In Colorado, which always kicks off its annual LIHEAP season in November, the state’s program manager Theresa Kullen – expecting to be serving a robust demand this winter season – proudly noted that throughout the state, “we provided more than 76,000 households with heating assistance last year. By easing the strain of heating bills on households, families and individuals don’t have to make a choice between buying groceries or critical medications.” Meanwhile, to make up a shortfall affecting both utilities and customers with late bills, the State legislature met in an emergency session on November 30th to pass their own bi-partisan Covid relief package, including what the Pagosa Daily Press reported was $5 million to the Energy Outreach Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund to address a record TWENTY-FIVE percent increase in applications this year.
Sponsored by State Senators Fields & Crowder and Reps. Duran & Landgraf, the President of the State Senate Leroy Garcia (D-Pueblo) made the impassioned point that the funds were necessary from the state level because “Congressional inaction has left millions stranded – completely abandoned in their time of need. Small businesses have been drowning for months waiting for comprehensive federal aid, while hardworking Coloradans anxiously watch housing and unemployment support dissipate. The amount the Colorado state government can do to alleviate the burdens of struggling communities is limited, but it’s not nothing. That’s why we are using everything in our power to deliver the support families and businesses need to make it through another couple months. I fully believe that federal relief is on its way, but Coloradans simply can’t wait any longer. This stimulus package will help cover the immediate needs of those hit hardest by the pandemic and buoy us until more help is available.”
State House Speaker KC Becker (D-Boulder) echoed her colleague’s commitment that “we have to do everything possible in Colorado to help families, workers and businesses get through the challenging months ahead. This pandemic is taking its toll on nearly every Coloradan, with businesses on the brink of closing and families struggling to avoid eviction or foreclosure. Only Washington can deliver the kind of comprehensive relief our communities need, but Coloradans can’t wait any longer. Our state government will step up with every tool we have, despite our limited budget, to do what we can to help bridge the gap until Congress acts and until a vaccine is ready.”
In the Southwest, Tucson residents were requesting aid with bills they were behind on by an average of $2000 to $3000 according to The Arizona Daily Star, with 60,000 behind in their bills by a few months, and over 35,000 so far behind in their delinquencies that they were facing the threat of shut-off were the moratorium not in effect statewide. Quoting Nicole Cruz of the “the majority of people that we see have not paid their bills since May, that creates all these people who know they can go months and months without paying the bill. Then, all of a sudden they…are more in a panic stage. They don’t know how its going to happen. When you’re not using this year after year, and are living paycheck to paycheck, you are scared when your bill is late…They are very scared, they’re desperate, they’re anxious.”
Out West in Washington State, Governor Jay Inslee announced that $135 million in CARES Act funding would be made available to those struggling to keep the rent paid or lights on, acknowledging that “we know this pandemic is taking an economic toll.” With over $15 million included specifically for energy assistance, the Governor added that while “this is a significant relief effort. I can’t say it’s going to help everyone, but I can say we are not done yet collaborating with our partners to find more funds. These needs will only grow worse as additional core provisions of the CARES Act are set to expire at the end of 2020, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and existing Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF). Americans will face irreparable harm if small businesses, families, workers, and state and local governments are forced to confront the coming months without immediate federal action. Only Congress can provide the size and scale of relief needed in this moment.
Reporting by JB
Sources:
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/11/rain-snow-coming-to-pa-throughout-the-week.html
https://foothillscap.org/2020/10/fall-energy-assistance-program-begins-november-2/
http://www.onelakewood.com/2-million-of-cares-funding-for-utility-assistance-approved/
https://framinghamsource.com/index.php/2020/11/10/mass-ags-office-awards-city-of-marlborough-grant-to-help-low-income-residents-pay-heating-bills/ https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-328-million-home-heating-aid-assist-new-yorkers-during-cold-weather
OCTOBER, 2020 LIHEAP NATIONAL NEWS WRAP-UP
With winter fast approaching, and the same perfect storm hanging over millions of struggling families fearing the expiration of Covid moratoriums on utility bills due from the spring/summer shutdown where most of the country’s electric bills were higher, economically-distressed communities rural, suburban and urban were hit especially hard. With a small wave of relief coming with the release of LIHEAP’s winter heating assistance funds starting to roll out, families around St. Louis, Missouri in the heart of the Midwest were grateful for the $500,000 in energy assistance that local utility Ameren was dolling out, topping off another $4 million in additional assistance the utility had contributed in 2020 to the Coronavirus economic fight. A recognition of the utility’s awareness that “there are many families struggling with their expenses who don’t qualify for existing programs, but have been deeply impacted by the pandemic.” Continuing, Amaren Missouri Chairmen/President Marty Lyons added his company’s reassurance that “we want those families to know we are here to help in this critical time of need. This new round of Clean Slate will support even more customers as we head into the colder winter months.”
A forecast that had Congress on edge in Washington, over 40 Senators in a rare show of Bi-Partisanship wrote to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) urging rapid release of the year’s remaining winter LIHEAP funds, with longtime supporter U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont affirmed that “as a result of this horrific health and economic crisis, Vermonters are hurting like they have never hurt before. It is critical that we get this home heating lifeline to Vermonters immediately. In the richest country on Earth, we have a moral responsibility to make sure that no one has to make the unacceptable choice between putting food on the table, paying for their prescription drugs, or heating their homes this winter.”
Senator Patrick Leahy doubled down on the pressure his constituents were under “with the pandemic continuing to depress family incomes nationwide, and an early fall here in Vermont, it’s vital that HHS act swiftly to release LIHEAP dollars to the states. As vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee I’ve fought year after year to support strong funding for LIHEAP because I know Vermonters rely on this help to keep warm. Any delay in sending these dollars to Vermont will result in Vermont families delaying filling their fuel tanks as nights get colder. I understand the urgency, and I hope the Administration does as well.”
The same chill was being felt out West as senior U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein of Northern California, traditionally chilly in the wintertime, echoed her colleagues sentiment with co-signs from the aforementioned Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Angus King (I-Maine), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.).
Acting as a voice for the voiceless, these and other advocates included a collective up in the traditionally-frigid-in-winter state of Minnesota, where once state LIHEAP director Michael Schmitz for the Department of Commerce predicted that “I could see this as being a pretty long and hard winter for a lot of people,” Xcel Energy Vice President of Customer Care Chris Cardenas announced credits for up to 75% of customers’ delinquent bills. Proudly pointing to the program as “the first of its kind,” Cardenas reasoned the drastic action was necessary as “these really are unprecedented times, and we really don’t have a benchmark to compare them to.” Praised by nonprofits like the Energy Cents Coalition, whose Executive Director Pam Marshall complimented the “creative way to acknowledge there will be an even bigger problem if we ignore it,” she offered the similarly poignant irony that shut-off notices are “the motivator to seek assistance.” Another advocate, Bill Grant – Executive Director of the Minnesota Community Action Partnership – highlighted the massive difference that LIHEAP made, noting that the program “has in most winters gotten us through the heating season.”
Up in neighboring Wisconsin, Governor Tony Evers announced the early Christmas present to his state of a surprise $47 million in assistance through the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF), $15 million of which is headed straight to the LIHEAP program. Local ABC affiliate Channel 27 WKOW reported that that funding would be matched by “an additional $1 million Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund (KWW/CF), a non-profit that provides a statewide safety net to individuals facing energy-related emergencies.” Similar efforts to lend a helping hand were having around the country, including in North Carolina where Valley News Live announced that an additional $460 payment per family in need of help would be heading out this winter to help fight off the rise in heating bills.
Reporting by J.B.
Sources:
https://www.kfvs12.com/2020/10/21/k-energy-assistance-now-available-ameren-mo-customers/
https://vermontbiz.com/news/2020/october/19/leahy-and-sanders-seek-swift-release-liheap-heating-help
https://wfpl.org/kentuckians-75-million-behind-on-utilities-as-moratorium-ends/
https://wxow.com/2020/10/06/evers-receives-more-covid-support/
https://www.valleynewslive.com/2020/10/06/new-p-liheap-program-will-help-pay-electric-utility-bills/
