Utility assistance safe
– for now
A statewide program that helps low-income families keep the
lights on is safe, even as the state’s budget shortfall looms.
The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) provides a single
annual payment to families or individuals who meet qualifying
income guidelines. It’s administered through the county office of
Community Services and Workforce Development.
Utility assistance safe – for now
A statewide program that helps low-income families keep the lights on is safe, even as the state’s budget shortfall looms.
The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) provides a single annual payment to families or individuals who meet qualifying income guidelines. It’s administered through the county office of Community Services and Workforce Development.
Andi Anderson of the Community Services office said there’s no cause for people taking advantage of the program to worry.
“Payments are not being delayed,” she said Tuesday. “The normal process is we process the application. Once it’s approved by a supervisor, we fax a guarantee to the PG&E office and it takes up to 60 days for them to post payment.” That’s because Pacific Gas and Electric Co. enters each participant into its system individually, so it usually takes about 60 days for payments to be posted.
Demand for the program is up, Anderson said. That may be less a function of the economy than that awareness of HEAP is growing, she guessed. “Last year we served approximately 900 families,” she said. “It really depends on the amount of funding we receive how many families we serve.”
Ellen Newman of Hollister has taken advantage of the program for several years. Retired and living on a fixed income, Newman depends on the program to make ends meet. She’s also taken steps to conserve energy. She abandoned her gas range and now cooks all her meals in a compact convection/microwave oven.
Newman grew anxious when PG&E told her the state was no longer offering direct payments to PG&E. The utility told her that her payment was first deferred on January 6, and again April 6. The current extension expires in July. Meanwhile, interest charges are accruing.
Newman laid the whole issue at the feet of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“In July he’s (Schwarzenegger) just going to do the same thing,” she said. “Last month PG&E raised their prices. What that’s doing is paying this off. He’s robbing Peter to pay Paul.”
Anderson said she is not aware of state-issued IOUs, and neither was a staff member at PG&E’s help center who was also unfamiliar with the HEAP program. Anderson guessed the problem might just be administrative.
“At the beginning of the year when it’s colder, we receive an excess of applications and we only have one staff member to process them,” she said. “We were receiving 25 to 35 applications per day. Now it’s slowed down to maybe five per day.”
Applications are assigned a priority. Households with a notice that service will be terminated in 48 hours come first, then those with 15-day notices. Regular bills are lower priority during times of peak demand, Anderson said.
But when Newman called the utility back, she was again told that the state checks have stopped in favor of promises to pay later. Her fears are twofold: first, the state is paying interest that ultimately will be borne by California residents and second, that PG&E might have to hike rates further to balance its books.
San Benito County residents who wish to learn more about the HEAP program may call the Community Services office at 637-9293.
