If you have questions about the program during a time when the agency is not open, dial for information and assistance. We are open twenty-four hours a day, days a year. Residents age 60 or over, or those who are disabled, are permitted to receive and return applications by mail. Others may only apply by mail if permitted by their local application agency. If you are a new applicant or if you have moved since last year you will need to bring a copy of the following documentation with you when you go to apply for this program at your local application agency.
Download the application. The application for those eligible for this process is automatically started within the system. Applicants using the recertification process will be contacted by mail and asked to supply less documentation. If you have moved since your last application was submitted, you will NOT be eligible for this streamlined process and will have to submit a new application. NOTE: Remember, all applications for this program must be submitted to your local application agency.
Once your application is submitted it will be processed. If there is a problem with the application, you will be notified by mail and you must contact the local application agency that originally submitted your application. Applications for this program are accepted throughout the year. You apply for two benefit programs at the same time. Households eligible for USF will receive a monthly credit benefit towards their gas and electric bills.
Payments are credited monthly to the utility accounts. No money is ever sent to clients. If you move, the USF benefits are stopped until you contact your new utility company and inform them that you were receiving USF at your former residence. It is the responsibility of the new utility company to associate your USF benefits to the new account.
Once this has been done your USF benefit level will be reevaluated. The level of benefits you receive may change because it is in part based upon the history of utility use in your new location. Review the application process noted above.
For more information about USF, contact your local application agency , call or go to the state website. Fresh Start is a partnership between the customer and USF to forgive past due balances and improve your payment record. Participants must pay the current USF-supplemented bill on time and in full every month and after 12 months of full on-time payments, the pre-USF program overdue balance will be erased. If you are eligible for Fresh Start when you enroll in USF, you will be automatically enrolled by your energy company and will be sent additional information about how the Fresh Start program works.
For more information, call your electric or gas company. Details for each of these programs follow. On Dec. DPS urges customers to take advantage of available assistance programs to help pay down their arrears and keep their services connected. To help ensure people stay warm this winter, Gov. Kathy Hochul recently launched a statewide campaign to highlight heating and utility assistance for struggling New Yorkers.
The digital media campaign is raising awareness of the various state programs available to help struggling New Yorkers pay heating and utility expenses to avoid potential service interruptions during the cold weather months ahead.
With utility prices spiking this season, the campaign provides advice to help contend with higher-than-average home heating costs. Administered by the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance OTDA , applications for HEAP are accepted in-person at local departments of social services or by telephone, with funding provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
Residents outside of New York City may also apply online for regular heating assistance benefits. Starting Jan. Another available resource is New York's Energy Affordability Policy EAP that requires the state's major electric and natural gas utilities to provide monthly bill discounts to income-eligible customers.
The program expansion will result in more targeted bill discounts. Households may apply for this new program online, by fax or by mailing a written application to OTDA. Customers with a drinking water emergency may also be able to obtain assistance by contacting their local Department of Social Services.
The rising cost of living in Santa Clara County is surpassing the amount of monthly income received for the most vulnerable in our communities.
Particularly, it impacts households with fixed incomes: the elderly, the disabled, and families with children. Donna's family consists of her and her husband, and they spend most of their fixed income on essentials.
Because of the energy inefficiency of their home, a higher percentage of their household income goes towards energy related expenses.
Donna's family purchased their home over 20 years ago, and their original priority was fixated on raising their children. After 30 years of employment, Donna made a decision to take an early retirement due to a knee injury. Her husband retired soon thereafter to care for his wife. They did not factor into their budget that they would need to use their savings to pay for their basic needs, which caused them to postpone any needed home repairs.
The lack of repairs made their home less energy efficient and inflated their bill during extreme weather. Making any upgrades to their home would require upfront expenses they could not afford, and it did not seem like an option worth pursuing. After performing an energy audit to address energy use and improvements, Sacred Heart Community Service SHCS , installed a heater, LED light bulbs, carbon monoxide detectors, smoke alarms, a hot water flow restrictor, an ADA low-flow toilet to accommodate Donna's knee and hip conditions, and an energy efficient exhaust fan, just to name a few.
And with some additional tips provided by the SHCS installers on how to conserve energy, Donna states her utility payment credit will extend over several months, allowing her to focus on improving her health and enjoying the improved conditions in her home. She adds that having a new furnace also means that she will not have to buy wood for her fireplace an additional and costly expense to keep warm and stay healthy in the winter.
Teresa E. Teresa lives in the Morongo Basin area of San Bernardino County, where it becomes very cold in the winter. This requires her to use more gas during the winter months than normal compared to the rest of the year. CAP San Bernardino also provides outreach services and events to the communities that are in rural and hard to reach areas of San Bernardino County.
Their mission is to work with their communities by supporting, advocating for, and empowering residents to achieve self-reliance and economic security.
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