PROVIDENCE – Gov. Daniel J. McKee on Tuesday said the state will get $21.9 million from the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to help residents with low incomes pay their utility bills this winter.
The grants would be used for both heating assistance and to avoid a crisis in which a resident is at risk of having their heat shut off because of not being able to pay a bill or having a heating system fail. Grants would range between $555 and $1,201, McKee said.
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The state also received for the 2022 fiscal year $30.8 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for the LIHEAP assistance initiative, McKee said. Rhode Island also will issue $500 one-time payments to residents to help with water/wastewater bills.
The state said 26,141 households received noncrisis heating assistance via LIHEAP between October 2020 through May 2021. Also, 1,808 crisis grants for heating and 24,692 cooling- assistance grants were issued during that time, McKee said. This season, both the R.I. Department of Human Services and local community action program agencies hope to help about 45,000 households this season.
Applicants who either own a home or rent can qualify for funding. Eligible households must meet 60% of the state’s median income level. Family size, fuel type and minimum delivery requirements are also considered for LIHEAP primary grants, McKee said.
Applications are accepted through residents’ local community action agencies from now through April 30.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
