Oct. 24-- Oct. 24--On Nov. 4, Kentucky River Foothills will start the subsidy portion of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides financial assistance to income-eligible households with heating costs through two different programs.
The first is LIHEAP Subsidy, running through November and December, followed by LIHEAP Crisis going from January to March, or until all funds are spent. According to Karen Atkins, public information officer for the Kentucky River Foothills Development Council, for fiscal year 2020, KRFH has $531,931 allocated for the assistance program, spread across Clark, Estill, Madison and Powell counties.
She told The Register that funding for this program originates with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, then being passed through the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services and Community Action Kentucky.
Renters and homeowners that are responsible for their heating bills and have low or fixed income are eligible to apply through a new appointment-based system.
Qualifying participants will have an energy assistance benefit including energy services such as electricity, gas, kerosene, propane, coal or wood. The amount that each household can receive will be based on its poverty level, whether they are living in subsidized or unsubsidized housing and the type of fuel used for heating the home.
From July 2017 to June 2018, KRFH was able to benefit 1,305 households with Subsidy heating assistance in Madison County, with a dollar amount of $167,183. In total, KRFH assisted 3,376 homes and offered $460,748 in subsidy assistance.
"As it gets colder outside, many people are unable to pay their increased heating bills," Atkins said. "LIHEAP helps many individuals, families with children and seniors avoid a crisis and prevents a costlier disaster."
For LIHEAP Crisis assistance during the same period, KRFH helped 1,282 households in Madison County with a benefit amount of $291,219. In total crisis assistance across four counties, KRFH assisted 3,353 homes with a benefit amount of $775,834.
In a press release from Kentucky River Foothills, eligible participants do not need to have an unpaid energy bill or be out of fuel to receive assistance in the subsidy portion of the program. All eligible households will receive a benefit until LIHEAP funds are entirely depleted and the benefits will be made payable to the household's primary or secondary heating fuel vendor.
The press release states that a household is eligible with a completion of an application, if the household is responsible for home energy costs, have a combined household income, live in Kentucky when the application is made and do not have liquid resources in excess of $2,000 or $3,000 if at least one person in the household is 60 or older and/or disabled except for a homes with a catastrophic illness.
Applicants are required to bring proof of social security or a permanent residence card, proof of all household's income from the following month, the most recent heating bill and vendor information for the main heating fuel as well as electric to an appointment.
When the crisis component begins on Jan. 6, 2020, a household shall be considered to be in a home heating crisis situation when the household meets the basic LIHEAP eligibility criteria and: (1) the household is within four days of running out of fuel if bulk fuel (coal, fuel oil, propane, kerosene or wood) is the heat source; (2) the household has received a disconnect notice if natural gas or electric is the heat source; or (3) the household's home heating costs are included as an undesignated portion of the rent, and the household has received an eviction notice for non-payment of rent from the landlord, the press release states.
LIHEAP is now operating on an appointment-based system. You can schedule your appointment by calling 859- 544-1713 or online at: https://foothillscap.cascheduler.com.
Applications will be taken Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Madison County Outreach Office, 309 Spangler Drive, Richmond. Their phone number is 859-623-6514. Appointments in Berea will begin Nov. 12 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to noon at the Berea Senior Center located at 214 W. Jefferson Street, Berea. Their phone number is 859-986-8350.
Reach Taylor Six at 624-6623 or follow her on Twitter at @TaylorSixRR.
LIHEAP has established income guidelines to determine eligibility. For the 2019-2020 program year, the income guidelines are:
Gross Monthly Income
$1,354 (1 member household)
$1,832 (2)
$2,311 (3)
$2,790 (4)
$3,269 (5)
$3,748 (6)
$4,227 (7)
$4,705 (8)
*Add $479 for each additional family member
