Energy Assistance Utility Expense

Participants may have some or all of their utilities paid with Energy Assistance, previously known as negative rent, when one of the following applies:

● They live in public housing, and their rent is zero

● They live in Section 8 Project based Rental Housing

● They are recipients of a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher

Energy Assistance payments are either paid to the participant or directly to the utility company as a vendor payment.

Budgetary units that receive energy assistance payments and have a participant who is elderly or has a disability are eligible for SUA when the payment meets all of the following:

● Is from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Power AZ or any similar energy assistance program.

● The payment is $20 or more annually.

● Is received in the application month or any of the 12 months before the application month.

Budgetary units without a participant who is elderly or has a disability may still be eligible for SUA when the budgetary unit meets all of the following:

● Can provide proof of their heating or cooling expense.

● Is receiving a payment from the LIHEAP, Power AZ or any similar energy assistance program.

● Incurs a heating or cooling expense that is more than the energy assistance payment.