4 CRISIS ASSISTANCE

Eligibility - 2604(c), 2605(c)(1)(A) 4.1 Designate the income eligibility threshold used for the crisis component Add Household size Eligibility Guideline Eligibility Threshold 1 1 State Median Income 60.00% 2 2 State Median Income 60.00% 3 3 State Median Income 60.00% 4 4 State Median Income 60.00% 5 5 State Median Income 60.00% 6 6 State Median Income 60.00% 7 7 State Median Income 60.00% 8 8 State Median Income 60.00% 9 9 State Median Income 60.00% 4.2 Provide your LIHEAP program's definition for determining a crisis. If you administer multiple crisis assistance programs (winter, summer, and/or year-round), Include all program definitions. Assistance provided to an applicant with no access to, or in danger of losing access to, necessary home energy. Subrecipient may provide multiple crisis assistance benefits per year. Crisis Types and Definitions: a. Life-Threatening Crisis: A life-threatening crisis exists whenever a subrecipient has reliable information that a household member’s life and/or health are at risk due to hot or cold weather. A subrecipient has 18 hours from the time of application and approval to resolve a Life- Threatening crisis situation. b. Non-Life-Threatening Crisis: A standard crisis situation where a household is facing an electric or gas service shut off, or has already had their services shut off, but a household member’s health nor life are at risk due to hot or cold weather. A subrecipient has 48 hours from receipt of application and approval to provide assistance to an applicant with no access to, or in danger of losing access to, necessary home energy. • It may be used to pre-pay home energy usage: o Client should either: be within seven (7) days of using the remaining balance of ‘energy’ pre-purchased, have their power disconnected/ shut off, or need to make a deposit. 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? A life-threatening crisis exists whenever a subrecipient has reliable information that a household member’s life and/or health are at risk due to hot or cold weather. A subrecipient has 18 hours from the time of application and approval to resolve a Life-Threatening crisis situation. Crisis Requirement, 2604(c) 4.4 Within how many hours do you provide an intervention that will resolve the energy crisis for eligible households? 48Hours 4.5 Within how many hours do you provide an intervention that will resolve the energy crisis for eligible households in life-threatening situations? 18Hours Crisis Eligibility, 2605(c)(1)(A) Winter Crisis Summer Crisis Year-Round Crisis 4.6 Do you have additional eligibility requirements for Crisis Assistance? 4.7 Check the appropriate boxes below to indicate type(s) of assistance provided 0 Do you require an Assets test? Do you give priority in eligibility to: Older Adults (60 years or older)? Individuals with a disability? Young Children? Households with high energy burdens? Other (Specify): In Order to receive crisis assistance: Must the household have received a shut-off notice or have a near empty tank? Must the household have been shut off or have an empty tank? Must the household have exhausted their regular heating benefit? Must renters with heating costs included in their rent have received an eviction notice? Must heating/cooling be medically necessary? Must the household have non-working heating or cooling equipment? Other (Specify): Delinquency Notice Do you have additional/differing eligibility policies for: Renters? Renters living in subsidized housing? Renters with utilities included in the rent? Explanations of policies for each "yes" checked above: Priority in eligibility is provided to elderly, disabled, or young children. In order to receive crisis assistance, the applicant should either: be within seven (7) days of using the remaining balance of ‘energy’ prepurchase, have received a deliquency notice, have their power disconnected/shut off, or need to make a deposit. If the applicant lives in government subsidized housing, the subrecipient must determine if all or part of their utility costs are paid directly or indirectly by the government and take the following actions: A. The applicant is not eligible for assistance if their home heating and cooling costs are totally included in their rent, and they have no obligation to pay any portion of the costs. B. For Crisis Assistance Only: If the applicant receives an energy subsidy through Section Eight or a Public Housing Authority, then the subrecipient must subtract the amount of the subsidy available to the applicant during the period covered by the utility bill from the allowable LIHEAP crisis benefit calculated for the household. C. If an applicant is receiving rent supplements through HUD or Section Eight, the subrecipient must obtain a copy of the applicant’s rental agreement/lease to determine if energy assistance is included or a separate expense from the monthly rent obligation. A copy of the lease must be placed in the client file. D. The subrecipient may approve applicants who move from ineligible housing to eligible housing. The subrecipient must first receive verification of the move. Applicants who move are responsible for any unpaid balance due the vendor from the energy account at the ineligible address. Determination of Benefits 4.8 How do you handle crisis situations? Separate component Benefit Fast Track, no separate amount of crisis funds is issued. Rather benefits are issued to crisis customers within crisis response time frames. Other - Describe: 4.9 If you have a separate component, how do you determine crisis assistance benefits? Amount to resolve the crisis. $2,000 Other - Describe: Applicants are eligible for multiple Crisis Assistance benefits up to the maximum amount per year. Crisis Requirements, 2604(c) 4.10 Do you accept applications for energy crisis assistance at sites that are geographically accessible to all households in the area to be served? Yes No Explain. Subrecipients are required to operate offices and hours that are accessible to all households in the counties served. Applications are accepted online, by phone and in person. 4.11 Do you provide individuals who are individuals with a disability the means to: Submit applications for crisis benefits without leaving their homes? Yes No If No, explain. Travel to the sites at which applications for crisis assistance are accepted? Yes No If No, explain. If you answered "No" to both options in question 4.11, please explain alternative means of intake to those who are homebound or physically disabled? Benefit Levels, 2605(c)(1)(B) 4.12 Indicate the maximum benefit for each type of crisis assistance offered. Winter Crisis $0.00 maximum benefit Summer Crisis $0.00 maximum benefit Year-round Crisis $2,000.00 maximum benefit 4.13 Do you provide in-kind (e.g. blankets, space heaters, fans) and/or other forms of benefits? Yes No If yes, Describe During a presidential or governor declared emergency, FloridaCommerce provides flexibilities for: Applicant Relocation Costs • Temporary Housing • Transportation to move from crisis to shelters • Generator Purchase and Fuel • Utility/Electric Reconnection Costs Electrical Power Cable Connection, • Utility Box Replacement • Contractor’s/subcontractor’s cost to repair electrical wiring or gas lines, • Utility deposits, late fees and reconnect fees. • • Purchase of Blankets and Coats • Repair or Replace Air Conditioning and Heating Systems • 4.14 Do you provide for equipment repair or replacement using crisis funds? Yes No If you answered "Yes" to question 4.14, you must complete question 4.15. 4.15 Check appropriate boxes below to indicate type(s) of assistance provided. Winter Crisis Summer Crisis Year-round Crisis Heating system repair Heating system replacement Cooling system repair Cooling system replacement Wood stove purchase Pellet stove purchase Solar panel(s) Utility poles / gas line hook-ups Other (Specify): 4.16 Do any of the utility vendors you work with enforce a moratorium on shut offs? Yes No If you responded "Yes" to question 4.16, you must respond to question 4.17. 4.17 Describe the terms of the moratorium and any special dispensation received by LIHEAP clients during or after the moratorium period. 4.18 If you experience a natural disaster, do you intend to utilize LIHEAP crisis funds to address disaster related crisis situations? Yes No If yes, describe If a federal or state emergency is declared by the President, the Governor or Secretary of the Department crisis funds will be released for the use of LIHEAP eligible activities in response to the emergency. Directives are developed specifically to address the emergency need, such as the repair or replacement of heating/cooling equipment, measures needed for restoration of power, emergency deposits, short-term housing costs. At the time of incident, allowable limits and measures will be outlined as needed. The Department will seek to coordinate with the Division of Emergency Management as applicable. If any of the above questions require further explanation or clarification that could not be made in the fields provided, attach a document with said explanation here.