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2020 09/13/18 21 The Department shall not count as income or asset any LIHEAP payment for any purpose under any federal or state law administered by the Department, including any law relating to public assistance or welfare programs, unless enacted in express limitation of LIHEAP statutory prohibition.

The Department shall not consider LIHEAP payments in the determination of eligibility or benefits for SNAP, including the calculation of excess shelter deduction.

8. NATURAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE

An additional Energy Crisis payment may be provided to eligible households who

are in need because of a natural disaster.

1. Payment must be tied in some way to the household’s energy assistance

need or emergency;

2. Applicant’s household income must be below 150% of the FPL or

3. Meet the categorical eligibility requirements.

4. Activities that may be allowable uses of LIHEAP funds to deal with crisis

situations:

a. Costs to temporarily shelter or house individuals in hotels,

apartments or to other living situation in which homes have been

destroyed or damaged, i.e. placing people in settings to preserve

health and safety and to move them away from the crisis situation.

b. Costs for transportation (such as cars, shuttles, buses) to move

individuals away from the crisis area to shelters, when health and

safety is endangered by loss of access to heating or cooling.

c. Utility reconnection costs.

d. Repair or replacement costs for furnaces and air conditioners.

e. Insulation repair.

f. Coats and blankets, as tangible benefits to keep individuals warm.

g. Crisis payments for utilities and utility deposits.

h. Purchase of fans, air conditioners and generators.

5. Unallowable uses of LIHEAP funds that are not home energy related:

a. Payments for water/sewage

b. Mortgage or rent assistance, unless it a necessary costs to shelter

individuals from the crisis situation for a TEMPORARY period of

time.

c. Utility assistance or households housing displaced victims

UNLESS the household is already low income and qualified for

LIHEAP assistance.

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Official source

The Department shall not consider LIHEAP payments in the determination of eligibility or benefits for SNAP, including the calculation of excess shelter deduction.

8. NATURAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE

An additional Energy Crisis payment may be provided to eligible households who

are in need because of a natural disaster.

1. Payment must be tied in some way to the household’s energy assistance

need or emergency;

2. Applicant’s household income must be below 150% of the FPL or

3. Meet the categorical eligibility requirements.

4. Activities that may be allowable uses of LIHEAP funds to deal with crisis

situations:

a. Costs to temporarily shelter or house individuals in hotels,

apartments or to other living situation in which homes have been

destroyed or damaged, i.e. placing people in settings to preserve

health and safety and to move them away from the crisis situation.

b. Costs for transportation (such as cars, shuttles, buses) to move

individuals away from the crisis area to shelters, when health and

safety is endangered by loss of access to heating or cooling.

c. Utility reconnection costs.

d. Repair or replacement costs for furnaces and air conditioners.

e. Insulation repair.

f. Coats and blankets, as tangible benefits to keep individuals warm.

g. Crisis payments for utilities and utility deposits.

h. Purchase of fans, air conditioners and generators.

5. Unallowable uses of LIHEAP funds that are not home energy related:

a. Payments for water/sewage

b. Mortgage or rent assistance, unless it a necessary costs to shelter

individuals from the crisis situation for a TEMPORARY period of

time.

c. Utility assistance or households housing displaced victims

UNLESS the household is already low income and qualified for

LIHEAP assistance.