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Iowa LIHEAP Policy and Procedures Manual 15.00 Crisis Assistance

Effective 09/01/2023

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needed if approval statement is on official letterhead or from landlord/owner/property manager email. o Where medically necessary o Verbal declaration from the customer stating medical need is acceptable; customer cannot be required to state the medical situation nor is the agency to determine whether the medical situation is a justifiable one o Repair (including tune and clean when necessary to resolve the crisis), purchase of unit, o Household may receive the number of units appropriate for their situation, up to the expenditure limit (Energy Crisis Expenditure Limit Waiver may be requested for unique situations) o No household can receive a window air conditioner/portable air conditioner/ evaporative cooler in two consecutive program years o A garage without a restroom and a separate meter is ineligible for this component o Within reason, funds may be used to purchase window/portable air conditioning units for use the next program year o NOTE: Once an air conditioner is paid for with program funds and distributed to the LIHEAP customer, the CAA is no longer responsible regarding ownership of the unit

● Fans o Homeowners and renters o Medical necessity is not required o Household may receive both fan and air conditioner assistance in the same program year, up to the expenditure limit o Within reason, funds may be used to purchase fans for use the next program year

● Transportation o Homeowners and renters o Transporting LIHEAP customers to cooling centers

● Other Measures o Homeowners and renters o Other measures that may provide life-saving benefits to combat excessive heat. Contact the state LIHEAP office for further guidance.

15.80 Drinking Water and Wastewater – LIHWAP The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), an ECIP component of LIHEAP, provides additional crisis services to help eligible households. The intent of these services is to reduce the high-water burden currently facing many low-income households as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Households must be LIHEAP-eligible (though they are not required to have received a LIHEAP benefit in order to receive a LIHWAP benefit) and provide proof of a water burden at the time of application. Households may receive water assistance without receiving assistance with their primary or secondary utilities. The most common and preferred proof is a water bill showing all amounts owed, fees, and taxes. Other documentation is allowable with state approval. Water bills must clearly itemize charges for services, and water service providers must agree to make every attempt in good faith to adhere to the legislative intent of the program that accepting LIHWAP payments for drinking and wastewater arrears will result in water services not being disconnected or, if already disconnected, reconnected promptly. Agencies are asked to notify the state of any water service provider who expresses concern regarding this intent. If past due amounts for services are not itemized on the billing statement or disconnect notice issued by a LIHWAP water service provider use the current billing statement to calculate the percentage of the current month's charges that are for non-water services. Then apply that percentage to the total past due amount to determine how much of the past due amount can be paid for with LIHWAP funds.