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Chapter 24 – Home Energy Assistance Program Page 20 of 33 1. Payment will be made after the vendor makes delivery and returns documentation required by MaineHousing to Subgrantee. MaineHousing will make payment within ten (10) business days of Subgrantee entering required information into the MaineHousing database.

8. Central Heating Improvement Program (CHIP).

All CHIP services will be conducted by Subgrantees within their Service Area, unless otherwise authorized by MaineHousing, and will be subject to the availability of HEAP funds.

A. Eligibility.

1. Household Eligibility.

a. A Household may be eligible for CHIP if the Household is eligible for HEAP, has an eligible Application that was certified within the preceding twelve (12) months, and does not have a more recent Application that has been certified denied.

b. Eligible Households shall be served on a first-come, first-served basis with respect to each level of priority listed below, except when the Subgrantee is providing weatherization services to a Dwelling Unit in which case the Subgrantee can serve Eligible Households that allow the Subgrantee to leverage CHIP funds first. Subgrantees may prioritize within the priority levels listed below by Households that have a Household Member that (i) is 60 years of age or older, (ii) has a disability, or (ii) is 6 years of age or younger.

i. Eligible Households experiencing an Energy Crisis caused by Heating System malfunction or failure.

ii. Preventative cleaning, tuning, evaluation and minor repairs on a nonemergency basis (owner-occupied dwelling units only). Date of the last cleaning, tuning and evaluation by a licensed technician must be more than twelve (12) months prior to the initiation of services date.

B. Dwelling Unit Eligibility.

1. Ownership will be verified for all Dwelling Units and Rental Units and additional documentation or written permission may be required for life estates and life leases or tenants.

a. A Dwelling Unit that has a life estate or life lease interest may be eligible if the document conferring the Primary Applicant rights of the life estate or life lease is recorded in the appropriate registry of deeds and states that the Primary Applicant is responsible for maintaining the Dwelling Unit or is silent as to who is responsible for maintenance.

2. A Dwelling Unit will not be eligible under CHIP if: it is a Rental Unit that has reached the life-time maximum benefit, it has been designated for acquisition or clearance by a federal, state or local program or order, it is in foreclosure, for sale, vacant,