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ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Section One: Application Process Intake, Operations & Policy Manual Program Year 2026 30 Data Entry of Forms Accurate data entry is very important. Data entry errors can lead to duplicate or denied applications. Inaccurate entry of address or account number(s) could result in checks being mailed to the wrong address or applied to the wrong account. Unusual Eligibility Situations The following section provides some basic guidance regarding eligibility determination in unusual situations. This information is not intended to be comprehensive, and discretion should be used in circumstances that do not fall neatly into the categories listed below. • Dwellings with a Shared Meter: Many applicants reside in a dwelling that utilizes a single or master meter. These may include, but are not limited to: a) Roomer/Boarder: A roomer/boarder is a person who rents a room from the building owner. A roomer/boarder does not have a separate site address from other occupants of the building—however, a roomer/boarder does not share in providing, or being provided for, the necessities of life (e.g., food, living costs) with other residents of the structure. A roomer in a single-family structure must verify he or she is not part of the economic unit of the other tenants of the structure (e.g. rental agreement). b) Co-Habitants/Roommates: Persons living in a housing arrangement with their own room and sharing common spaces (such as kitchens, living rooms, TV rooms, recreation rooms) are generally not considered roomers. Persons sharing common spaces are part of a household with other members and eligibility must be assessed for the whole group as an economic unit (household). c) Neighbors/Land Sharing: Applicants who obtain their primary heat or cooling from an extension cord to a neighboring residence are not eligible to receive LIHEAP for their electricity costs. However, they may apply as part of the neighboring household. If the household utilizes an alternate source of energy as their heating source (e.g., propane) they may be eligible for a LIHEAP benefit. d) Hotels/Motels: Applicants may be eligible for LIHEAP if they’ve resided in a hotel/motel for 30+ days OR if they are paying a “rental” (long-term)