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 All Household Sizes 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. An energy crisis is when a low-income household is facing disconnection with a scheduled due date and/or needs restoration to their home heating/cooling source. An energy crisis may also be the result of weather or energy-related emergencies. Vulnerable households (including an elderly (60 and older) individual, disabled (proof required) individual or young child (5 and under) with a bill due may receive crisis assistance. Finally, an energy crisis may be deemed to exist where there is an energy burden due to home energy costs when compared to the household's gross income. 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? A life-threatening crisis is an emergency requiring immediate action to prevent the loss or impairment of life/health due to a medical condition if the household’s energy service is interrupted 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): 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: At least one condition listed above must exist. Equitable treatment of renters: If an applicant is behind on their rent, which includes their energy bill, the LIHEAP benefit must only be for arrearages and rate reductions related to heating/cooling energy services, not for general rental payments. Payments cannot be made directly to landlords nor households. South Carolina's LIHEAP Renter’s Affidavit should be used to gather and document information that demonstrates the household is in receipt of rent reduction if provided a LIHEAP benefit. 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: Eligible applicants with a general LIHEAP emergency must be processed within 48 hours (2 business days). Eligible applicants with a life-threatening emergency must be processed within 18 hours (1 business day) to restore energy. Once eligibility is determined a pledge is made to the vendor for payment on the household’s utility account. 4.9 If you have a separate component, how do you determine crisis assistance benefits? Amount to resolve the crisis. $0 Other - Describe: Amount to resolve the energy crisis up to $1,000 of energy-related costs. 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. 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 $1,000.00 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 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 Summer Year-round Crisis Crisis 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): Chimney sweep service(s) as a health and safety measure for households that heat using wood stoves. 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. From December 1 to March 31, Dominion Energy South Carolina and Duke Energy will not disconnect a residential customer if the customer or a member of his household at the premises being served, furnishes the vendor, no less than three days prior to termination or to the terminating crew at the time of termination, a certificate on a form provided by the vendor and signed by (i) a licensed physician, stating that termination of electric and/or gas service would be especially dangerous to such person's health, and (ii) the customer, stating that he is unable to pay by installments. A certification expires 31 days after execution by the physician and may be renewed for an additional 30 days no more than three times. South Carolina does not provide special dispensation to clients during or after the moratorium. All qualifying households may receive up to $1,000. 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 LIHEAP Disaster Relief measures may only be provided upon OEO directive. The following activities will be considered allowable uses of LIHEAP funds to assist with disaster relief crisis, particularly with respect to assistance for home energy related needs resulting from a hurricane or other natural disaster: Allowable Uses of LIHEAP Funds for Disasters Costs to temporarily shelter or house individuals in hotels, apartments or other living situations 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 (rent and/or mortgage payments are not allowed). 1. Costs for transportation to move individuals away from the crisis area to shelters, when health and safety is endangered by loss of access to heating or cooling. 2. Utility reconnection costs. 3. Repair or replacement costs for furnaces/air conditioners (based on season). 4. Coats and blankets, as tangible benefits to keep individuals warm (heating season only). 5. Crisis payments for utilities and utility deposits. 6. 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.