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Tennessee Housing Development Agency 2025 LIHEAP Policy Manual for Regular and Crisis Assistance 5

provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the LIHEAP statute: Title XXVI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, as amended (Public Law 97-35). LIHEAP is designed to assist qualified low-income households with their immediate home energy needs, including heating and cooling costs. The program is intended to provide one-time assistance to offset heating and cooling costs, especially for those with high energy expenses relative to their income. LIHEAP is not meant to pay for all of the energy costs for the year, the season, or even the month.

An applicant can get help only with the main heating source. For example, if the applicant heats the home with gas, they might get help with the gas bill but not the electric bill. The program prioritizes services for households that: • Have the highest energy burden (the percentage of income spent on energy), • Include vulnerable individuals such as older adults (60+), individuals with disabilities, young children (5 years old and under), active-duty military members, or veterans, • Have the lowest household income with the highest energy burden. Program Components Tennessee’s LIHEAP program includes the following components: • Regular Energy Assistance – Helps eligible households with a supplement to their annual energy costs. • Crisis Energy Assistance – Provides expedited assistance to households facing energy-related emergencies within 48 hours, and life-threatening energy-related emergencies within 18 hours. • Weatherization Assistance (LIHEAP Wx) – THDA may allocate a portion of LIHEAP funds for home energy conservation measures. These services are covered under a separate weatherization policy manual and contract. • Assurance 16 Services –Assurance 16 is intended to develop information and energy education materials to LIHEAP clients over an extended period of time. Energy education can include, but is not limited to, providing resources to clients to aid them in communicating more effectively with energy vendors in order to maintain service, providing information on reducing energy usage and obtain energy efficiency services, and working with clients to improve financial management skills that help clients proactively manage energy bills.