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 HHS Poverty Guidelines 150.00% 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. Crisis Assistance can be provided to persons who have already lost service or are in immediate danger of losing service only under one of the following conditions, as defined in 10 TAC §6.301 (relating to Background and Definitions): (1) Extreme Weather Conditions, with assistance provided within 48 hours; (2) Disaster, with assistance provided within 48 hours; or (3) Life Threatening Crisis, with assistance provided within 18 hours. 4.3 What constitutes a life-threatening crisis? A Life Threatening Crisis exists when the life of at least one person in the applicant Household who is a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or a Qualified Alien would likely, in the opinion of a reasonable person, be endangered if utility assistance or heating and cooling assistance is not provided. Examples of life endangerment include, but are not limited to, a Household member who needs electricity for life-sustaining equipment (e.g., kidney dialysis machines, oxygen concentrators, medicinal refrigeration and cardiac monitors); a Household member whose medical professional has prescribed that the ambient air temperature be maintained at a certain temperature; a Household member whose life is endangered if absence of heating or cooling were to continue; or the presence of noxious gases as a result of heating or cooling the Dwelling Unit. In cases concerning an applicant's medical condition or need for life-sustaining equipment, documentation must not be requested about the medical condition of the applicant but the applicant must affirm that such a device is required in the Dwelling Unit because of a life threatening illness or risk of death. 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): Households with high energy consumption 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): Crisis Assistance can be provided to persons who have already lost service or are in immediate danger of losing service only under one of the following conditions, as defined in 10 TAC §6.301 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: Refer to attachment for Section 4 for explanations. Explanation for “yes” responses: The maximum benefit amount per household is $12,600 per program year and could be reached if a household received up to $1,800 in Crisis Assistance, $1,800 in Utility Assistance, and a $9,000 purchase, repair or replacement of a heating or cooling unit or crisis-related purchase of portable cooling and/or hearing units/window units/evaporative coolers/mini splits. The initial assistance payment that would include arrears does not count towards the annual benefit cap for a household. The amount of benefit/assistance that an applicant is eligible for is based on their level of household income. Per 10 TAC §6.309(e), Households with incomes 0-50% of Federal Poverty Income Guidelines (FPIG) have a maximum of $1,800 for the Utility Assistance Component and the Crisis Assistance Component; Households with incomes more than 50% but at or below 75% FPIG have a maximum of $1,500 per Component; Households with incomes more than 75% but at or below 150% FPIG have a maximum of $1,200 per Component; and there is a maximum of up to $9,000 for the purchase, service or repair of heating and cooling units, replacement of irreparable existing heating and cooling unit components, or the purchase of portable cooling and/or hearing units/window units/evaporative coolers/mini splits depending on the classification of the household as vulnerable or non-vulnerable and whether a crisis exists. Subrecipients should attempt to repair individual components of a system; if a component(s) of the heating or cooling system cannot be repaired using parts, the Subrecipient can replace the component(s) in order to repair the heating or cooling system. The Department allows payment of 100% of a customer’s annual usage in one lump sum payment. See 10 TAC §6.309, §6.310, and §6.311 for details. NOTE for Priority groups: The program has different requirements depending on whether the household contains a member of a priority group. Note for Other: Crisis Assistance can be provided to persons who have already lost service or are in immediate danger of losing service only under one of the following conditions, as defined in 10 TAC §6.301 (relating to Background and Definitions): (1) Extreme Weather Conditions, with assistance provided within 48 hours; (2) Disaster, with assistance provided within 48 hours; or (3) Life Threatening Crisis, with assistance provided within 18 hours. NOTE for Renters: Per 10 TAC §6.309(i)(7), Subrecipient may make payments to landlords on behalf of eligible renters who pay their utility and/or fuel bills indirectly. Subrecipient shall notify each participating household of the amount of assistance paid on its behalf. Subrecipient shall document this notification. Subrecipient shall maintain proof of utility or fuel bill payment. Subrecipient shall ensure that amount of assistance paid on behalf of customer is deducted from client's rent. 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: 4.9 If you have a separate component, how do you determine crisis assistance benefits? Amount to resolve the crisis. $1,800 Other - Describe: Heating and cooling equipment repair or replace up to $9,000. 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. In addition to what is already stated in Section 2604(c)(3) of the LIHEAP Statute regarding the requirement that each Subrecipient accept applications at sites that are geographically accessible to all Households in the area to be served, 10 TAC §6.313(c) states “Subrecipient shall handle Reasonable Accommodation requests, in accordance with §1.204 of this title (relating to Reasonable Accommodations).” 10 TAC §1.204 (b) General Considerations in Handling of Reasonable Accommodations. An applicant, participant, or occupant who has a disability may request an accommodation and, depending on the program funding the property or activity and whether the accommodation requested is a reasonable accommodation, their request must be timely addressed.” 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. Applications can be mailed in. In some cases, applications may be completed online or the organization will go to the applicant’s home to take the application. In addition to what is already stated in Section 2604(c)(3) of the LIHEAP Statute regarding the requirement that each Subrecipient accept applications at sites that are geographically accessible to all Households in the area to be served, 10 TAC §6.313(c) states “Subrecipient shall handle Reasonable Accommodation requests, in accordance with §1.204 of this title (relating to Reasonable Accommodations).” 10 TAC §1.204 (b) General Considerations in Handling of Reasonable Accommodations. An applicant, participant, or occupant who has a disability may request an accommodation and, depending on the program funding the property or activity and whether the accommodation requested is a reasonable accommodation, their request must be timely addressed.” 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 $1,800.00 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 If a component(s) of the heating or cooling system cannot be repaired using parts, the Subrecipient and statewide or regional contractors can replace the component(s) in order to repair the heating or cooling system under the Utility Assistance Component for Vulnerable Households or Crisis Assistance Component for Non-Vulnerable Households. Where replacement is required, use of Energy Star heating and/or cooling units must be prioritized. Manual J procedures will be used to confirm that the units are appropriately sized. LIHEAP will allow home energy related expenditures as described in 10 TAC §6.310(c). All Households experiencing a Life-Threatening Crisis may be eligible to receive portable cooling and/or heating units/window units/ evaporative coolers/mini splits (portable electric heaters are allowable only as a last resort). Per §6.310(d), eligible households may receive temporary shelter not to exceed the annual household expenditure limit for the duration of the contract period in the limited instances when Disasters result in energy supply shortages or other energy-related emergencies. Additionally, eligible households that have lost service or are in immediate danger of losing service and fall under an Extreme Weather Condition, a Disaster, or a Life Threatening Crisis as defined under §6.310(a), may receive other types of assistance such as emergency deliveries of fuel up to 250 gallons per crisis per Household, blankets, fans, and generators, if necessary. 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 Crisis Summer Crisis Year-round 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): Households which include a member of a Vulnerable Population with an inoperable heating or cooling unit may be eligible for service and repair of their existing heating or cooling unit. Purchase of a heating and/or cooling unit up to $9,000 is allowable if a heating or cooling system is nonexistent. For Households who do not have a member of a Vulnerable Population, such assistance is limited to times when a Crisis exists as defined in 10 TAC §6.310(a). In a Life Threatening Crisis, all Households may be eligible to receive portable cooling and/or heating units/window units/ evaporative coolers/mini splits (portable electric heaters are allowable only as a last resort). 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. See attachment for Section 4. Specific to energy assistance clients, §25.483(i) of the Texas Public Utilities Commission rules provides that a Retail Electric Provider (REP) shall not authorize a disconnection for nonpayment of electric service to a delinquent residential customer for a billing period in which the REP receives a pledge, letter of intent, purchase order, or other notification that the energy assistance provider is forwarding sufficient payment to continue service provided that such pledge, letter of intent, purchase order, or other notification is received by the due date stated on the disconnection notice, and the customer, by the due date on the disconnection notice, either pays or makes payment arrangements to pay any outstanding debt not covered by the energy assistance provider. Additionally, the rule provides that if an energy assistance provider has requested monthly usage data pursuant to §25.472(b)(4) (relating to Privacy of Customer Information), the REP shall extend the final due date on the disconnection notice, day for day, from the date the usage data was requested until it is provided; and that a REP shall allow at least 45 days for an energy assistance provider to honor a pledge, letter of intent, purchase order, or other notification before submitting the disconnection request to the TDU. There are protections for several other categories of clients and situations applicable to LIHEAP clients served: §25.483(g) provides that a REP shall not authorize a disconnection for nonpayment of electric service at a permanent, individually metered dwelling unit of a delinquent Critical Care Residential Customer when that customer establishes that disconnection of service will cause some person at that residence to become seriously ill or more seriously ill. §25.483(h) provides that a REP shall not authorize a disconnection for nonpayment of electric service at a permanent, individually metered dwelling unit of a delinquent customer when that customer has been designated as a Chronic Condition Residential Customer pursuant to 25.497 with noted rule exceptions. §25.483(j) provides that a REP shall not authorize a disconnection for nonpayment of electric service for any customer in a county in which an extreme weather emergency occurs. A REP shall offer residential customers a deferred payment plan upon request by the customer that complies with the requirements of 25.480 (relating to Bill Payment and Adjustments) for bills that become due during the weather emergency. The term “extreme weather emergency” shall mean a day when: (A) the previous day’s highest temperature did not exceed 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and the temperature is predicted to remain at or below that level for the next 24 hours anywhere in the county, according to the nearest National Weather Service (NWS) reports; or (B) the NWS issues a heat advisory for a county, or when such advisory has been issued on any one of the preceding two calendar days in a county. 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 Subrecipients are able to utilize LIHEAP for assistance during a disaster in compliance with 10 TAC §6.310. (d) When Disasters result in energy supply shortages or other energy-related emergencies, CEAP will allow home energy related expenditures for: (1) Temporary Shelter in the limited instances that supply of power to the Dwelling Unit is disrupted causing a temporary evacuation. (2) Cost to temporary Shelter or house individuals in hotel, apartments or other living situations in which homes have been destroyed or damaged when health and safety is endangered by loss of access to heating and cooling. (3) Costs for transportation (e.g., cars, shuttles, buses) to move the individuals away from the crisis area to Shelters when health and safety is endangered by loss of access to heating and cooling. 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.