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State Solutions to Consumer Needs

State Solutions to Consumer Needs. Dalitso S. Sulamoyo , Ph.D Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies. What is IACAA?.

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State Solutions to Consumer Needs

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  1. State Solutions to Consumer Needs Dalitso S. Sulamoyo, Ph.D Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies

  2. What is IACAA? IACAA is an umbrella organization that represents non-governmental and local governmental organizations that were established for the purpose of fighting poverty in their communities.

  3. Utility Assistance

  4. Utility Bills and Low Income Customers Introduction • Low income customers often pay between 20-30% of their income on home energy bills; Average customer pays between 4-6%

  5. Illinois’ Utility Assistance Programs Services Offered • Illinois Home Energy Assistance Program • Percentage of Income Payment Plan • Rate Relief Programs

  6. LIHEAP Designed to help low income households with immediate utility needs • The Illinois Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is designed to assist eligible low income households pay for winter and summer energy services.

  7. LIHEAP Eligibility Levels • Serves customers at or below 150% of poverty • Family of 1 – $17,505 • Family of 2 - $23,595 • Family of 3 - $29,685 • Family of 4 - $35,775

  8. LIHEAP Funding Federal • LIHEAP Block Grant administered by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. In 2013 the LIHEAP funding was $158 million.

  9. LIHEAP Funding State Supplemental • Enacted in Illinois in 1997 • Funded by a rate payer meter charge • Designated to provide additional funds for LIHEAP and Weatherization Programs • About $68 million designated for LIHEAP • About $9 million designated for Weatherization

  10. LIHEAP Service Delivery Design Functions and Roles • Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity administers the block grant. • Community Action Agencies perform outreach and intake. • Community Action Agencies work with utilities to apply credits.

  11. LIHEAP Service Delivery Design Priority Periods • September 1 – persons with disabilities and senior citizens can apply for services • October 1 – Households with children under the ages of 5 can apply • November 1 – Open enrollment period for the general public

  12. LIHEAP Service Delivery Design Winter Utility Assistance • LIHEAP assists with a once a year winter benefit payment – roughly $400-$500 • Reconnection Assistance offered for customers who are disconnected • Furnace Assistance – repair or replacement

  13. LIHEAP Service Delivery Design Summer Utility Assistance • LIHEAP also assists with a once a year summer benefit payment – $150 • Targets seniors and persons with disabilities

  14. PERCENTAGE OF INCOME PAYMENT PLAN (PIPP) • What is A Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP)? • Under the PIPP, participants pay no more than 6% of their income for gas and electric service. They also receive a monthly benefit towards their utility bill and a reduction in overdue payments for every on-time payment they make by the bill due date. • Program is funded with state funding only

  15. PIPP Eligibility Levels • 150% of Poverty • All electric or Gas/Electric Combination • Service must be connected • PIPP Participating Utilities Only

  16. PIPP Benefits and Obligations • Customer Obligations • Customers must make on-time monthly bill payments or they can be removed from the program after 2 missed payments • Minimum Payment of $10 or 6% of income • Agency • Utilities determine budget billing based on customer monthly averages • Agencies pay the difference between customer payment (6% or $10) and the determined budget bill with state LIHEAP funds up to $1,800/year. • Customer Benefits • If the customer makes on-time payments they will receive a larger benefit than traditional program • If a customer makes on-time payments they will have a portion of their arrearage paid off for them

  17. PIPP Service Delivery Design Functions and Roles • Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity administers the block grant. • Community Action Agencies perform outreach and intake. • Community Action Agencies work with utilities to apply credits. • Client Intervention • Utilities communicate missed payments to agencies • Agency must make 2 contacts with customer after a missed payment

  18. PIPP Service Delivery Design Priority Periods • Program applications are taken September 1 – December 31 • Recertification takes place June - August

  19. PIPP Service Delivery Design Benefits • Customers Pay 6% of Income • Maximum Benefit of $150/month or $1,800/year • Arrearage Reduction Potential • Budget Bill

  20. Sample Bill – PIPP Customer Benefits

  21. PIPP Service Delivery Design Arrearage Reduction Plan • Arrearage Reduction Plan • Statute on the PIPP has an additional meter charge for arrearages. • Participating utilities assess $.08/month on their customers. • Funds are collected by the utilities and they credit their customers’ arrearages • If customers make regular on time payments their arrearages are reduced or eliminated by 1/12 monthly with a cap of $1000 per customer

  22. 2013 State-Wide Energy Assistance Results Regular LIHEAP - 384,069 households PIPP – 60,522 households Furnace Assistance - 1,818 households Summer Cooling – 74,280 households

  23. Rate Relief Programs • Background of Rate Relief Program • In 2007 a 10 year rate freeze was lifted on Illinois electric utilities • This resulted in significant rate increases on electric utility customers • Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) and Ameren Illinois approached IACAA to operate an assistance program for households in poverty • Program Qualifications • Customers at 0-400% of poverty who could demonstrate a financial hardship were eligible for additional assistance (ComEd program is now 0-250% of poverty : Family of 4 - $58,875) • IACAA’s Role • Distribute funds to agencies and collect reports

  24. Rate Relief Results Operated from 2007-2010; Distributed almost $15 million dollars to customers approximately 25,000 customers received an average $600 each 2007 – present; Distributed roughly $30 million to customers. Over 70,000 customers served

  25. Q and A?

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