HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8314 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8314
T , April 17, 2001
` To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
Page 1 of 2
x
r � SUBJECT: Utility Assistance Program Blitzes
The Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) assists qualified low-income households
with utility payments for heating and cooling their homes. The Texas Department of Housing and
Community Affairs (TDHCA) allocates the funds received from the U.S. Department of Energy for
the State of Texas, to fifty-one State agencies. These funds are used to assist eligible households
who are paying a disproportionate amount of their income to meet the needs for heating and
cooling their homes. The City of Fort Worth, through its Parks and Community Services
Department, serves as the Community Action Agency for Tarrant County, and has received these
funds since 1994.
The CEAP has six (6) components: 1) Energy Crisis, 2) Elderly/Disabled Assistance, 3) Co-
Payment Assistance, 4) Heating and Cooling Systems, 5) Direct Service Support and 6) Case
Management. Households at or below 125% of the Federal Poverty Level are determined eligible
based on the total household's income, household size, the energy consumption or their
,vulnerability and -the availability of funds.
In September 2000, the City of Fort Worth was notified that due to an increase in the cost of
Propane and Natural Gas, an allocation of $227,000 would be issued to assist households in
Tarrant County with Propane bills and replacement or purchase of adequately sized tanks, if
needed. More than 2,000 households were assisted with these funds. The total budget for FY2000,
was $2,068,929, which assisted 4,222 households and 10,893 individuals with utility payments,
repair or replacement of heating/cooling appliances or refrigerators.
In January 2001, the City received another Letter of Notification (LON) informing staff that due to
the increase in utility costs for heating, Fort Worth would receive an additional allocation of
$584,045 to assist qualified low-income households with gas, electric and propane bills. In
response to this announcement, the Parks and Community Services Department's Neighborhood
Resources Development Program staff scheduled ten (10) Energy Crisis Blitzes (application intake
sessions) throughout Tarrant County from January 29 — March 26, 2001. The Blitzes resulted in
the following:
Assisted: #Households #Individuals
1,360 3,277
Utility Bills Paid (January and 2/3 of past due bills for each eligible household)
Electricity $255,739.80
Gas 172,644.46
Propane 8,290.89
Total $436,675.15
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
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INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS NO, 8314
April 17, 2001
4e, To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
Page 2 of 2
* Y SUBJECT: Utility Assistance Program Blitzes
One hundred ninety two households, that did not apply at any of the Blitzes, have been assisted at
one (1) of the Neighborhood Resources Development Program sites located in nine (9) Community
Centers and two (2) offices in southeast and northwest Tarrant County. The amount of funds
expended, $31,050-.42, leaves a balance of $147,369.85. This amount has been earmarked to
address eligible applicants who are still experiencing a crisis with their February bills.
More than 2,317 hours (including 424 overtime hours) of staff time were used to execute this
process. All staff time is charged against the CEAP grant.
Should you have any questions regarding this program, please contact Richard Zavala, Parks and
Co unity Services Director or Libby Watson, Assistant City Manager.
rJack
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Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS