PURPOSE:

To transmit instructions to LIHEAP Local Administering Agencies (LAAs) regarding the 2008 LIHEAP Summer Cooling Program.

BACKGROUND:

Based on the availability of limited funds, a LIHEAP Summer Energy Assistance Program will be implemented this summer. A total amount of $10 million from state and federal funding sources will be allocated to local agencies for the summer program.

Due to the limited funding, and the brevity of the program, the provision of fans and air conditioners or air conditioner repair will not be done. The funds have been formula allocated, using the LIHEAP allocation formula. A detailed listing of your agency allocation will be forthcoming.

PROCEDURE:

LAAs will operate the Summer Energy Assistance Program as a component of the 2008 LIHEAP. This program begins on July 7, 2008, and will conclude on July 18, 2008 or when funds are exhausted. LAAs will have funding budgeted at 6% for administrative and 5% for program support costs. Funding for assistance benefits will be modified into your 2009 LIHEAP grants once the original 2008 LIHEAP grants have been executed. Expenditures for assistance benefits should be reported in the budget line 401, administration in line 402 and program support in line 405.

The LIHEAP Summer Energy Assistance Program is targeted to at-risk households, defined as seniors, persons with disabilities, families with children less than 36 months of age as of the date of application, and those with medical conditions that would be aggravated by extreme heat. To qualify, these at-risk households must have incomes equal to or less than 150 percent of the poverty level as defined in the 2008 HHS Poverty Guidelines.

Benefits can be provided only to income-eligible household that can be included in one of the following groups.

• Households that contain a member with a medical condition that can be ameliorated by air conditioning, such as asthma, emphysema, coronary disease and terminal illnesses. Required documentation must include a doctor’s certification letter dated within the last ninety days, stating that the medical condition would be aggravated by extreme heat.
• Households that contain a member who is elderly (age 60 & above).
• Households that contain children under 36 months.
• Households that contain a member receiving social security disability benefits or with a pending determination case at the Social Security Administration. Required documentation must include a letter of determination from the Social Security Administration or receipt of social security disability benefit statement.

The focus of the cooling program is electric service. The program’s benefits are Summer Energy Assistance payments of $150.00 to electric providers.

There will be no cash payments for renters that do not have a utility account.

Cooling applications and related files are to be kept separate from the other LIHEAP files; and all applications are to be entered on the 2009 Cooling system. In other words, agencies should enter applications directly into the LIHEAP.net system during the intake interviews.

LAAs may accept applications for winter heating assistance at the time they take cooling applications. These applications for the winter heating program must be processed beginning September 1, 2008 and they should be dated September 1, 2008 for those elderly and disabled clients. All other applications will be processed starting November 1, 2008, and should be dated November 1, 2008.

LAAs will coordinate cooling services with governmental, community, and other social service agencies, and conduct an active, thorough outreach effort throughout their entire service area. Local agencies are required to send out a press release announcing the program and ensure that sufficient outreach is conducted to inform all potentially eligible households in their service area of the cooling program, and document what outreach efforts were made to offer equitable availability to clients in all counties in the agency’s service area.

INQUIRIES:

Questions should be directed to your Grant Manager or Alie Kabba, LIHEAP Manager.