Special to the Review
Henderson County will benefit from Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs Funds released Monday to 50 cities, counties and nonprofit organizations in the state.
The TDHCA has awarded $4,176,000 to Community Services Inc., in Corsicana to help pay energy bills for low-income residents living in Anderson, Collin, Denton, Ellis, Henderson, Hood, Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Rockwall and Van Zandt counties.
The money coming to Community Services is part of $117.4 million in energy assistance funds available to the state. The allocation is designed to help low-income Texans with consumer education and case management needed to reduce their dependence on future government assistance.
The funds were awarded through the Department’s Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program, a utility co-payment assistance program that also helps eligible households better manage their energy consumption for a safe, affordable environment. Funding contracts are effective Jan. 1.
According to a statement by Michael Gerber, TDHCA Executive Director, CEAP plays a critical role in the Department’s mission of fostering affordable housing because energy costs consume a much greater percentage of a low-income family’s annual income than that of the average Texas household.
“The cost of heating and cooling a home significantly impacts a low-income household’s ability to afford their home,” Gerber said. “This important funding award will help our most vulnerable residents, particularly elderly persons and homes with very young children, meet their utility costs, and avoid a potential health or financial crisis. Our goal is to help low-income Texans pay their bills in the short-term, while helping them achieve self-sufficiency in the long-term.”
Studies indicate that the average family in Texas spends about 3.7 percent of their annual household income on utility costs, while low-income households can spend as much as 12.2 percent of their annual household income to pay their utility bills.
The Department annually assists more than 68,000 low-income Texans through CEAP services, helping low-income households meet their immediate energy needs, and control future energy costs through consumer education.
In addition, some households may qualify for the repair or replacement of inefficient heating and cooling equipment.
Services are provided at the local level by contract organizations serving all 254 counties in Texas, and target households earning an annual income of less than $26,500 for a family of four.
These organizations accept applications for assistance, determine eligibility, and provide direct service to clients.
Service providers include Community Action Agencies, or other qualifying nonprofit organizations, Councils of Government, and local city or county governments.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is the funding source for CEAP through its Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Funds are allocated as a block grant to states based on a formula which includes weather-related factors and low-income populations.
To find the nearest CEAP provider, call toll free at 877-399-8939 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Callers will automatically be connected with the CEAP service provider serving their county. However, callers must use a land-based phone when dialing the toll free number. Cell phones will not make the automatic connection.
