Crisis energy help requests double

COEUR d’ALENE — More people are turning to the Community Action Partnership for help paying energy bills.

Jenifer Womack, energy program manager, said they have received about 4,500 applications for seasonal assistance, one-time benefits toward their winter heating bill, up 7% from 4,200 last year. 

“November and December, we’re slammed,” Womack said.

The number of applications in the region, from Riggins to Canada, for crisis energy assistance — to prevent loss of service or to restore it — has nearly doubled to about 700 this year since Oct. 1 from about 360 at this time last year.

Many of those are people facing disconnect notices, meaning they are about to lose the power source that keeps them warm on frigid winter nights.

People fall behind on energy bills for various reasons, from job loss to illness to rent increases to unexpected expenses. Inflation, while cooling lately, drove up the cost of pretty much everything over the past year.

Others face high energy bills due to poorly insulated homes.

Some owe from a few hundred dollars to more than $1,000. The maximum amount for energy assistance that can be considered is $3,500.

Womack said that more people are facing a crisis situation is a sign of trying times for many.

Applications for help paying bills over $1,200 must be approved by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

“We’ve had a number of those,” Womack said.

CAP offers a variety of heating assistance programs designed to assist families that have low incomes with heating fuel bills.

Eligible families can receive benefits paid toward their heating bill, including natural gas, electricity, wood, propane and oil costs.

Benefit amounts are determined by total household income, size and historical energy usage and do not require a disconnection or situation where heating fuel is nearly exhausted in order to be received, the CAP website said.

 A family of five can’t make more than $60,357 in order to receive assistance. A couple can’t earn more than $35,318.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is federally funded.

“Typically, we don’t run out of funding,” Womack said.

Last season, CAP received more than 11,000 total applications. As usual, new and returning applicants are seeking help this year.

It generally takes about 30 days to process an application. The majority are approved. Those denied help usually exceed the income limit.

Idaho Energy Assistance applications can be filed until March 31. Crisis energy assistance applications are accepted until Sept. 30.