HEAP Program…the Band-Aid Fix
Wednesday, December 10th, 2008Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) was designed to provide help to low-income households with a minimum of government bureaucracy and a maximum of involvement by civic institutions.
Federal dollars for LIHEAP are allocated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the states as a block grant and are disbursed under programs designed by the individual states.
The program is administered at the state and county levels by governmental agencies and implemented primarily at the local level by community action programs (CAPS), local welfare agencies, and area agencies on aging.
How it works:
This program is for the neediest of needy who must be well below the poverty line to be eligible. The assistance helps cover residential energy for heating and cooling (gas & electric) during peak months of winter and summer. The target demographics are elderly and homes with children.
The band aid fix
Though the level of funding was high for fiscal year 2006, the HEAP program faced an ongoing crisis. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, between 1981 and 2000, the number of federally eligible households rose over 49%; however, federal fuel assistance funds rose only 22%. As a consequence, the percentage of federally eligible households receiving assistance has declined sharply.
The funds that are allotted to each state can’t meet the growing needs for heating and cooling assistance. In 2006, despite an additional $1 billion added to the budget, only 15% of households that were eligible actually received assistance.
A great beginning
Of the current programs available to assist low income families only one stands out as forward thinking and solution oriented; the Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP). States may allocate up to 15% of their annual grant for low-cost residential weatherization or other energy related home repair and up to 25% if they meet certain conditions and obtain a waiver from HHS. The program reduces the heating and cooling costs for low-income families by improving the energy efficiency of their homes.
This is not brain surgery
I’m just an average tax paying citizen. However, I do understand the basic principals of economic efficiency and I’d like to think my taxes are going toward a long term solution instead of paying for heating and cooling bills every single year.
Since the number of eligible households rose over 49% and the assistance funds rose only 22% and the grant money can’t meet the growing needs for heating and cooling assistance then why, when a system is clearly not working, do we keep doing the same thing every year? (more…)

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