Understanding LIHWA Temporary Assistance Program for Water & Sewer Charges
LIHWA is a temporary assistance program that prioritizes households in arrears at select utility companies, offering payments ranging from $100 to $1000 with a one-month stability option. Eligibility is based on paying water services to specific vendors, with priority given to households at or below 60% OMI. If a vendor is not contracted, agencies can contact Utilities PSC Victoria Palacios for assistance. It is crucial to confirm vendor referrals and coordinate with energy assistance programs for streamlined processing.
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Presentation Transcript
LIHWA INTAKE TRAINING APRIL 2022
WHAT IS LIHWA? TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR WATER, WASTEWATER AND SEWER/STORM CHARGES PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO ACCOUNTS IN ARREARS AT THE UTILITY COMPANY FLOOR TO CEILING PAYMENT MODEL - $100 TO $1000 WITH ONE MONTH STABILITY PAYMENT
HOUSEHOLDS AT OR BELOW THE 60% OMI Who is eligible? HOUSEHOLDS WHO PAY WATER SERVICES TO ELIGIBLE VENDORS Currently Contracted Vendors City of Florence City of Lowell Mapleton Water District Rainbow Water District City of Coburg City of Cottage Grove City of Creswell EWEB SUB City of Veneta City of Westfir
WHAT IF THE VENDOR ISNT CONTRACTED? NOT ALL VENDORS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE HAVE SIGNED CONTRACTS WITH LANE COUNTY. BEFORE ASSISTANCE CAN BE GIVEN, AGENCY WILL NEED TO CONTACT UTILITIES PSC VICTORIA PALACIOS AT VICTORIA.PALACIOS@LANECOUNTYOR.GOV
RAINBOW WATER DISTRICT RAINBOW WATER DISTRICT ALSO BILLS FOR MARCOLA WATER DISTRICT DEERHORN COMMUNITY WATER ASSOCIATION WE ARE CONTRACTED WITH RAINBOW BUT WE ARE NOT CONTRACTED WITH MARCOLA OR DEERHORN WE CURRENTLY CANNOT SERVE CUSTOMERS OF THESE TWO WATER DISTRICTS WITHOUT A SIGNED CONTRACT FROM THEM
PRIOR TO SCHEDULING REFERRAL FROM VENDOR STANDARD OR EXPRESS? CONFIRM VENDOR AGENCY WILL RECEIVE REFERRAL FROM VENDOR IF HOUSEHOLD HAS ALREADY RECEIVED LP OR ARPA AND HOUSEHOLD IS EXACTLY THE SAME, IT IS REQUIRED TO DO AN EXPRESS PAYMENT CONFIRM ELIGIBLE VENDOR IN SOME LOCATIONS, CUSTOMERS MAY SELF REFER* IF ACCOUNT IN NAME OF LANDLORD/PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AN AUTHORIZATION FOR IS REQUIRED. ACCOUNT MUST BE IN ARREARS AT UTILITY WATER CUSTOMERS IN FOR LP/ARPA COULD ALSO BE SERVED
PRIOR TO SCHEDULING OR already scheduled for energy assistance? WHILE SCHEDULING INTAKES FOR LIHWA OR ENERGY ASSISTANCE (LIHEAP, ARPA, OEA, OLGA, ETC.) ASK IF CUSTOMER IS PAST DUE WITH THEIR WATER PROVIDER IF CUSTOMER IS PAST DUE FOR WATER, THEY NEED TO BRING IN ALL BILLS (HEATING AND WATER) SO THEY COULD BE PROCESSED AT THE SAME TIME AS THEIR ENERGY ASSISTANCE CUSTOMERS WHO ARE BEING SERVED AN ENERGY ASSISTANCE APPT CAN RECEIVE A WATER PAYMENT WITHOUT A REFERRAL IF THEY ARE PAST DUE IF NOT PAST DUE, ONLY DO ENERGY NOTE: PAST DUE MEANS THEY HAVE A BALANCE FORWARD FOR WATER CHARGES NOT THAT THEY HAVEN T PAID THIS MONTHS BILL YET.
WHAT IS DIFFERENT IN OPUS MOST OF THE INTAKE WILL BE IDENTICAL TO ENERGY ASSISTANCE EXCEPT FOR THE FOLLOWING..
ENTERING VENDORS IN OPUS NO DIRECT PAYMENTS ENTER LANDLORD NAME EWEB AND SUB MAY NEED TO BE ENTERED TWICE
TANF IS NOT A COUNTED SOURCE OF INCOME Standard Intake Intake staff will fill out a DHI and income will be entered as None Zero Income Statement in OPUS. Express Eligibility Intake Intake staff will update TANF income before processing the payment and update again after payment has been made.
QUESTIONS SO FAR? CREATING WATER PAYMENTS IS UP NEXT
CREATING WATER PAYMENTS LIHWA PAYMENTS ARE $100-$1000 IF ACCOUNT OWES MORE, CONTACT BRANDI ADAMS AT BRANDI.ADAMS@LANECOUNTYOR.GOV TO REQUEST LARGER PAYMENT APC S FOR AGENCIES CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES CAA COMMUNITY SHARING ARPA TWO FUNDING SOURCES CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT (CAA) AND AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) SIUSLAW OUTREACH SERVICES - ARPA
CALCULATING PAYMENTSYEP, IT S TIME FOR MATH! STANDARD SINGLE METER ACCOUNTS MOST INTAKES WILL USE THIS CALCULATION MASTER METER ACCOUNTS NON OHCS PROPERTY NOT VERY LIKELY TO SEE MANY OF THESE MASTER METER ACCOUNTS OHCS PROPERTY I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF WE DO ANY OF THESE NOTE: THIS CALCULATOR WILL NEED TO BE PRINTED OUT WITH EACH INTAKE
WHAT IS A COMPLETE APPLICATION Application Signed LIHWA disclaimer Copies of ALL water vendor statements Landlord authorization form if account is not in household name Payment calculator Payment receipt if expressed Income for all adults 18+ STANDARD INTAKE SAME AS LIHEAP /ARPA WITH THE ADDITION OF CALCULATOR EXPRESS ELIGIBILITY INTAKE CALCULATOR PAYMENT RECEIPT FROM LP/ARPA PY22 INTAKE
LANE COUNTY ENERGY ASSISTANCE IS NOW... LANE COUNTY UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS BEFORE THE OFFICIAL START OF LIHWA, WE WILL BE SENDING OUT ALL NEW DOCUMENTS INCLUDING A BRAND NEW PAPER APPLICATION. WE ARE ASKING AGENCIES TO START USING THE NEW DOCUMENTS WITH NEW INTAKES. WE ARE REQUIRING THE NEW APPLICATION TO BE USED.
