The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

DakotaFleming

Junior Member
Jan 13, 2008
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http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/liheap/index.html
Program Description
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) assists eligible low income households with their heating and cooling energy costs, and, if the state chooses, to weatherize homes.

General Program Requirements
In order to qualify for this benefit program, you must need financial assistance for home energy costs and your household's annual income before taxes must not exceed $13,291 if one person lives in the household; $17,911 if two people live in the household; $22,531 if three people live in the household; $27,151 if four people live in the household; $31,771 if five people live in the household; $36,391 if six people live in the household, $41,011 if seven people live in the household; $45,631 if eight people live in the household; $50,251 if nine people live in the household; $54,871 if 10 people live in the household; $59,491 if 11 people live in the household; $64,111 if 12 people live in the household; $68,731 if 13 people live in the household; $73,351 if 14 people live in the household; $77,971 if 15 people live in the household; $82,591 if 16 people live in the household; or $87,211 if 17 people live in the household.

This is being locked because the less mature are unable to discuss the deal without discussing the politics.

moderator allisolm
 

gregtor

Senior member
Mar 7, 2002
634
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76
Originally posted by: DakotaFleming
seven people live in the household; $45,631 if eight people live in the household; $50,251 if nine people live in the household; $54,871 if 10 people live in the household; $59,491 if 11 people live in the household; $64,111 if 12 people live in the household; $68,731 if 13 people live in the household; $73,351 if 14 people live in the household; $77,971 if 15 people live in the household; $82,591 if 16 people live in the household; or $87,211 if 17 people live in the household.

If you have 7 or more people in your household you probably have a large house and can afford your bills or you might be a foreigner/illegal.

 

Bookmage

Member
Feb 19, 2002
176
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not true, you could easily have parents with a set of grandparents and a several kids and easily have 7 people in the house, but only have 2 providing income.
I have also seen parents with kids and new grandkids who are squeaking by cuz the kids are in the teens...
Granted, I'm not sure why I would want that many kids if I'm only making $6 an hour, but it would be beneficial to have 2 kids to qualify for 4 in the household vs 2 in the household.

Either way, its nice to see theres some initiative to provide energy and hopefully make it energy efficient for a friendlier environment
 

lazarus000

Senior member
Aug 9, 2001
575
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0
Originally posted by: gregtor
If you have 7 or more people in your household you probably have a large house and can afford your bills or you might be a foreigner/illegal.
wow .... can you say republican.

Let's keep the politics out of it or this will get locked.

Moderator allisolm



 

Havoc13

Senior member
Jun 16, 2000
571
0
0
Originally posted by: Bookmage
not true, you could easily have parents with a set of grandparents and a several kids and easily have 7 people in the house, but only have 2 providing income.
I have also seen parents with kids and new grandkids who are squeaking by cuz the kids are in the teens...
Granted, I'm not sure why I would want that many kids if I'm only making $6 an hour, but it would be beneficial to have 2 kids to qualify for 4 in the household vs 2 in the household.

Either way, its nice to see theres some initiative to provide energy and hopefully make it energy efficient for a friendlier environment


Since we are all speculating:

Sounds good except for the fact that if the grandparents are unable to work then they are on disability (income) or retired getting Social Security (income). So more than 2 incomes no matter how you slice it. If anyone is choosing not to work that's an uncontrolable variable.



 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,485
9,977
136
Originally posted by: Bookmage
not true, you could easily have parents with a set of grandparents and a several kids and easily have 7 people in the house, but only have 2 providing income.
I have also seen parents with kids and new grandkids who are squeaking by cuz the kids are in the teens...
Granted, I'm not sure why I would want that many kids if I'm only making $6 an hour, but it would be beneficial to have 2 kids to qualify for 4 in the household vs 2 in the household.

Either way, its nice to see theres some initiative to provide energy and hopefully make it energy efficient for a friendlier environment
I have gotten assistance on a few levels. My income is under the thresholds for most of the assistance programs I've seen, maybe all of them. I get a reduction (probably around 10%) on my PGE bill (Also for basic telephone). I got a call from an agency by virtue of this asking me if I wanted assistance concerning insulation and related issues in my house. I said "sure." The program is funded by PGE (my local utility) but run by a private company under contract with PGE. They had me confirm my qualifications and they have sent representatives on several occasions who did the following without charge:

1. Replaced all cracked windows
2. Replaced my front and back door (both cracked) with new doors. Nothing fancy, just very basic generic doors, presumably decently insulated thermally. That included basic locks on both doors including a deadbolt.
3. They weatherstripped both doors.
4. They did some other basic work to improve the energy efficiency of the house, including insulating attic access, fixing (well sort of!) some holes in my walls, giving me new faucet and shower fixtures.

They have a checklist, and of course, you have to sign wavers.

They will also give you a new refrigerator if yours is over 10 years old, which mine is not. They would have installed a new heater in the house if my current one is substandard. This is a weird one because the only heater I have (other than space heaters) has been disconnected for decades and sits rusting in the crawl space. They will not give me a new heater because I don't have one currently installed! The crazy fact is that before I bought the house, I was a renter and the landlord was required to install a heater by a local agency (I think the city). He put it in a hallway, a gas heater, and my housemates informed me that they never used it because it did little to improve their comfort. Therefore, one day I just removed it and called Goodwill and had them pick it up. I suppose if I'd left it in the hallway (took up some space) I could have had a heating system installed for free. Well, possibly.

I have also applied with two city level agencies, one a city agency (for no interest loan, to be paid in 30 years or when the house transfers ownership, whichever comes first), the other a private company under contract with the city that provides a modicum of handyman help on the house. They require yearly application and you are placed in a queue, and they eventually call you and do some of the work you have requested. They are on a budget and what you get depends on how the chips fall.

 

zig3695

Golden Member
Feb 15, 2007
1,240
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im low income but surely made more then 13k last year. actually, i didnt- i made 6k but over 13k in unemployment checks.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,485
9,977
136
Originally posted by: zig3695
im low income but surely made more then 13k last year. actually, i didnt- i made 6k but over 13k in unemployment checks.
Most of the cutoffs for a single person that I've seen range from $18,000 to around $22,000, and unemployment probably is included in that as well as investment income, and of course job income. If your total is under $22,000 you might well qualify for some assistance. Well, I'm in a high cost of living area so YMMV.

 

se7en

Platinum Member
Oct 23, 2002
2,303
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WTF!!

So I called my local and they only accept applications from November 5th thru the 17th. Its also a one time check that you dont get intil Feb the next year. . lol.

Thats kind of lame.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,485
9,977
136
Originally posted by: se7en
WTF!!

So I called my local and they only accept applications from November 5th thru the 17th. Its also a one time check that you dont get intil Feb the next year. . lol.

Thats kind of lame.

A friend of mine told me about info he saw on the back of has property tax bill for Alameda County, CA. It was about a discount for low income property owners. I looked into it back in November or December, when my first of two tax installments came due (overdue!). I contacted them and I was supposed to apply by Oct. 15 and I thought I'd blown it. However, they still did accept applications, they just didn't guarantee speedy check processing. I got a refund of about 17% of my property taxes for last year. Nice. You have to reapply yearly to quality. The program is on the state level.
 

ibex333

Diamond Member
Mar 26, 2005
4,094
123
106
Originally posted by: lazarus000
Originally posted by: gregtor
If you have 7 or more people in your household you probably have a large house and can afford your bills or you might be a foreigner/illegal.
wow .... can you say republican.

LOL... Agreed 100%.

 

rushhound1

Member
May 13, 2006
52
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Originally posted by: gregtor
Originally posted by: DakotaFleming
seven people live in the household; $45,631 if eight people live in the household; $50,251 if nine people live in the household; $54,871 if 10 people live in the household; $59,491 if 11 people live in the household; $64,111 if 12 people live in the household; $68,731 if 13 people live in the household; $73,351 if 14 people live in the household; $77,971 if 15 people live in the household; $82,591 if 16 people live in the household; or $87,211 if 17 people live in the household.

If you have 7 or more people in your household you probably have a large house and can afford your bills or you might be a foreigner/illegal.

QFT
 

Stas

Senior member
Dec 31, 2004
664
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71
Originally posted by: lazarus000
Originally posted by: gregtor
If you have 7 or more people in your household you probably have a large house and can afford your bills or you might be a foreigner/illegal.
wow .... can you say republican.

Wow, can you say liberal.
 

PurdueRy

Lifer
Nov 12, 2004
13,837
4
0
Originally posted by: se7en
WTF!!

So I called my local and they only accept applications from November 5th thru the 17th. Its also a one time check that you dont get intil Feb the next year. . lol.

Thats kind of lame.

You're complaining about people that would pay part of your bills?

Any more handouts you think you deserve?

Maybe you should stop looking for aliens and turn off the computer instead.
 

street carp

Member
Nov 1, 2007
76
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Has the US officially become socialist now? If so is it stopping there or is communism coming down the road?
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,485
9,977
136
Originally posted by: street carp
Has the US officially become socialist now? If so is it stopping there or is communism coming down the road?

Your point? You think there shouldn't be low income assistance in the USA? Are you a right winger?
 

Don66

Platinum Member
Jan 5, 2000
2,216
0
76
As I put on my flame suit....:evil:

How is this a hot deal?
Shouldn't this be in off topic:confused:
 

Flash1969

Golden Member
May 11, 2001
1,784
7
81
Originally posted by: Muse
Originally posted by: street carp
Has the US officially become socialist now? If so is it stopping there or is communism coming down the road?

Your point? You think there shouldn't be low income assistance in the USA? Are you a right winger?

There is too much low income assistance in the USA. If most of these people would get off their asses they could pay their own way.

I've seen way too many perfectly healthy people collecting from programs like this. This should not be posted on an internet message board where most of the users own their own computer and pay for internet access. If you can pay for internet access but need help paying basic utilities, your priorities are screwed up.