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Community and Internet Resources


Housing: General Financial Assistance


National

Lifeline / Link-Up, two programs of the Universal Service Fund developed by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), provides financial assistance to low-income households for phone service. The Lifeline program provides discounts on monthly service for qualified telephone subscribers. These discounts can range from $6.75 to $9.50 per month, depending upon your state of residence. Link-Up helps qualified low-income consumers initiate telephone service, offseting one-half of the initial connection fee, up to $30.00. The program also includes a deferred payment schedule for these charges. Qualifications for participating in these two programs vary by state. For more information, call your local telephone company or your state regulatory agency. Information on your state regulatory agency can be found on the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners website.

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally funded program to help eligible low-income households meet their home heating and/or cooling needs. While LIHEAP is a federal program, you must apply directly with your State, Indian tribe or tribal organization, as applications, eligibility, assistance, and benefit levels vary among LIHEAP programs. To learn how you can apply, contact the National Energy Assistance Referral Project by calling (866) 674-6327 or e-mailing energyassistance@ncat.org.

State Listings

Arizona

Arizona Public Service (APS) funds Project SHARE (Service to Help Arizonans with Relief on Energy), a program that helps those who need assistance with paying their energy bills (gas, electric, oil, wood). The Salvation Army manages the funds, selects recipients and disburses funds. Qualified individuals must: be over the age of 60, living on a fixed income and facing a financial emergency, be under the age of 60 and experiencing special hardships, or be disabled with no source of income. For more information, contact your local Salvation Army Office.

Arizona Community Action Agencies provide the Energy-Wise Assistance Program, which may be able to help people reduce energy expenses. Assistance includes determining ways in which your electric bill can be lowered, weatherization improvements or repairs to your home and teaching of simple ways to cut down on energy use. In some cases, the program may even help with payment of a past-due electric bill. To be eligible for this program, your household income must be at or below 125% of the low-income level established by the federal government, 150% for seniors and disabled. To find out if you or someone you care about is eligible for this program, contact the Arizona Community Action Association at (602) 604-0640.

Florida

Central Florida Community Action Agency is a private non-profit community-based organization whose purpose is to reduce poverty and help low-income individuals become self-sufficient in Alachua, Levy, and Marion Counties in Florida. They offer a number of financial assistance programs related to housing. Such programs offer emergency mortgage and rental payments, home utility assistance, winter weatherization assistance, and assistance with home repair. For more information, call (800) 732-3018 or e-mail info@cfcaa.org.

Florida Department of Community Affairs administers the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Participating agencies and organizations offer grants up to $2032 to make home repairs that can lower home heating and cooling expenses. Such repairs could include insulation, weather stripping, water heater wraps, furnaces and air conditioning repair, and others. Client households must have limited income. Preference is given to owner occupied, elderly, disabled, and families with children 12 and under. For more information contact the department at (850) 488-8466.

Missouri

Missouri Department of Natural Resources Energy Center oversees the Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Program. This program makes energy-efficient improvements to eligible homes. These improvements can lower utility bills. To find out which organization offers this assistance in your area, visit the MO DNR website or call their Energy Center at (573) 751-4000.

Missouri Housing Development Commission, via the HOME Repair Program, provides funds to selected Community Action Agencies to meet the growing need for home repair for low- to moderate income homeowners. Eligible home owners may apply for assistance to rehabilitate their homes, including plumbing, electrical, roof, siding, interior or exterior paint, floor coverings. Assistance is also available for weatherization improvements that can lower home cooling and heating expenses. For more information, contact your local Community Action Agency. To locate your local agency, contact the Missouri Association for Community Action, Inc.

Nevada

Community Services Agency and Development Corporation, in partnership with Sierra Pacific Power Company, offers SAFE - the Special Assistance Fund for Energy Utility Assistance, designed to provide limited utility payment assistance to low-income families. For more information, call the SAFE Hotline at (775) 786-6023 ext. 330.

New Jersey

New Jersey Statewide Heating Assistance and Referral for Energy Services (New Jersey SHARES) is a non-profit corporation organized to provide assistance to individuals and families living in New Jersey who are in need of temporary help in paying their energy bills. For more information, call (908) 979-3377 or e-mail info@njshares.org.

Red Cross Homeless Prevention Program of Greater Plainfield, New Jersey, provides one month of rental or mortgage assistance to individuals in danger of eviction and / or foreclosure. Individuals must first attend a budgeting class. They also provide a referral service for food, clothing, and utility assistance. For more information, e-mail plfd@crossnet.org.

Oregon

New Sign Central Oregon Community Action Agency Network (COCAAN) has a mission to break the cycle of poverty by helping remove the barriers that prevent people from achieving self-sufficiency. They offer rent assistance, utility assistance and a meal program. For more information, call (541) 548-2380.

Centre County Government Office of Adult Services offers a number of services to low-income adult residents of Centre County, Pennsylvania, ages 18 through 59, including those with disabilities, and low-income families. Of those services, they offer Rental and Mortgage Assistance as well as Housing Case Management. The Rental and Mortgage Assistance program provides payments for rent, security deposit, mortgage assistance, and utilities (when appropriate) to prevent and/or end homelessness. Housing Case Management provides service coordination to achieve the goal of self-sufficient living in stabilized housing. For more information, call (814) 355-6768 or e-mail rtott@co.centre.pa.us. The office also offers an information and referral line, CAN HELP. To access CAN HELP, call (800) 643-5432.

Washington DC

Lutheran Social Services offers an emergency assistance program to individuals and families in need throughout the metro area of Washington DC. The goal of the program is to prevent homelessness by addressing basic material needs of those who require temporary aid during times of financial crisis. Such aid can include rent, mortgage, and utility assistance, food and clothing as well as transportation assistance. They also offer long term case management services, providing assessments, counseling, information and referral, and follow-up. For more information, call (202) 723-3000 ext. 202 or e-mail masseyg@lssnca.org.

Wisconsin

Taylor County Housing Authority offers short-term rental and mortgage assistance to help low-income Taylor County residents with rent and mortgage payments in emergency situations (loss of a job, loss of income, illness or injury, etc.). They offer no-interest loans for past due rent and mortgage payments, past due utility bills, first-months rent, rental security deposits and utility deposits. All loans must be repaid either through flexible low monthly payments or by volunteering time with a local non-profit organization. For more information, call (715) 748-1400 or e-mail ldaniels@mail.co.taylor.wi.us.

Telephone Assistance Program (TELCAP) offers assistance to SBC phone service customers that are in danger of losing or have lost telephone service due to a past due balance. TELCAP works with the phone company to maintain and / or restore your phone service. To qualify, you must have had phone service with SBC for at least 6 months and your phone service must not have been disconnected for more than 12 days. For more information, call Community Advocates, Inc. at (414) 449-4777.

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[Updated April 30, 2004]
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