Massachusetts Gets Boost in Home Heating Funds
MassHeating
Worcester Telegram and Gazette
Rachel Kolokoff
Boston University and Washington News Service
October 17, 2008
WASHINGTON – Massachusetts is receiving $213.5 million in federal funds to help low-income families heat their homes this winter, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced on Thursday.
“These funds will help reduce the risk of health and safety problems exacerbated by the exposure to extreme temperatures,” said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt.
The money, an increase of $87 million from last year’s funding, is part of an omnibus spending bill the Senate passed in September for the fiscal year 2009.
Melissa Wagoner, spokeswoman for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., said Mr. Kennedy is very pleased the money has been released.
“No family should have to make impossible choices between heating their home or putting food on the table or taking a sick child to the doctor,” Ms. Wagoner said. “These funds will ease that burden.”
Sen. John F. Kerry, D-Mass., said this funding will reassure families that help is on the way.
“This is welcome news for thousands of families in our state who have been struggling to make ends meet because of skyrocketing home energy prices,” Mr. Kerry said in a statement.
The omnibus spending bill gave $5.1 billion to the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program for distribution among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Massachusetts’ $213.5 million includes some $50 million in contingency funds, which are distributed in times of need at the discretion of federal and state governments.
Mark Sanborn, director of energy resources for the Worcester Community Action Council, a non-profit organization that helps homeowners and renters with heating costs, safety and applications for assistance, said the state usually makes the contingency funds available immediately.
He said while he and others at the Council are pleased that the total funding has increased, they are anxious to know what formula will be used this year to determine who is eligible to receive those funds.
“We are on pins and needles waiting at this point,” Mr. Sanborn said.
The council started an outreach program in July where members traveled to senior centers and councils on aging urging people eligible under the current formula to apply and be certified before distribution begins on Nov. 1.
The current formula, Mr. Sanborn said, includes households with a gross income of up to 200 percent of the poverty level or $42,400. State officials are considering changing the formula to include households with a gross income of up to 60 percent of the median income level, or $51,252.
Under the current formula, the council has denied 308 of the 6,356 households that have applied so far this year, Sanborn said.
“And we’re still in October,” Jill C. Dagilis, executive director of the council said. “The real rush and flood will come as soon as it’s November and really cold weather strikes.”
Mr. Sanborn said that while state officials must specify which formula will apply by Nov. 1, they usually do so early enough to notify oil vendors, utility companies and others of any changes.
In addition to the $213.5 million in federal funding, the state has $11.5 million in unused contingency funding released on Sept. 21 for the fiscal year 2008, according to Phil Hailer, spokesman for the state Department of Housing and Community Development.
The state also approved in August the distribution of $10 million in state money for heating oil assistance for low-income families.
Mr. Hailer said his office is pleased that $213.5 million has been released, especially since energy prices increased so much in the past year.
“It’s great news to see this type of funding come for LIHEAP clients this winter,” he said.
U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern, D-Worcester, said the increase should make home heating a little easier for people already struggling to buy prescription drugs and food.
“This is something the New England delegation bas been fighting and lobbying for,” Mr. McGovern said.
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