More Massachusetts Families to Stay Warm this Winter
HEATING
New Bedford Standard-Times
Ayesha Aleem
Boston University Washington News Service
Oct. 23, 2009
WASHINGTON – Massachusetts will receive $131.5 million in federal funds to help low income families pay their heating bills this winter, Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of Health and Human Services, announced Thursday.
The allocation is down from $213.5 million that the state received last year. Nationwide $2.6 billion has been released to the states under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
This money will help approximately 13,000 families in the greater New Bedford area, said Bruce Morell, executive director of People Acting in Community Endeavors. PACE is a local non-profit agency responsible for allocating money to clients. Approximately 175,000 families statewide are currently in need of assistance with their heating bills, he said.
PACE does not give money to the clients, Morell said. Instead, it either puts oil in the family’s heating tank or pays the heating utility company directly.
A gallon of heating oil in Massachusetts costs approximately $2.50. An average heating tank can hold about 275 gallons of oil and last up to one month. This can set a family back by $687 a month.
Last year, the poorest family in Massachusetts was eligible for a maximum of $1,400 per month. “We expect this year to be around that figure,” said Morell.
To qualify for assistance, a family of four must be earning less than $53,608 per year. In 2007, that number was $42,400. Since then, 3,500 more families have joined the program. “We expect more this year,” said Morell.
Currently, a family can receive a maximum of $635 per month. “With this money, that number will go up,” said Liz Berube, fuel assistance director at Citizens for Citizens in Fall River, another local agency responsible for allocating funds among local clients.
In 2008, about 180.000 were assisted through this program, said Phil Hailer, spokesman for the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development. “It was an unusually good year,” he said. “Given the state of the economy, we hope that this year can be as good as next year.” He said the announcement of these funds was good news that meant the program could begin on Nov. 1.
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