The White House announced on February 1 that it will partner with state and local governments, advocacy organizations, and utility providers to encourage families to apply for energy assistance through resources like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides financial assistance to low-income families to afford the cost of utilities.
The Biden administration and Congress delivered historic investments of $8 billion in home energy assistance funding through the “American Rescue Plan Act” and the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.” On January 25, the administration announced the distribution of the first $100 million installment of the five-year, $500 million LIHEAP investment. In addition to LIHEAP funds, the American Rescue Plan Act also provided $21.5 billion for emergency rental assistance (ERA), which can be used for utility relief by renters. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invested $3.5 billion in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Program, which reduces home energy costs by increasing the energy efficiency of low-income homes.
The White House also released resources to promote awareness of LIHEAP and other home energy assistance programs, including videos and radio advertisements, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released a brief addressing the use of emergency assistance for winter utility needs. DHHS and the U.S. Department of the Treasury held a joint webinar with over 700 utility assistance programs to discuss effective coordination of LIHEAP and ERA funding as well.
Households in need of energy help can find resources here.
Read the White House press release here: https://tinyurl.com/578ddya5