Big cuts to a program that helps pay heating bills mean that local agencies won’t be able to serve as many people in crisis this winter.
The state cut the budgets of two local agencies, leaving them scrambling to determine how to get “winter crisis” help to Clevelanders who have had their gas or electric cut off or who are facing disconnection as temperatures drop.
Ohio’s Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is federally funded and helps people who meet income requirements pay utility bills. It also includes additional funding in the winter and summer months when heating or cooling bills can spike.
Last year’s winter crisis program helped more than 77,000 people in Ohio with utility bills, according to the state.
“An unfortunate fact is that prices are going up across the board and people’s costs are going up. The demand is there and the need is there in the community. It’s unfortunate that – because of funding cuts – we will be able to serve fewer people.”
CHN Housing Partners Vice President of External Affairs Laura Boustani
Two local nonprofits, Step Forward and CHN Housing Partners, run the program in Cuyahoga County. Both had to lay off staff and make changes to who they can serve. They also changed how people sign up for appointments to get approved for the money.
New this year, CHN will focus on households in specific ZIP codes where the need for utility help is high and where the agency offers other services, according to Laura Boustani, a CHN spokesperson. CHN’s budget was cut by about 30%, she said.
Step Forward’s budget was cut by 43%, according to a press release. Due to the cuts, Step Forward expects to serve 10,000 fewer households between now and the end of the program in March.
Cleveland Documenter Evangeline Ko has more from Council Member Richard Starr about the “winter crisis” in notes from the Nov. 4 Cleveland City Council meeting.
Starr said council members may need to look into a solution.
It’s unfortunate, Boustani said, that the cost of utilities is going up across the board. Despite high demand and community need, the budget cuts will ultimately mean serving fewer people, she told Signal Cleveland.
In Cuyahoga County, requests for utility assistance are high on the list of community needs, according to United Way, which takes calls for help through its 211 program. Utility payment assistance – including gas, electric, water and sewer – made up between 14% and 17% of service requests to 211 in recent years.
How to apply for HEAP’s Winter Crisis Program
Step Forward and CHN Housing Partners plan to prioritize households based on disconnection status, but money is still available on a first-come, first-served basis. Households that have been disconnected or have received a disconnection notice are given priority.
Households must also meet the income requirements for the program.
Households should contact either CHN Housing Partners or Step Forward, not both. Either agency can still help with standard HEAP applications and other forms of utility assistance.
CHN Housing Partners
Limited to households in these ZIP codes: 44102, 44106, 44108, 44109, 44110, 44113, 44117, 44119, 44120, 44123, 44125, 44132, 44135 and 44137.
How to schedule: Call 216-600-8101 ext. 3 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. or request an appointment online. If your utilities have been shut off or you’ve received a 24- to 48-hour notice, dial ext. 2 instead.
For more information, visit CHN Housing Partner’s website.
Step Forward
Step Forward has not limited its service range to specific ZIP codes. If you meet the income requirements and your utilities are shut off or at risk of being shut off, you can contact Step Forward to make an appointment.
How to schedule: Call 216-480-4327 ext. 4 or request an appointment online. (Note: Step Forward’s phone system is automated and has no customer service representatives.)
For more information, visit Step Forward’s website.
