Utility assistance program seeks funding for low-income households

A Hidalgo County agency is seeking additional funds to help low-income families pay their bills.

Though the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program has helped more than 5,000 families pay their bills in 2017, there are much more families in need, according to Hidalgo County Community Service Agency executive director Jaime Longoria.

“We have well over 100,000 families that qualify for our program that are living below 150 percent of federal poverty,” Longoria said. “The money that we receive, the $3.2 million is enough money for about, a little bit over 6,000 families. So, there’s a great mismatch in the funds available and the dollars that we can potentially spend.”

The agency receives just over $3 million a year in state funding to help more than 80 percent of residents in the county pay their utility bills by May–or risk losing funding.

Longoria says about 10 families spend the night outside, waiting for assistance. That’s why Longoria feels extra funding is desperately needed.

“Direct energy companies have sent us some private dollars,” said Longoria. “We have Reliant Energy– is sending us some private dollars. We also have a little bit of what we call our Community Services Block Grant money that we can use very sparingly.”

All this extra funding only amounts to about $300,000 that the agency can additionally use. This would help around 300 more families this year.

“If I only got 20 percent of my funding available, going into the month of June, July, August, and September–it makes it very difficult,” Longoria said.

The agency will continue seeking funds for future energy needs affecting low-income households.

“Our workers are going to be busy paying bills and assisting clients when they call and have questions. We’re also going to be referring people to other agencies,” Longoria said.

Applications for 2018 are already available in both English and Spanish. The Community Service Agency requires proof of income, a picture ID, a document that establishes residency in the U.S. and a copy of an electricity or gas bill.