GREENVILLE – The Ohio Development Services Agency wants to remind Ohioans that the Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program ends August 31st. Ohioans can apply online at energyhelp.ohio.gov or at their local Energy Assistance Provider.
To qualify for the Summer Crisis Program, a household must have an annual income at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty guideline or $45,062.50 for a family of four. The household also must have a household member 60 years or older or provide physician documentation that cooling assistance is needed for a household member’s health. Conditions can include lung disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or asthma.
Income-eligible Ohioans can start an application online prior to their required face-to-face meeting at their local Energy Assistance Provider. The online application and a list of local Energy Assistance Providers can be found at energyhelp.ohio.gov.
When applying, Ohioans will need to provide copies of the following documents: most recent utility bills; a list of all household members (including birth dates and Social Security numbers); proof of income for the past 30 days for all household members (12 months of proof of income preferred); proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency for all household members; proof of disability (if applicable); and physician documentation (if applicable).
Eligible households can receive up to $300 in assistance if they are a customer of a regulated utility, or up to $500 in assistance if they are a customer of unregulated utilities such as electric cooperatives and municipal utilities. The assistance is applied to their utility bill or applied to central air conditioning repair costs.
Ohioans enrolled in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus Program (PIPP) are not eligible for bill payment assistance through the program but are encouraged to work with the local Energy Assistance Provider to identify other opportunities for assistance.
To start an online application or find your local Energy Assistance Provider visit energyhelp.ohio.gov or call (800) 282-0880.
