Subsidized and Rental Household Eligibility and Benefits: States and Territories

Alabama

Alaska

American Samoa

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

If the applicant lives in multifamily housing or rents their residence, the applicant must provide a statement from their landlord stating that:

1. Home energy costs are not included in their rent. A lease agreement that includes this information is acceptable.
2. The address of the applicant
3. The signature, address and telephone number of the landlord, and
4. If the applicant and landlord share the same living space, the applicant must provide a statement that he or she is not the spouse of the landlord.
5. If the landlord is applying, then he or she must provide a statement that he or she is not the spouse of the roomer/boarder

If the applicant lives in government subsidized housing, the subrecipient must determine if all or part of their utility costs are paid directly or indirectly by the government and take the following actions:

• The applicant is not eligible for any assistance type if their home heating and cooling costs are totally included in their rent, and they have no obligation to pay any portion of the costs.

If the applicant lives in government subsidized housing, the subrecipient must determine if all or part of their utility costs are paid directly or indirectly by the government and take the following actions:

• The applicant is not eligible for any assistance type if their home heating and cooling costs are totally included in their rent, and they have no obligation to pay any portion of the costs.
• The applicant is eligible for crisis and home energy assistance if a portion of the heating and cooling costs are included in their rent. The subrecipient must deduct the subsidized amount from the crisis payment.
• If an applicant is receiving rent supplements through HUD or Section Eight, the subrecipient must obtain a copy of the applicant’s rental agreement/lease to determine if energy assistance is included or a separate expense from the monthly rent obligation. A copy of the lease must be placed in the client file.
• The subrecipient may approve applicants who move from ineligible housing to eligible housing. The subrecipient must first receive verification of the move. Applicants who move are responsible for any unpaid balance due the vendor from the energy
  account at the ineligible address.
   

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Note that subsidized rent households that have the heating bill in their name are eligible for regular LIHEAP benefit and the benefit will be paid directly to the fuel vendor. 

Residents of subsidized housing whose energy costs are included as a portion of their rent or who reside in publicly subsidized housing and have an obligation to pay a base load electric bill are not eligible for a regular LIHEAP benefit as determined in ARM 37.70.601. However, these households will be eligible for a modified LIHEAP benefit. The modified LIHEAP benefit will be paid at the rate of 5% of the amount of a regular LHIEAP benefit as identified by Montana’s LIHEAP benefit award matrix. A minimum payment of $25 will be paid to the household annually.

Basing payments to these households on the matrix will ensure that assistance is provided to them in proportion to need in accordance with LIHEAP statute (42 U.S. Code 8623) Applications and Requirements Section 2605 (b)(5).  In order to document the subsidized household has an energy burden the agency will document either: 

1. The amount of rent the household pays; or
2. Proof the electric bill is in the client’s name. 

Households determined eligible for the Subsidized Housing Energy Assistance modified LIHEAP benefit whose economic and housing situation does not change will be determined LIHEAP eligible for a period of five (5) years. These households would receive an annual benefit.

Residents of subsidized housing whose economic or housing situation changes during the five (5) year eligibility period will need to reapply. The households will not be required to wait five (5) years before reapplying. 

UTILITIES INCLUDED IN THE RENT (TENANTS): For eligible non-subsidized housing Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) tenant households where energy costs are included in rental payments, reimbursement will be made by check directly to the household from the Contingency Revolving Fund (CRF).

Note: Paid rent must be verified by receipts before reimbursement. Payments shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the amount of paid rent evidenced by the monthly rent receipt(s) or a pro-rata monthly amount of the benefit, whichever is less. The pro-rata monthly amount of the benefit is determined by dividing the benefit amount for the eligible household by the number of months in the heating season. The heating season is usually October through April, which is a seven (7) month period, so the benefit amount will be divided by seven (7). 

Note: Requests for reimbursement of paid rental costs must be made to the agency no later than June 20th. Failure to request reimbursement on or before June 20th, will result in forfeiture of any remaining benefits for the heating season. The June 20 date will be extended when the heating season has been extended.  

Reimbursements to utilities in rent households may be made monthly, in two (2) CRF payments, or in one (1) CRF payment. Reimbursements cannot exceed the household’s benefit
amount for the heating season.
 

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

• Subsidized rent/utilities with additional separate utility cost: Households receiving subsidized rent assistance who receive a subsidy for utilities but who incur an additional out-of-pocket expense for utilities are eligible for LIHEAP;
• Subsidized rent with utilities included: Households receiving subsidized rent assistance whose heating/cooling cost is included in their subsidized rent and do not incur an additional out-of-pocket heating or cooling expense are not eligible for LIHEAP;
• Subsidized rent with rental cost: Households receiving subsidized rent assistance who pay rent but do not pay utilities are not eligible for LIHEAP; and,
• Subsidized rent with no cost: Households receiving subsidized rent assistance who pay no rent and no utilities are not eligible for LIHEAP;
   

New York

North Carolina

Renters have to fall into the vulnerability policy guidelines: 400.06 VULNERABILITY To be eligible, a household must be vulnerable at the time of application. A household is vulnerable if it has a heating source billed separately and it is subject to the rising cost of heating for the heat expense. Accept the applicant’s statement about the vulnerability status for the household.

1. If a household lives in a private living arrangement with a heating source and heat costs are billed separately, it is fully vulnerable.
2. If a household lives in public housing where heat costs are billed separately from the rent, it is fully vulnerable.
3. An applicant who lives in a private living arrangement who does not receive a separate bill from the energy provider, they are not vulnerable.
4. A household living in public housing where utilities for heat are billed separately from the rent or where utilities for heat are included in the rent, and the household has paid an excess in utilities for heat in the last 12 months at the current address, is fully vulnerable. County needs to have the public housing/housing authority sign a vendor contract for the payment check to be written to them directly or the public housing/housing authority needs to provide the account number for the household applying for benefits. For additional verification of a heating arrangement in public housing, contact the local public housing authority.
5. A person living in an institution is not vulnerable.

NOTE: Receipt of a utility allowance does not affect vulnerability status. Section 8 households are considered in a private living arrangement.

North Dakota

Northern Mariana Islands

Ohio

Oklahoma

Renters with utilities included in the rent must verify that a specific portion of the rent is for utilities or be charged a surcharge during high usage months to be considered vulnerable.

Applicants that are renters with heating included in the rent and roomers receive a smaller heating benefit; however, it is still based on income.

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Puerto Rico

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Renters with Utilities Included in the Rent, If the customer lives in a mobile home and owns the unit, indicate they are an owner even if they pay lot rent in a mobile home park. Landlord and/or management company contact information is essential to Weatherization referrals. For all rental situations, agencies shall enter, in the system, the landlord or management company contact information. The landlord’s or management company name, address and phone number are required. Workers shall not allow an application to deny if the customer does not provide landlord information within 30 days of the application date. Applications may need to be reinstated if denied incorrectly for not providing landlord information. Customers are required to provide verification for the following payment methods and the means of verification must be indicated in Home Energy Plus (HE+) System Notes:

• Rental payment includes energy in the monthly rent.
• Separate payment is made to the landlord, mobile home park owner.
• Do not pay

Wyoming