Help for Water Bills, Eviction Prevention
Help Available with Heating
Special programs for those impacted by the COVID-19 crisis continue at Lorain County Community Action Agency. Funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) has enhanced some programs and allowed LCCAA to create new programs. Eviction Prevention If you have been unable to pay your rent because of COVID-19, contact our partner Lorain County Urban League. This program will help protect your rights and negotiate with your landlord. You must have a written lease and your rent must have been current before the pandemic. Rent assistance may be part of the process. Contact the Urban League at 440323-3364 or outreach@lcul.org. Water Bill Assistance LCCAA’s utility advocates are applying the same great service they do for gas and electric bills to your water company thanks to CARES funding. If you are unable to pay your water bill because of COVID-19, call our 24-hour appointment line at 440-538-6999. If you are already on PIPP or have received help from the Summer Crisis or Winter Crisis programs, you MIGHT be eligible. You still have to apply, however. Appointments can also be made online at: app.capappointments. com/
For Help, Call 440-538-6999, 24 Hours a Day disconnection, but are struggling to pay your bill, you may qualify for HEAP. HEAP provides a once a season credit on your heating bill that can ease your tight budget. This Winter Crisis Program year, additional funding is available Residents who have been for HEAP through the CARES act. threatened with disconnection for HEAP operates annually from inability to pay their bill most likely July to March. Residents must be will benefit from the winter crisis living at or below 175% of the FPL. program. To be eligible for help, residents Winter Reconnect Order LCCAA currently offers multiple programs that help low-income Lorain County residents keep their heat on or reconnect them to heat.
must live at or below 175% of the federal poverty line (FPL). This year, in addition to the threat of disconnect or an actual disconnect, residents are eligible if they have or have had COVID-19. Utility companies will stop a service disconnection if an appointment to determine eligibility has been made. The appointment must be kept and you must include your account number when booking.
If your heat is turned off, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio requires companies to accept a minimum payment to reconnect you.
This $175 fee can be part of your HEAP or Winter Crisis benefit. The order is typically in effect from October to April, but can vary by utility company. Eligibility includes all Ohioans.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 Appointments must be no less than crisis, all Winter Crisis services will 48 hours before a disconnection to be provided by phone only. Our service is scheduled. Rescheduling satellite offices and administrative removes the hold and possibly building remain closed to the public. triggers loss of service. Required documents can now
Winter Crisis operates annually be submitted three ways: by FAX to 440-201-6483, by email to from November to March Home Energy Assistance Program heapdocs@lccaa.net and through the secure drop box at 936 Broadway If you are not threatened with a Ave., Lorain.
