Utility Help Procedures Changing Soon Lorain County Community Action Agency manages a range of energy services programs designed to help low-income residents stay warm, stay healthy and stay connected. During 2021, LCCAA will be updating procedures to make services more accessible and more efficient. “We have seen a major jump in demand for crisis services over the past year,” said Planning and Community Services Director Bobby Taylor. “New procedures at the state level will allow us to focus staff time on true emergencies.” Taylor noted that only certain requests require an appointment – currently being conducted by phone due to COVID-19 – and that most services can be accessed by completing an Energy Assistance Application with the State of Ohio online or by mail. Applications are found at energyhelp.gov and can be completed there or printed for mailing. Programs managed at LCCAA include: Winter Crisis – for people who are without heat or who have received a disconnect notice. This program operates from Nov. 1 to March 31 annually. Households must be at or below 175% of the federal poverty line. Home Energy Assistance Program – for people who have heat, but need assistance paying their bill. This
assistance is offered once per heating season between October and April to households at or below 175% of the federal poverty line. Summer Crisis - for people who need air conditioning or help paying electric bills during the summer months. Additional criteria typically apply for this program offered in July and August to those living at or below 175% of the federal poverty line. Percentage of Income Payment Plan – for people who want to budget their payments in order to stay out of a crisis situation. Must live at or below 150% of the federal poverty line. Appointments may be made with LCCAA by visiting app.capappointments.com. Those with a pending disconnection notice must provide an account number to place a hold on the disconnection. Missing or rescheduling the appointment may result in disconnection. For now, LCCAA will continue to accept appointment requests for all types of assistance. In the months ahead, non-crisis services will be redirected to energyhelp. ohio.gov to make services more readily available to those facing a genuine emergency. For additional details on all programs, including required documents, please visit www.lccaa.net.
COVID-19 Related Assistance Available LCCAA is currently offering COVID-related assistance for water bills and mortgages. Rent assistance will resume during the month of March. For all three programs, applicants must live at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income. Your inability to pay must be related to COVID-19. Funds are available for a limited time and residents should apply as soon as the programs are opened by going to our website, www.lccaa.net. Applications for 2021 COVID Water Assistance are ongoing. If you are behind on your water/sewer bill due to COVID-19, LCCAA can pay up to three months. The new 2021 COVID Mortgage
Assistance began February 16. LCCAA is giving priority to homeowners who have or have had a COVID-19 related forbearance granted from their lender since April 1, 2020. The home must be the applicant’s primary residence. Up to three months past due payments can be made. A total of 250 applications will be accepted. The 2021 COVID Rent Assistance program has received new funding which will expand benefits. This program will reopen in March. Please watch our Facebook page and website for announcements and criteria. For all these programs, staff time will be dedicated to processing applications. The Agency will not
be taking phone calls due to staffing constraints. Applications with all required documents will be processed on a first come, first served basis. Applications waiting on required documents will be passed over and, in fairness to other applicants in need of assistance, not processed until all documents are received. You will receive email status updates as your application is moved through processing. You will also be contacted by an LCCAA staff member and provided with their contact information as they work to assist you. For security reasons, customers are asked not to send personal information to agency email addresses.
