Heating low income homes

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program in Ward County had received 444 applications for help with this winter's heating bills as of the end of December. Application numbers have been trending down in the past couple of years, said Holly Keaveny, who oversees the program at Ward County Social Services.

"We used to have 1,200 to 1,300 applications," she said. "After the flood, we had about half that much, and it hasn't come back up."

It's unknown to what extent low-income residents left, are now earning more money or are living in different situations where the assistance isn't needed. But the number of applications this year is similar to the lower numbers of the past couple of years.

A weatherization worker with Community Action Partnership in Minot adds wall insulation to a home during the 2012-2013 heating season. Submitted Photo

A weatherization crew with Community Action Partnership in Minot blows insulation into an attic of a home during weatherization activities last year. Submitted Photo

Carol Cartledge, economic assistance policy division director with the North Dakota Department of Human Services, said the number of individuals qualifying for the program has been dropping statewide.

In the heating season that ended in May 2011, there were 15,840 participants. In the heating season that ended in May 2013, there were 13,029.

"We have seen those drops across all of our economic assistance programs," Cartledge said. "That's, in part, due to increases in income in North Dakota. Fewer people qualify. Their incomes are greater."

Income guidelines for heating assistance through LIHEAP include a $25,773 limit for a one-person household; $33,703 for a two-person household; $41,633 for a three-person household; and $49,563 for a four-person household.

For the 2013-2015 biennium, the Economic Assistance Policy Division estimates serving about 6,578 households each month during the heating season and paying about 400 energy providers an average monthly benefit per case of $230. This compares to the previous biennium's 6,910 cases per month receiving an average monthly benefit of $238.

Read more from the original source:
Heating low income homes