From a press release
The state Human Services Department has received enough funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to double the average benefit from last year.
Eligible families can receive an average one-time benefit of $300 to apply toward their electric, natural gas, propane, firewood or wood-pellet bills.
Households qualifying for the program earn at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level.
For more information, visit the state Income Support offices at 228 Paseo de Oñate, in Española, or at 17345 Highway 84, in Tierra Amarilla, or call (800) 283-4465.
For example, the maximum income for an eligible single person is $1,300 per month. For a couple, the maximum monthly income is $1,750; an eligible family of four can earn up to $2,650 per month.
Applicants who currently use other income support programs such as food stamps, cash assistance or Medicaid may not have to provide new proof of their circumstances.
Households who are not currently clients of the state Income Support Division should bring the following documents to an Income Support office in Española or Tierra Amarilla:
• Proof of household income for the past 30 days
• Identification
• Social-Security numbers for all household members
• Proof of New Mexico residency
• If not a U.S. citizen, proof of qualified immigrant status
• Proof of a heating or cooling expense
The Española office is located at 228 Paseo de Oñate, and the Tierra Amarilla office is located at 17345 Highway 84.
Each year from Nov. 15 through March 15, utility providers are forbidden from disconnecting low-income families who are current on their heating bills from the previous winter. The Department is encouraging families to apply for a LIHEAP benefit to get current, or to work out a payment plan with their energy company prior to Nov. 15.
Those who apply for LIHEAP early can also buy bulk fuels such as propane now, when costs are lower than in winter months. According to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, those who use propane to heat their homes can expect a 30 percent cost increase this winter.
Electric heat is projected to increase seven percent and natural gas five percent above last winter’s costs.
For more information on LIHEAP, visit your local Income Support Division office, call
(800) 283-4465, or visit www.hsd.state.nm.us/isd/liheap.html.