Padilla, Feinstein Announce Increased Funding for Heating Costs

U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein (both D-Calif.) have announced that California is receiving over $382 million in federal funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Specifically, the state is receiving $382,838,846 total in LIHEAP funding. $203,610,805 comes from the (italics)American Rescue Plan(italics end), and $179,228,041 comes from the (italics)Further Extending Government Funding Act(italics end) — funding that both Padilla and Feinstein voted to pass.

“As we face the highly transmissible COVID-19 Omicron variant, it is especially critical for families to be able to keep the lights on and have reliable heat to stay safe at home,” Padilla said. “Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, California is receiving hundreds of millions of dollars to help hardworking families with the cost of heating and other utilities this winter.”

“Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, Californians will receive more than double the assistance to help pay for energy bills this winter,” Feinstein said. “Thanks to this additional funding, more families will be able to stay warm by avoiding devastating power shutoffs and receiving assistance in weatherizing their homes.”

LIHEAP is a federally funded program aimed to assist low-income households that pay a high portion of their income to meet their energy needs. Eligibility for the program can vary depending on income, household size, place of residence, and other factors. A one-person household, for example, could receive an assistance payment of $2,564.73 if qualified.

The American Rescue Planmore than doubled LIHEAP Funding. In 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration and Congressional Democrats delivered $8 billion in LIHEAP funding nationally, thanks to an additional $4.5 billion provided by the (italics)American Rescue Plan(italics end).

These funds represent the largest appropriation in a single year for the program since it was established in 1981.

For more information on California’s LIHEAP program, including income eligibility, visit https://www.csd.ca.gov/energybills.