The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) announced that an additional $48 million from the Federal Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act will be directed to the Texas Utility Assistance program to assist homeowners and renters who need assistance paying their energy bills.
What Is Texas Utility Assistance Program?
Homeowners and renters can use Texas Utility Assistance program to pay off entire past-due utility bills for electricity, natural gas, propane, water, and wastewater, as well as get up to $2,400 in prospective payments.
Because the program now assists with future payments, a qualifying applicant will now have his past-due bills covered and receive an additional $85 per month towards his future water and wastewater bills as a result of an update.
TDHCA advises all people interested in applying for this program to do so as soon as possible so that they can reap the greatest benefits, as the program will continue until September 30, 2023.
Read more: Has the IRS taken your stimulus checks rebate? Here is everything you should know
How To Qualify?
- Household income must be at or below 150% of the federal poverty threshold.
- At least one member of the household must be a US citizen or a Qualified Alien.
TDHCA recommends that anybody who qualifies for water and wastewater assistance apply as soon as possible in order to gain the greatest benefit. When an application is granted, the total amount of future payments will be determined.
Applications approved in January will receive $765 for future bills, while applications approved in March will receive $595 ($85 each month for seven months).
People who asked for and were approved for water bill help prior to the program change will get $765 in future installments, which Texas Utility Assistance will deliver to water providers this month. Applicants who fall into this category will receive an email from the program informing them that credit has been added to their accounts.
Texas Utility Assistance has distributed over $28 million and benefited over 13,350 households to date. The federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the federal Low Income Household Water Assistance Program provide funding for the program (LIHWAP).
The call center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. – 6 p.m. and can be reached at 855-566-2057 (toll-free). Help is accessible in a variety of languages.
Read more: Microsoft launches new Bing powered by ChatGPT to some customers; What you need to know?