The Federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) at La Casa helps low-income families and individuals meet home heating and medically necessary cooling costs by offsetting the cost of high-energy bills, and helping prevent termination of their utility service.  The program assists participants with utility payments, assists homeowners with heating system improvements, delivers emergency oil, and refers all participants to the Weatherization Assistance Program for energy conservation measures if their residence has not been previously weatherized.

The 2011-12 season commences November 1^st and ends April 30.

Eligibility

• Residents of Essex County.  Residents of other New Jersey counties can click here for a listing of local agencies that administer the program.
• Households that are responsible for home heating or cooling costs, either directly or included in the rent. Persons who live in public housing and/or receive rental assistance are not eligible unless they pay for their own heating/cooling costs directly to the fuel supplier.
• LIHEAP: Gross income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. The chart below gives specific monthly gross income maximums for FFY 2012 [these figure are subject to change].

LIHEAP Monthly Pre-tax Income Limits 11/1/2011—04/30/2012

Note: To determine eligibility for household sizes greater than 12, add $153 for each additional member.

Instructions

• Contact La Casa de Don Pedro for applications or downloaded one here if you are a first time applicant or did not receive LIHEAP during the prior heating season.
• Households who have received LIHEAP assistance and have not moved a simplified “recertification application” will be mailed to them.
• For persons age 60 or over, or who are disabled, applications may be received and returned by mail or they may be subject to an in-the-home application intake by appointment or scheduled visits to multi-family senior citizen buildings.
• Submit application or “recertification” by mail or use a convenient drop off box at any of La Casa’s centers or La Casa stations in PSEG offices in downtown Newark and West Orange.

Important Facts

• The amount of the LIHEAP heating benefit is determined by income, household size, fuel type, and heating region.
• The medically necessary cooling assistance benefit is set at $160, which does not affect the LIHEAP assistance.
• An eligible household that heats with natural gas or electricity will have its benefits directly forwarded to its utility company.
• In some cases eligible households directly responsible to a fuel supplier for payment of home heating costs may receive a two-party check in the name of the applicant and the fuel supplier.
• Households whose heating costs are included in their rent receive a single party check made out to the eligible applicant. A household receiving medically necessary cooling benefits also receives a single party check.
• The FFY 2011 LIHEAP application is also an application for the Universal Service Fund Program (USF). You apply for two benefit programs at the same time using one application

Hours of Operation

317 Roseville Avenue, Newark, NJ 07107

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday (9 am – 4pm)
• Wednesday (9 am – 7 pm)
• Closed on Fridays
• Open Every 2^nd Saturday of each month (9 am – 1pm)

Participants should anticipate a 2-hour waiting period.

Satellite Offices

I. PSE&G, Newark

80 Park Plaza, Newark, NJ

• Monday – Friday (9am -4pm)

No telephone calls accepted at this location.-Limited to 50 clients per day-First come, first serve basis

II. PSE&G, West Orange

59 Main Street, West Orange, NJ

Monday – Friday (9am – 4pm)

No telephone calls accepted at this location.  Limited to 50 clients per day-First come, first serve basis

III. 600 Central Avenue, East Orange, NJ

Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays (9am – 5pm)

Wednesdays (9am – 7pm)