What the federal shutdown means for Iowans’ home heating assistance

As temperatures cool across Eastern Iowa, local officials are warning that the ongoing federal government shutdown could soon disrupt a lifeline for thousands of low-income households that rely on energy assistance to stay warm through the winter.

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP — a federal program administered locally by the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program — opened for applications Nov. 1 and typically runs through April 30. It helps thousands of families each year in Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Iowa City and surrounding rural areas pay heating bills that can otherwise strain tight budgets.

Last year, HACAP distributed $5.15 million in assistance to 11,017 households and 24,169 individuals, with the average award totaling $468 per home. Those funds are secure through November, but HACAP says a prolonged shutdown into the end of November or December could jeopardize future payments. Elderly residents in rural areas are among the most vulnerable, and advocates are urging early applications and communication with utility companies for 30-day extensions if needed.

The Gazette recently spoke with Christopher Ackman, HACAP’s communications and volunteers manager, about how the shutdown may affect Iowa families, what assistance remains available and what residents should do now to prepare.

  Buy Photo

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Q: To start, can you describe HACAP’s role in the LIHEAP program and who it serves?

A: “The LIHEAP program, commonly known to people as energy assistance, is a program that’s actually a nationwide program. Community action programs all across the country administer this program, and HACAP is the program for the Eastern Iowa area. So looking at the Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Iowa City areas, and then a lot of the rural areas around there, we are the ones in that particular area that administer the LIHEAP program.”

Q: How many households do you typically serve through LIHEAP each winter?

A: “It depends year to year, but I would say on average, it’s around 9,000 families in total that we serve a year.”

Q: How is the government shutdown affecting that program?

A: “The program officially opened Nov. 1 and will run through April 30 of next year. This is obviously the big time of year when people want to apply because it’s a heating assistance program. The funding is still good for LIHEAP through the end of the month in November. I think after November, we could potentially — if there’s still a shutdown — see an impact. Having the shutdown happen right around when we were starting the Energy Assistance Program doesn’t make things any easier.”

Q: What could happen if the shutdown extends into December?

A: “Should the shutdown go into December, that’s where we can really start to see a potential impact in our funding. If it goes past the Thanksgiving holiday, that’s when we could really see kind of a pause in funding, and we might have to kind of redo our game plan there.”

Q: How much funding did HACAP distribute last year?

A: “The assistance dollars that we provided were $5,154,960. Those assistance dollars would have gone to the utility companies to help serve as a credit toward individuals’ utility bills. The households served from that amount were 11,017 and the individuals served were 24,169. The average LIHEAP award is $467.96.”

Q: Are you seeing higher demand or earlier applications this season?

A: “Right now, I don’t think we’ve seen a higher demand. Part of that has been maybe our clients are watching TV and they hear about all these programs that are potentially up in the air, so they may not realize that we are still operating our program. Usually what we see is a big jump when it starts to get colder — within the next three weeks, as we dip down into highs of the 30s.”

Q: What are you telling clients who are worried about possible delays?

A: “We’re telling clients to still apply, because everything is kind of normal as of right now. People will get a notification in the mail for approval. The only thing we’re really telling people is that could be delayed this year depending on what happens. A lot can happen in a week and a lot can happen in a day.”

Q: If federal funds are delayed, what contingency plans could HACAP or others rely on?

A: “I’m not sure until we kind of cross that bridge. I don’t want to put the utility companies on the spot because they already do so much for us. If LIHEAP is affected, this is a nationwide program, so it wouldn’t just be a local thing. It would be a nationwide thing, much like what we’re seeing with SNAP.”

Q: Which populations are most vulnerable if there’s an interruption in aid?

A: “The most vulnerable population when it comes to heating assistance would probably be elderly individuals. We serve urban areas like Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Iowa City, but also rural areas — Vinton, Benton County, rural Washington County. We see a lot of elderly individuals who really rely on keeping their home warm because that’s essential for them.”

Q: What’s the most important step residents should take now?

A: “Apply now, apply early, and make sure you can get everything in. If individuals have a disconnect notice, we encourage them to apply for energy assistance and then call their utility provider for a one-time 30-day extension. There is a moratorium period during the winter in Iowa that will help prevent people who are approved for LIHEAP from having their utilities disconnected.”

Q: Does HACAP coordinate with weatherization programs to reduce energy costs?

A: “Anybody who applies for the energy assistance program automatically goes into being eligible for our weatherization program. We have crews going out every day looking at different homes, doing things like blowing insulation in older homes to help keep their energy costs down.”

Q: Have you received any guidance from state or federal officials about potential funding delays?

A: “The only thing we’ve really heard is that the funding is secure through the month of November. If the shutdown continues toward the end of November, that’s when we’ll start to be concerned and look at what else may be going on. We’ve been in constant communication with both the state and the federal level — they’ve been giving us updates pretty much on a weekly, daily basis.”

Q: Anything else Iowans should know?

A: “With so much uncertainty going on, it’s really important for our clients — and really for anybody — to pay attention to what’s going on in the news. Because it’s so fluid and fast, these are things that could affect our clients and families that we serve. People understand more if they’re informed more.”

Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com