Spiking Energy Costs Trigger More Federal Assistance

Oregon to receive $6 million in addition to the $45 million recently announced.

Photo: geekanddestroy.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - Rising home-heating costs putting low-income Oregonians in peril have triggered release of more than $6 million in additional federal LIHEAP funds.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program has announced emergency contingency funding for the states, including $6,105,258 for Oregon. This comes in addition to the $45,355,128 announced at the beginning of October. Oregon's LIHEAP total of more than $51 million is almost twice the $27.3 million received by the state last year.

"The less fortunate among us are disproportionally hurt when forced to make choices between heating their homes, feeding their families and buying medicine," Gov. Ted Kulongoski said. "This funding means thousands of Oregon families will get the assistance they need to stay warm, and with rates going up as soon as December, receiving this additional aid now means we'll be able to help Oregonians when they need it most."

Dramatically increasing energy costs will use up much of the increased energy assistance coming to Oregon this winter. Last year the Oregon LIHEAP program provided 65,000 households with energy assistance – serving only 15 percent of the 429,000 eligible households across the state.

"Some of Oregon's poorest families are paying over 44 percent of their household budget toward utility bills," according to Melissa Torgerson, program coordinator, Oregon LIHEAP, administered through Oregon Housing and Community Services. "While additional funding will mitigate some of the extreme circumstances families face, local providers still anticipate turning people away as energy costs continue to rise."

Many local officials and advocates are concerned that high heating prices could lead to community crises, as many persons will suffer from the cold because they cannot afford to pay their home energy bills. Further, many families resort to unsafe heating methods, forego lifesaving prescription medications and skip meals to heat their homes, according to Community Action Agencies in all 36 counties.

Recent announcements from several Oregon utilities indicate consumer bills could jump as high as 25 percent this coming winter. Across the nation, heating oil prices are projected to exceed $4.60 per gallon, and the cost to heat a home could be as high as $4,000 this season.

Oregon Housing and Community Services is the state's housing finance agency and community services program administrator. The department provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing serving Oregonians of lower and moderate income, and administers federal and state antipoverty, homeless, energy assistance and community service programs.

The OHCS mission is to "Provide leadership that enables Oregonians to gain housing, become self-sufficient and achieve prosperity." Click on ohcs.oregon.gov/.