Need help with electric bills? Summer program starts July 1 for income-eligible residents

Betty Lin-Fisher, Akron Beacon Journal
·2 min read

Income-eligible Summit County residents can get assistance with their electric bills through a federal program.

The Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program runs from July 1 through Sept. 30. Locally, Community Action Akron Summit will assist income-eligible

Summit County residents in maintaining their electric service through the program.

Here are the details:

  • Eligible households can receive up to $500 if they are a customer of a regulated utility, or $800 if they are a customer of unregulated utilities such as electric cooperatives and municipal utilities. This assistance is applied to their utility bill.

  • Households may also be eligible to receive an air conditioning unit or up to two fans.

  • Residents must have a gross income at or below 175% of the federal poverty guidelines to qualify for assistance. For a family of four, the annual income must be at or below $46,375.

Summit County residents who are enrolled in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus Program (PIPP) and who meet the above criteria may receive payment toward their default or first PIPP payment and may also be eligible for a free air conditioning unit or fan.

Community Action Akron Summit will complete scheduled appointments over the phone

(no face-to face interviews) for the program. Customers can call the HEAP line at 330-436-0261 or go to https://capappointments.com to schedule an appointment. Customers who have a scheduled appointment must be available to complete the application process over the phone during their scheduled appointment time.

Community Action Akron Summit also will continue to process applications online and

receive PIPP PLUS/HEAP applications. The required documentation needed for

HEAP/PIPP PLUS can be dropped off at the Akron office at 670 W. Exchange St., in Springfield at 1367 Doty Drive or in Barberton at 105 5th St. Documentation can also be faxed to 330-313-3884 or uploaded if applying on-line at www.energyhelp.ohio.gov

Beacon Journal staff reporter Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Summit County residents can get help with summer electric bills