Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Gas offer low-income customers reduced fee programs.
Californians can receive help paying for their energy costs by applying for assistance through their local Department of Community Services and Development office. The energy assistance programs are limited to low-income households. Eligible households may receive both financial assistance and home repair weatherization services. California's crisis intervention energy program helps residents facing energy-related emergencies receive help during winter and summer months.
Home Weatherization Services
The California Department of Community Services and Development provides weatherization services to low-income families. The services include utility repair services, appliance repair and replacement services, insulation services and energy-efficiency repair services to reduce the household's future energy consumption. The weatherization program provides needy families with water heating blankets for emergency use during cold spells. The income guidelines for weatherization services depend on federal poverty guidelines.
HEAP
Eligible low-income families can receive federal energy assistance by applying through their local CSD office. Using federal grants, the CSD helps Californians offset their home heating bills with a direct payment to local utility companies. The Home Energy Assistance Program helps families by providing their utility providers with a one-time annual subsidy. For HEAP eligibility, California limits participation to those who meet federal poverty guideline limits. For 2011, a family of five could not qualify if the household's income exceeded $66,457.56 annually or $5,538.13 monthly. Eligible families must apply through their local energy service provider. Families can locate their local provider by contacting the CSD or accessing the CSD's website.
Energy Crisis
California offers low-income families emergency crisis help to pay for emergency heating and air conditioning. To qualify, families must experience a heating or cooling emergency such as impending shutoff or disconnection of energy services. The program first helps families with young children or families with elderly and disabled relatives receive emergency financial help with a one-time subsidy to help them during their crises. The energy program uses the same federal and state guidelines that HEAP uses.
Community Action Groups
California offers statewide community action and community service groups that offer help to low-income residents with processing their energy assistance applications for both California state programs and the federal HEAP program. Additionally, the community service groups can provide qualified low-income households with finding other funding sources to help them pay for weatherization services and utility bills. Groups such as the Community Action Commission of Santa Barbara County offer bill assistance, weatherization services and low-flow faucets to both low-income homeowners and renters who receive their landlord's permission for repair services.
Discounted Rates
The large utility providers in California provide low-income households with discounted rates to help them pay for their energy costs. The utility companies, such as Pacific Gas, establish their own income limits. In addition to providing reduced rates, the large electric companies offer weatherproofing educational programs and services.
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