PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County Public Utilities District is seeing fewer people than expected enrolling in its low-income assistance program.
As of Friday, 509 households had enrolled in the program, PUD Manager Jim Parker said.
That’s out of an estimated 2,000 households that could be eligible in Jefferson County, according to a study done by the PUD’s citizen advisory board.
“We expected more,” Parker said. “The weather is getting nicer so people aren’t thinking about it as much.”
The program, which took effect in late March after a unanimous vote among the three PUD commissioners, allows low-income seniors and PUD customers with disabilities to apply for either a $20 per month discount or a $35 per month discount on their utility costs.
“I expected about 700 by now,” Parker said.
The low-income program expansion was recommended by the PUD’s citizen advisory board last year.
The program changes the PUD’s definition of low-income from 100 percent of the federal poverty limit to 125 percent of the federal poverty limit.
This is consistent with the standards for Olympic Community Action Programs’ (OlyCAP) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
Those households that already qualify for the LIHEAP program automatically qualify for the $35 per month discount.
To qualify for LIHEAP, the household income must not exceed 125 percent of the federal poverty level. Various deductions and exclusions are allowed for different types of income. The qualifying thresholds can change annually.
According to Parker, the PUD chose to have OlyCAP process applications and promote the program because its agency already has access to many of the people who qualify and is a well-known source for low-income assistance programs in Jefferson County.
Those who do not have internet access or need assistance signing up for an appointment can call OlyCAP’s Port Townsend office at 360-385-2571.
Those with other questions can contact PUD at 360-385-5800 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
________
Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
