This California program could give you $600 for Sacramento utility bills. How to apply

For those that are having trouble paying utility bills, California has a program that may help you get assistance on making payments.

The Home Energy Assistance Program, or HEAP, helps qualifying low-income households pay for their energy usage, according to Community Resource Projects. HEAP is offered to homes in Sacramento, Yuba and Sutter counties that are powered by PG&E and SMUD, and those that get heat from wood, propane or oil.

If accepted, you get a one payment, about $300 to $600, every 12 months.

But to receive assistance, you must be eligible based on income. Recipients are also selected based on their household size and “energy burden,” which is the percentage of income spent on energy bills.

Who is a priority?

Applicants that meet the following criteria, according to CRP, will get priority for HEAP, according to the website:

• Are income qualified
• Have a high energy burden
• A member of the household is part of a vulnerable population, such as those over 60 years old, younger than 5 or those with disabilities.

The income qualifications for 2023 depend on how many people are in a household:

• 1 person - monthly income of up to $2,700.17
• 2 people - monthly income of up to $3,531.00
  
  
• 3 people - monthly income of up to $4,361.83
  
  
• 4 people - monthly income of up to $5,192.75
  
  
• 5 people - monthly income of up to $6,023.59
  
  
• 6 people - monthly income of up to $6,854.43
  
  
• 7 people - monthly income of up to $7,010.21
  
  
• 8 people - monthly income of up to $7,166.00
  
  
• 9 people - monthly income of up to $7,321.78
  
  
• 10 people - monthly income of up to $7,477.56
  
  

What do I need to apply

To apply, according to CRP, you’ll need:

• Your social security card or number
• Pay stubs from the previous six weeks
• Identification, such as a driver’s license, California ID, and/or other U.S. identification
• Copies of current utility bills

How to apply

If you’re in Sacramento, Yuba or Sutter County you can apply through CRP online.

The CRP application will also cover the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program, which is payment assistance for water and wastewater bills. It’s also a one-time payment of about $200 to $371 and can pay overdue bills up to $15,000.

The online application was down Thursday morning, due to a high volume of applicants, according to the website, but it advises that you check the page again.

For HEAP only, you can apply directly on the online portal.

This story was originally published June 15, 2023 at 10:10 AM.