In a normal year, staff working on Lane County’s Low-Income Household Energy Assistance Program would be sending letters to senior citizens and disabled people who qualify for assistance right now. That step comes before opening up a wait list for other people who may need help paying utility bills during the upcoming cold months.
Instead, administrators of the 100% federally-funded program have paused the sign-up process while they wait for an end to the federal government shutdown. They also are worried about the future of funding for utility assistance.
“Our ability to administer funds is directly dependent on that money becoming available,” said Jason Davis, public information officer for Lane County Health and Human Services. “And so if it’s not available, then we don’t want to do the legwork and get folks enrolled and not be able to pay the bills for them when the time comes."
LIHEAP works with utilities to supplement heating and cooling costs for 7,000 Lane County households. It received about $5.2 million in federal funding in 2024.
Davis said the program helps people who are choosing between covering their utilities and other necessities like rent.
