Public Announcement

Public Announcement

NOTICE OF STAKEHOLDERS PUBLIC HEARING ON THE

NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS

NJ STATE PLAN and GRANT APPLICATION FOR PROGRAM YEAR 2025 FOR THE LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Please take notice that the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Division of Housing, and Community Resources, Office of Low-Income Energy Conservation, will conduct a Stakeholder Public hearing regarding the New Jersey Model Plan for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services FFY2025 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and changes to the State LIHEAP Handbook.

The purpose of this consultation is to accept comments on the following proposed decreases due to the loss of pandemic funding for the program and include the changes in the State LIHEAP Handbook.

1. Furnace repairs from up to a maximum of $3,500.00 to up to a maximum of $2,000.00.
2. Emergency Assistance (Crisis Assistance) from $1,500.00 to $800.00.
3. Cooling Assistance from $500.00 to $300.00.
4. Non-Heat Electric Emergency Payment from up to $400.00 to up to $300.00.
5. Service Reconnection Fee from up to a maximum of $400.00 to up to a maximum of $100.00.
6. The program also intends to change the application intake end date to reflect that.
7. applications will be processed and benefited on a FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS.
8. The program also intends to add language addressing Live in Aids and how it impacts eligibility,
9. under Eligibility section of the LIHEAP Handbook.
10. The public hearing will be held in Room 129, DCA Building at 101 South Broad Street,
11. Trenton, NJ 08625 on Friday, August 23, 2024, at 10:30am. Please kindly indicate your
12. interest to participate to fidel.ekhelar@dca.nj.gov before the close of business on Monday,
13. August 19, 2024.
14. The public hearing is being held pursuant to Section 2605 of the Low-Income Home Energy
15. Assistance Act of 1981, as amended by the Human Services Reauthorization Act of 1986.
16. The Model Plan and State LIHEAP Handbook have been posted on the Department’s website and
17. can be accessed by using the following links:
18. Those interested in providing inputs during the meeting are required to submit a written copy of
19. their comments prior to the meeting.
20. Additional comments for consideration may be submitted by mailing the document to the address
21. listed below:
22. Department of Community Affairs
23. Division of Housing and Community Resources
24. Office of Home Energy Assistance
25. Fidel Ekhelar, LIHEAP Supervisor
26. 101 South Broad Street, P.O. Box 811
27. Trenton, NJ 08625-0811