TERP Respondent Stories: Liana By Briana Leone

Among the many hardships and new crises that have both been exacerbated and that have emerged as a result of COVID-19, utility hardships continue to be a persisting one. Even though utility shutoff moratoriums have prevented the health risks that a lack of utilities would cause, as moratoriums are lifted many families may find themselves in even more precarious situations than before. Even in households that were able to continue paying their utility bills, usage increases have led many people to make tough choices about where they are spending their money. For example, when we asked Liana, a white woman in her early twenties, if there had been any changes in her expenses during COVID-19 she replied, “We pay more now for energy and the internet...I think we pay about the same for food...we buy less clothes because we don't need a lot.” The sudden shift in how we were living, in the first few months of the pandemic, dramatically changed how people needed to budget expenses.

Another of our respondents, Clyde, a Black man in his early sixties, indicated that the moratoriums just put a hold on bills: “No matter what happens with the pandemic, the landlord, banks, credit cards, they all want their money. They may give you a break for a while, but they want their money.” What Clyde is highlighting here is that, even among energy assistance programs, few alleviate payments. Assistance programs that provide grants can help a household reduce its bill, but most simply help with utility debt management. 

Even pandemic assistance programs, such as federal rental and utility assistance, were limited in its reach. We learned from a number of Philadelphia energy counselors this spring that some households’ bills passed $1000, to the point that it would be impossible to pay off the debt on current incomes. Another issue is that many households are unaware of programs that could help them address these high bills. The limits of outreach, for example, has made it difficult to get rental assistance funds distributed. Other households, like Liana’s, may not be able to access them due to ineligibility. Many of our respondents reported that income eligibility criteria are too stringent. Another problem is that assistance programs are designated for U.S. citizens only. When asked about assistance programs, Liana said:

“Maybe I read and forgot about it because we usually don't qualify for any program... usually they are for American citizens or green card holders and we usually don't qualify for any program… But, I think we are not really in need for this and my husband works and we are able to pay our bills...so right now we are not looking because we are not really in need.”

There are many cultural and policy shifts needed in the energy assistance arena; easier access first, but also more permission for households to use government assistance.

While it is significant that Liana admits they are not in need, she also discusses heavy budgeting in the survey, stating they meticulously sort their expenses, which perhaps others may not be able to do. In discussions with NEC counselors, one of the main concerns with energy assistance is knowing about the programs on the part of those in need but especially income guidelines which often exclude people very much in need of that assistance.