COVID-19

Additional LIHEAP funding urged for struggling families as Senate considers more COVID-19 relief

Proponents are advocating for a new round of federal funding for LIHEAP on account of the economic downturn that the nation faces due to COVID-19. They state that around $4.3 billion of funding is needed to protect struggling consumers in the coming months when utility shut-off moratoria...Read more

COVID-19 Relief Emergency Rental Assistance Summary

In the second COVID-19 stimulus bill passed by Congress, there is no specific funding for LIHEAP, and funding for rental assistance and utility assistance are shared. This document details how funds will be used in the Emergency Rental Assistance Section of the stimulus. 

"Grantees shall...Read more

The Energy Rights Project Phone Survey Consent Form and Resource Packet

This PDF contains a copy of the consent script read to individuals surveyed in the Energy Rights Project's second round of surveying, which began in November 2020. It also contains a list of various energy assistance resources, both local to Philadelphia and national. The first page of the...Read more

PGW COVID-19 RELIEF GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR CUSTOMERS

Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) announced a new grant program for households facing pandemic related financial hardships on January 12th 2021, with the program to start on January 19th, 2021. Eligible households can receive up to $300 on their natural gas bill. To apply, individuals call PGW to...Read more

There Could Be an Energy Bill Debt Tsunami, Too

We're including this article because it discusses the state of household energy bills and the use of pandemic moratoriums. The article discusses differences between when states ended the utility shutoff moratoriums, but also noted that nationally, household consumers did spend more during the...Read more

Utility Company Calling Script

Hi, my name is ________________. I’m a researcher with Drexel University in Philadelphia. I’m conducting a survey of utility company responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m calling to see if there is someone in your company that could answer a...Read more

Utility shutoffs should be a rallying cry for justice

In much a continued theme throughout the pandemic, utility shutoffs threaten and have negatively impacted many families across the United States. Without any jobs or assistance to pay for high energy bills, which continue to pile on as we are inevitably forced to stay inside, many families face...Read more

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