State increases heating aid benefit

The benefit was increased because of high fuel prices and may be raised again.

By D.A. WILKINSON

VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU

LISBON — On Friday morning, Ruth Allison, the emergency service director for the Community Action Agency of Columbiana County Inc., feared the needy would not have enough heating fuel to stay warm this winter.

On Friday afternoon, the Ohio Department of Development announced it will increase the benefit statewide under the emergency Home Energy Assistance Program.

Households could apply for up to $450 for either fuel oil or propane. That has been raised to $600.

The CAA began taking applications by appointments and emergency requests for the emergency HEAP program Thursday.

Before the announcement, Allison said the lack of local jobs had people scrambling for heating assistance from both the emergency and regular HEAP programs. The state oversees the regular HEAP program.

Carolyn Mattevi, the supervisor of the program for the Community Action Agency, was asked when the avalanche of applications would begin. “We already had the avalanche,” she said Friday.

Nikki Jaworski, an ODOD spokeswoman, said the regular HEAP program through the state will remain at $450, at least for now. She said state officials will watch fuel prices and may increase the benefit under the regular HEAP program. Both programs run until March 31.

The price of crude oil has been climbing toward $100 a barrel. And although October was the second warmest on record in the Mahoning Valley, people were already seeking help since they were low or out of fuel.

Allison had feared that some payments to households might not be large enough to cover the cost of a minimum delivery required by some companies. Some fuel companies were also requiring payment before delivery.

But Jaworski said that those already approved for fuel oil or propane will retroactively have their benefit increased. The state will also send the increased checks directly to suppliers to avoid any problems with delivery limits or households having to pay in advance, Jaworski said.

Statewide, fuel oil and propane are mostly used in rural areas and are only a small part of winter heating costs. They’re also commonly used in Appalachian counties, which include Columbiana.

The emergency HEAP program spent $519,247 last winter in Columbiana County, with $362,127 going to heating oil.

Statewide last winter, some 360,000 Ohioans received help under the regular HEAP program, and 150,000 received benefits under the emergency HEAP program.

The guidelines for the programs are the same. People may get up to $175 for natural gas from each program. Households can also get money for coal and even wood heating. Unlike fuel oil and propane, those rates aren’t changing.

A single person with an annual income of $17,000, or a family of three with an annual income of $30,000, are eligible.

wilkinson@vindy.com