In The News

Pennsylvania Offering Money for Utility Bills, Mortgage, Housing Expenses; PGW is Urging its Eligible Customers to Apply

The Pennsylvania Homeowner Assistance Fund is now available for homeowners facing pandemic-related financial hardship.

(PHILADELPHIA-APRIL 2, 2024) The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency has reopened the Pennsylvania Homeowner Assistance Fund (PAHAF) to homeowners struggling due to pandemic-related financial hardships. The fund has paid approximately $52 million to Philadelphia residents since launching in 2022. 

PAHAF provides financial assistance to eligible homeowners for mortgage and housing-related expenses to address delinquency and avoid default, foreclosure, or eviction but had been paused since February 2023 to allow PHFA to focus on a backlog of applicants. The maximum amount of assistance for any homeowner is $50,000 with as much as $10,000 of assistance that can be directly applied to a customer’s PGW utility bills.  

Pennsylvania was awarded $350 million for the administration of the program and the disbursement of funds as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. An estimated $50 million remains for eligible new applicants for pandemic-related mortgage reinstatement, forward mortgage assistance, tax assistance and delinquent utility bills. 

An application does not guarantee funding, but homeowners can find out eligibility requirements and how to apply by visiting www.pahaf.org, or calling 888-987-2423, Monday Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.  

LIHEAP FUNDS STILL AVAILABLE THROUGH APRIL 5 

There is also still time for PGW customers to apply for a Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) grant. Income eligible PGW customers may apply for a grant of up to $1,000 in free money toward their winter heating bills. PGW encourages both renters and homeowners to apply before the April 5, 2024 deadline.  

There are several ways to apply for LIHEAP: 

Download a LIHEAP application at pgworks.com/liheap or visit a Neighborhood Energy Center for in-person guidance and payment assistance counseling. A list of Neighborhood Energy Centers can be found here.  

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Last Call for LIHEAP: Apply Now to Receive Up to $1,000 for Home Heating Assistance

PHILADELPHIA (March 13, 2024) – There is still time for Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) customers to warm their  homes more affordably with a federal grant.  Income eligible PGW customers can apply for a LIHEAP grant of up to $1,000 in free money toward their winter heating bills. PGW encourages both renters and homeowners to apply before the April 5, 2024 deadline.

In October 2023, the federal government released nearly $3.7 billion in LIHEAP funding to lower energy costs for families. With the average yearly household heating bill at $1,355 LIHEAP could cover a substantial amount of a residential customer’s winter natural gas bills.

There are several ways to apply for LIHEAP:

• Text the word “CASH” to 77037 to receive an application.
• Download a LIHEAP application at pgworks.com/liheap.
• Visit a Neighborhood Energy Center to receive in-person guidance and payment assistance counseling. A list of Neighborhood Energy Centers can be found here.

Applicants must have a household income at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level to meet LIHEAP eligibility requirements. Eligibility guidelines are available at pgworks.com/liheap. 

“LIHEAP removes a financial burden for many of our customers and ensures they have access to heat and hot water throughout the colder months,” said Denise Adamucci, Senior Vice President, Customer and Regulatory Affairs at PGW. “We urge customers who need help to apply for LIHEAP today.”

During the 2022-2023 LIHEAP season, 42,393 households in Philadelphia received a total of $23M in LIHEAP assistance toward their heating bills. Those without utility service or who have received a 10-day shut-off notice can apply for both Crisis Assistance and LIHEAP together. Crisis Assistance is an additional federal grant up to $1,000 that is awarded to income-eligible customers.

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PGW Files Annual Natural Gas Cost Rate

PHILADELPHIA (March 7, 2024) – Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) filed a request on Friday with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) to adjust the Gas Cost Rate (GCR) for residential customers from $3.8396 to $4.2188 per one thousand cubic feet (Mcf). If approved, the new GCR would be effective September 1, 2024.

The typical monthly bill would increase from $93.80 to $95.93 per month for residential customers using 64 thousand cubic feet (Mcf) of natural gas per year.

The GCR reflects the cost of natural gas that PGW purchases from its gas suppliers and does not include a profit margin. The rate is recalculated on a quarterly basis (March 1, June 1, September 1, December 1) to show PGW’s actual costs. Customers are then notified of GCR adjustments through messaging issued with their bills.

 PGW’s residential natural gas rates are determined by:

• Supply charge: the amount of a customer’s gas usage and what PGW pays for the gas, which is passed on to the customer without change.
• Delivery charge: the costs of delivering natural gas to residences, maintaining distribution systems, and other services.

 For more information about PGW’s GCR filing, visit pgworks.com.

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