Rule 122:5-3-07 | Procedures for administering funds under director's jurisdiction.
(A) Compliance with federal requirements. Federal funds received by the director for the purpose of providing home energy assistance or energy efficiency and weatherization services shall be administered in accordance with any applicable federal laws and program guidelines in effect from time to time. In the event the director determines that any provision of this rule conflicts with any federal law or program guideline as adopted or amended after the effective date of this rule, the director may do all things necessary to conform the administration of federally-funded assistance programs to applicable laws and guidelines, including, without limitation, suspension of any invalid or conflicting provision of this chapter of the Administrative Code.
(B) Home energy assistance program.
(1) Annual program determinations. Each year, the director shall develop a plan for administration of the home energy assistance program taking into account the amount of program funds to be received by the state from the federal government, any additional funds that may be made available for such programs by the state and the timing of the availability of all such funds for distribution to eligible recipients. The plan for administration, including the priorities for distribution of funds, shall be as provided in the annual LIHEAP plan for the applicable program year. The annual LIHEAP plan shall set forth the eligibility criteria for the program year and describe the manner in which home energy assistance funds will be made available for the crisis assistance component of the home energy assistance program.
(2) Customer eligibility. Eligibility for home energy assistance program benefits shall be as set forth in the annual LIHEAP plan. Such assistance is not limited to PIPP plus customers. The director may in the annual energy assistance guidelines issued to local agencies for administration of the program reserve emergency or crisis assistance for households that do not receive electric service from an electric distribution utility and/or for customers of electric distribution utilities who are not eligible to participate in the PIPP plus program. The director shall make information about the home energy assistance program, including customer eligibility requirements, available to the public at public hearings, through local agencies and various other communication channels, including publication on the development services agency website.
(C) Home weatherization assistance program.
(1) Annual program determinations. Each year, the director shall develop a plan for administration of the home weatherization assistance program funds taking into account the amount of program funds to be received by the state from the federal government, any additional funds that may be made available for such programs by the state and the timing of the availability of all such funds for distribution to eligible recipients. The plan for administration, including the priorities for distribution of funds, shall be as provided in the annual HWAP plan for the applicable program year. The annual HWAP plan shall set forth the eligibility criteria for such program year and describe the manner in which home weatherization assistance funds will be made available to authorized energy efficiency and weatherization service providers. Energy efficiency and weatherization service providers shall adhere to applicable guidelines of the federal agencies providing funds in selecting households to receive energy efficiency and weatherization services.
(2) Customer eligibility. Eligibility for home weatherization assistance program grants shall be as set forth in the annual state plan for the home weatherization assistance program. Such assistance is not limited to PIPP plus customers. The director shall make information about the home weatherization assistance program, including customer eligibility requirements, available to the public at public hearings, through local agencies and various other communication channels, including publication on the development services agency website.
(D) Application. The director shall identify the customer-level information necessary and useful for purposes of determining customer eligibility and administering customer participation in the home energy assistance program and home weatherization assistance program. The director shall prepare a form of application, which may be a single combined application for all low-income customer assistance plans. The director shall make applications for the home energy assistance program and the home weatherization assistance program available to customers at various locations and through various publication channels throughout the state, including at local agencies, by request to the office of community assistance and by publication on the development services agency website. The application form may be updated by the director from time to time. Applications for home energy assistance program funds and/or home weatherization assistance program services may be submitted by customers to local agencies designated by the director to accept such applications or by mail to the office of community assistance.
Last updated October 2, 2023 at 11:42 AM
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