Community Action Agency of San Mateo
930 Brittan Avenue
San Carlos, CA 94070
650-595-1342
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Information for eligible
residents in San Mateo County: 1. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP or LIHEAP) 3. Home Energy Payment Assistance 6. Job Postings 7. Links 8. How We Help For eligible residents in Santa Clara County: 9a. Santa Clara County Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) |
Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program was authorized by Title XXVI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 and began in 1982. Its purpose is "to assist low-income households, particularly those with the lowest income, that pay a high proportion of household income for home energy, primarily in meeting their immediate home energy needs." LIHEAP was designed to provide help to low-income households with a minimum of government bureaucracy and a maximum of involvement by civic institutions. LIHEAP evolved from earlier programs crated in response to the energy crisis of the 1970s. The most notable of these was the Emergency Energy Assistance Program, established when Congress provided funds in 1977 to turn a pilot program into one that was national in scope. Federal dollars for LIHEAP are allocated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the states as a block grant and are disbursed under programs designed by the individual states. Program funds are distributed by a formula, which is weighted towards relative cold-weather conditions and households living in poverty. The program is administered at the state and county levels by governmental agencies and implemented primarily at the local level by community action programs (CAPs), local welfare agencies, and area agencies on aging. For San Mateo County, the LIHEAP program is administered by the Community Action Agency of San Mateo. For more information and application forms, please click here.
Department of Energy Weatherization Assistance Program (DOE)The Weatherization Assistance Program enables low-income families to permanently reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. It is this country's longest running and perhaps most successful energy efficiency program. During the last 27 years, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program has provided weatherization services to more than 5.3 million low-income families. In 2005, the goal is to weatherize 92,500 homes, which is a program metric. By reducing the energy bills of low-income families instead of offering aid, weatherization reduces dependency and liberates these funds for spending on more pressing family issues. On average, weatherization reduces heating bills by 31% and overall energy bills by $274 per year. This spending, in turn, spurs low-income communities toward job growth and economic development.
Eligibility for services for low-income households under the LIHEAP and DOE Programs is based on the income level of the applicant and all people living in the household who are 18 years or older. An application is available for download on the Application Forms page of this website. The Weatherization programs include, but are not limited to, minor home repair; exterior door replacement; glass/window replacement; weatherstripping; water heater blankets; showerheads; thermostats; heater repair/replacement; refrigerator replacement; water heater repair/replacement; ceiling fans; and installation of CO detectors.
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