For the second year in a row, Coloradans are taking advantage of the state's Low-Income Energy Assistance Program.
The program's purpose is to help people and families pay a portion of their winter home heating bills by making a one-time payment directly to the utility company on their behalf. Since 2022, the program has seen a 12% increase in the number of applications.
KUNC host Mike Lyle spoke with The Colorado Sun reporter Michael Booth about the program and why it has generated so much interest.
"It provides anywhere between (a) $200 and $1,000 payment for the winter for people who qualify by income," said Booth. "The way you qualify is if your income is 60% or less of Colorado's median income. What's worrying officials this year is that the number of applications is up from the same time as last year. That 12% increase represents 10,000 applications, which is obviously quite a few people."
Booth said inflation and more people finding out about the program are a couple of reasons for the increase in applications.
"People are also hearing in the news and other outlets that property taxes are about to go up, and that they're gonna face a huge new assessment on their home," said Booth. "In some cases, they don't know how that's going to play out among the politicians. They are seeing that their food bills, which have gone up this year, are now starting to deflate some—but still stinging people quite a bit."
As winter starts to settle in, Booth said residents should turn to the state program Energy Outreach Colorado for other ways to lower energy costs or reduce home energy consumption, such as having furnaces inspected and pulling down shades at night to cover gaps in doors and windows.
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