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Where To Get Help With Bills

 

Ways To Get Help With Bills During The Pandemic – Californians

Many Californians have been impacted by the pandemic in some way.  While watching the news or speaking with people, I have noticed one common thing.  Many people do not know where to go for assistance.   

Here is a list of resources for Californians.

EDD CA Update

How to get through to EDD – Getting through to a representative seems impossible.  Following these steps will help you get through.  The wait could be five minutes to a few hours.  Be patient.

1. Dial 833-978-2511
2. Immediately hit 1
3. A recording will play for about one minute.  When it ends, hit 2. 
4. You will be sent to a representative.  It may say, all representatives are busy.  If so, disconnect and try the process again.  If that recording does not come on, stay on the line and someone will answer your call.

How To Get Financial Assistance For Rent

CA COVID-19 Rent Relief – will help income-eligible households pay rent and utilities, both for past due and future payments. The federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 provides funding to support the program and tenant (renter) protection laws signed by Governor Newsom.

EVICTION MORATORIUM EXTENDED

The Act extends tenant protections included in the Tenant, Homeowner, and Small Landlord Relief and Stabilization Act of 2020 (AB 3088) to June 30, 2021. These protections were originally set to expire on February 1, 2021. The Act includes the same eligibility and program rules as before including:

• Prevents evictions for nonpayment of rent by tenants experiencing a COVID-19 hardship.
• Available to any tenant who timely attests under penalty of perjury that he/she has not been able to pay full rent due to COVID-19-related circumstances.
• If a tenant pays at least 25 percent of his/her rent owed between September 2020 and June 2021, they are permanently protected from eviction for not paying their full rent during this period; however, they will still owe their landlord all unpaid rent.
• Landlords may still proceed with certain other types of “just cause” evictions unrelated to a tenant’s failure to pay rent.

EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

• Available for households with incomes at or below 80 percent of Area Median Income, with a priority on helping households at or below 50 percent of Area Median Income as well as households unemployed for the preceding 90 days at the time of application.
• Prioritizes the payment of rental arrearages.
• Landlords can choose to accept 80 percent of any unpaid rent owed from April 1, 2020, through March 31, 2021. If a landlord accepts this funding, the landlord agrees to forgive the remaining unpaid rent for that covered period.
• If a landlord chooses not to participate, the tenant can still apply for relief valued at 25 percent of unpaid back rent they owe for the covered period.
• Qualified tenants will also be able to access funds to cover 25 percent of prospective rent for the months of April, May, and June of 2021, subject to funding availability.
• Utility arrearages will also be eligible to be paid, subject to funding availability.
• The State will directly administer $1.5 billion through either the State Rental Assistance Program or through block grants to qualifying local jurisdictions.
• Emphasis on multilingual, local outreach, fraud prevention, and customer service.
• The program will be stood up to begin accepting applications in March 2021.

PROTECT TENANTS IMPACTED BY COVID-19

• Limiting public disclosure of eviction cases involving nonpayment of rent between March 4, 2020, and June 30, 2021.
• Protects low-income tenants from landlords assigning or selling their rental debt to a third-party debt collector.
• “Pay or Quit” Notice period for nonpayment of rent extended from 3 to 15 days.
• Protects tenants from being evicted for “just cause” if the landlord is shown to be really evicting the tenant for COVID-19 related nonpayment of rent.
• A landlord may not charge late fees for nonpayment of rent between March 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021, to tenants who have attested they are experiencing a COVID-19-related hardship.
• Require landlords to notify all tenants who owe back rent about the availability of their rights and the rental assistance program via an informational notice by February 28, 2021.

PROTECT PROPERTY OWNERS IMPACTED BY COVID-19

• Provides extended consumer protections for requests of mortgage forbearance for homeowners impacted by COVID-19 until September 1, 2021.

For more information and resources, visit HousingIsKey.com

211 – If you need assistance finding food, paying housing bills, or other essential services, call 211 to speak to someone who can help or visit your local 211 website to search for more local help. All 211 providers across the United States and Canada are operational and continue to connect people with services and resources in their local communities. 

How To Get Legal Help

LawHelpCA.org – has been prepared for general information purposes only. It does not provide direct legal advice but can connect you to legal aid organizations and referral services.

• OFFICIAL AND FREE LawHelpCA is California’s official and free legal resource.
• RELIABLE information about common legal issues, written by reputable sources on 16 general topics and over 140 specific subtopics
• UPDATED directory of legitimate and pre-screened organizations that offer free or low-cost legal advice and representation 

How To Get Money To Help Pay Bills

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program – is a federally funded program aimed to assist low-income households that pay a high portion of their income to meet their energy needs. LIHEAP is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services.

There are several portions of the program that help accomplish this goal, such as:

• The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) provides one-time financial assistance to help balance an eligible household’s utility bill.
• The Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) provides assistance to low-income households that are in a crisis situation. Such an example would be a household receiving a 24-48 hour disconnect notice or service termination by their utility company. Another example would be a household facing an energy-related crisis that could be deemed potentially life-threatening in the household, such as a combustible appliance.
• LIHEAP Weatherization provides free energy efficiency upgrades to low-income households to lower their monthly utility bills while also improving the health and safety of the household’s occupants.  
• Education on basic energy efficiency practices and instruction on the proper use and maintenance of installed weatherization measures.
• Energy budget counseling. 

Assistance Paying Your Bills – Some utilities have shareholder-funded emergency payment assistance programs for their customers, which provide cash assistance to help offset the costs of heating and cooling their homes. There are also other plans that may be of assistance to you in managing your energy bills.

PG&E Assistance 

• Relief for Energy Assistance Through Community Help (REACH) – The Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help (REACH) program is for low-income customers who experience severe, uncontrollable, or unplanned hardships and are unable to pay for their energy needs.
• Budget Billing- Budget Billing allows you to pay the same amount every month by averaging your household energy costs for the last 12 months.

Edison Assistance 

• Level Pay Plan – Edison’s Level Pay Plan allows you to budget the cost of electric service into equal monthly payments, by spreading high summer or winter bills over an entire year.
• Energy Assistance Fund – Edison’s Energy Assistance Fund helps low-income customers in financial hardship with electric bills.
• Residential Summer Discount Program – Edison’s Residential Summer Discount Program provides credit for customers who permit Edison to install and use a device that allows Edison to remotely turn off the customer’s air conditioner at high-peak hours. The amount of credit received is dependent upon how often the customer lets Edison use the device.

Southern CA Gas Company Assistance 

• The Gas Assistance Fund (GAF) helps qualifying customers who are having difficulty paying their gas bills. This program, administrated by the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, is funded by donations from customers, shareholders, and employees of The Gas Company®  
• The  Level Pay Plan helps smooth out the ups and downs of a monthly gas bill by averaging annual gas consumption and costs over a 12-month period. You pay an average bill amount each month instead of actual charges.

SDG&E

• Neighbor to Neighbor – SDG&E’s Neighbor to Neighbor program gives people financial help with their energy bills, and the fund is subsidized by SDG&E shareholders and employees. The money goes toward helping customers who do not qualify for any other assistance programs but can’t pay their SDG&E bill due to temporary financial hardship. There is no income requirement but a need must be there, as in the case of temporary unemployment or a serious family illness.  

Cares Act and Education

CARES Act: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund –When Congress passed the CARES Act, it directed $14 billion in funding to colleges—$6 billion of which was allocated specifically to emergency financial aid grants for students. These grants comprise just one part of the larger HEERF program, as some of the money also helps colleges dealing with lost revenue and new technology costs.

HEERF emergency grants weren’t meant only for students who experienced a sudden loss in income (though that may also be available from colleges through a formal financial aid appeal). Instead, HEERF grants are for students who took on new expenses due to the shift to online or remote learning during the coronavirus crisis.

A student could apply for a one-time grant, for instance, if they needed to pay for child care after an on-campus program closed, food as a result of their subsidized meal plan ending, or new equipment or supplies to take classes at home.

Temporary Housing For Essential Workers

• Housing for the Harvest – offers temporary housing to agriculture and food processing workers who need to isolate due to coronavirus infection or exposure. Under this program, the state will pay for hotel rooms for agricultural workers who need to self-isolate.  Visit housing for agricultural workers to find out program eligibility.
• Hotel rooms for California healthcare workers – The Non-Congregate Sheltering (NCS) for California Healthcare Workers Program keeps California’s healthcare workers safe and healthy and reduces the spread of the COVID-19 virus. It provides free or discounted hotel rooms to healthcare workers who give critical care to COVID-19 patients so they do not bring home the virus to their household.

Organizations That Help Homeless Families and Individuals

CalWorks Homeless Assistance – The CalWORKs Homeless Assistance (HA) Program was established to help CalWORKs families meet the reasonable costs of securing housing. The CalWORKs HA program serves eligible CalWORKs recipients or apparently eligible CalWORKs applicants, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.  CalWORKs HA can provide payments for temporary shelter for up to 16 cumulative calendar days, as well as payments to secure or maintain housing, including a security deposit and last month’s rent, or up to two months of rent arrearages.

As of January 1, 2017, this benefit is available to an eligible client once every 12 months (formerly a once-in-a-lifetime benefit), with exceptions.

California Housing/Shelter – Homeless Motel Vouchers – Enter your zip code to search for motel vouchers in your area. 

Homeless Motel Vouchers Families With Children – The program provides shelter vouchers for families with children age 18 and younger, who are homeless in the Greater El Monte area. This program operates only when funds are available. People who receive assistance are sent to a motel or hotel in the area. The number of days of assistance depends on each individual situation; generally, 7 days are provided. APPLICATION PROCEDURE Call to apply. An appointment is required; referrals are preferred. Picture ID for the head of household, ID for all family members, proof of last residence, and proof of income are required. FEES/PAYMENT SOURCE There are no fees for service.

Luthern Social Services Southern California – has a legacy of meeting needs . . . of the poor, underserved and powerless regardless of race, creed, or orientation. Today we serve more than 30,000 individuals and families providing tangible goods and services such as food pantries & hot meals, clothing, emergency vouchers for hotel, bus, gas and utilities, housing and rental referrals, eviction prevention, and prescription assistance, holiday, school or hygiene packs, humanitarian response during times of natural or man-made disasters and other short-term assistance programs.

When possible they engage people with a case-worker who can access longer-term resources to address the more systemic and prevailing needs of the individual. Their intent is to embrace people at times of crisis and acute need, extending the compassion of Christ.

How Do I Get Emergency Food Stamps

Pandemic EBT –  is a federal program. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS), in collaboration with the California Department of Education (CDE), received approval to operate the program in response to COVID-19 related school closures. P-EBT provides food benefits to help families with children who are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals through the federal School Breakfast or National School Lunch Programs.

Emergency food and assistance – CalFresh provides food benefits to help people buy most foods at most grocery stores and farmer’s markets. People and families with low income can apply for CalFresh any time. If you have a change in income, even a temporary one because of the coronavirus, you can apply for CalFresh food benefits. To apply, visit CalFresh online or call 1-877-847-3663 (1-877-847-FOOD).

Temporary CalFresh expanded eligibility for college students – Beginning January 16, 2021, some students are eligible to receive CalFresh benefits to help pay for groceries. Learn more about the temporary changes to student eligibilityPDF(this is a pdf file) and how to apply online.

Great Plates: Free meals delivered to seniors – Older adults can get daily meals delivered to their homes from local restaurants through this program. Check Great Plates Delivered to find out how to sign up.

You may qualify to get meals from Great Plates if you:

• Are age 65 or older, are 60-64 and have been diagnosed with or exposed to COVID-19, or are considered high risk by the CDC
• Live by yourself or with one other program-eligible adult
• Are not currently receiving assistance from other state or federal nutrition assistance programs, like CalFresh/SNAP or Meals on Wheels
• Have difficulty accessing food or preparing your own meals
• Earn 600% or less of the federal poverty limit
• Live within a county or city participating in the program

Home delivered meals for older adults – Older adults (aged 60+) who live at home and find cooking difficult may be able to receive prepared meals delivered to their home, regardless of income level. And seniors who used to visit community meal sites can have those meals home-delivered instead. 

Find a meal provider in your area or call 1-800-510-2020.

To find more information about services available for older adults, adults with disabilities, and family caregivers, see the California Department of Aging or call the California Aging and Adult Info Line at 1-800-510-2020.

Statewide COVID information hotline – This COVID-19 hotline connects seniors to vital state and local services and resources, as well as answers general questions about COVID-19. It’s a part of an ongoing effort to provide reliable, trusted information and support to any Californian who needs it. California COVID-19 Hotline: 833-422-4255 (833-4CA-4ALL)

Food Banks – Local food banks and pantries are open and operating across California. Find a local food bank near you.

Emergency Funds For Small Business

Businesses and employers grants and loans – California and the federal government are providing broad assistance to small businesses and employers impacted by COVID-19.

Paycheck Protection Program 

• Available to first and second-time loan applicants
• Provides loans to help fund payroll costs
• Applications will be accepted until March 31, 2021

The Paycheck Protection Program provides forgivable loans to help fund payroll costs, including benefits. PPP may also be used to pay for mortgage interest, rent, utilities, worker protection costs related to COVID-19, and uninsured property damage costs caused by looting or vandalism during 2020.

Learn more about the PPP at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) website.

Resources for small businesses – California has additional resources for small businesses impacted by COVID-19:

• Resources and services for small businesses collected by the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development
• Tax relief and extensions from the Department of Tax and Fee Administration