New Jersey Provides $13 Million

In January the New Jersey legislature passed and Acting Governor Richard Codey signed legislation providing $4 million to the state LIHEAP office, the Department of Human Services (DHS) for energy assistance. The legislation also allocated $7 million to New Jersey SHARES, a statewide fuel fund; and $2 million to New Jersey Comfort Partners, a utility-administered statewide low-income weatherization program.

The DHS is considering several options for spending the energy assistance funds, including providing more crisis assistance or a supplemental payment to delivered fuel households. One million of the $4 million was specifically targeted in the legislation for the Social Services for the Homeless program, which provides energy or crisis assistance to low-income persons who don’t qualify for other types of assistance.

Additionally, Codey announced earlier in the month that the state would allot about $2.5 million in FY 2006 to New Jersey SHARES from a special utility trust fund dedicated to temporary heating assistance. The fuel fund receives an annual allocation from the trust fund, which is derived from unclaimed utility deposits. NJ SHARES assists persons who have fallen behind on their utility bills due to a temporary financial crisis, with eligibility based on a demonstrated financial crisis and a history of good-faith utility bill payments.

Page Last Updated: January 23, 2006