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75 RESOLUTION 1996- 26R A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE ELECTRIC UTILITY BOARD OF THE CITY OF SAN MARCOS, TEXAS, REGARDING FEDERAL FUNDING OF THE LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LiHEAP); AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. RECITALS: 1. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LiHEAP) Block Grant was established by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 to provide energy assistance to low income households throughout the nation in response to the energy crisis of the 1970's. > > 2. LlHEAP funded programs continue to provide needed assistance to low- income families and households with administrative costs of only about 8%. 3. Some 54% of recipients of LlHEAP's cooling program, which operates primarily in the South, are elderly and 25% are disabled. i 4. The poor face increasing energy costs as a percent of income, creating a continuing energy crisis for low income families and households; with energy and utility costs typically consuming 15% to 20% (and sometimes as much as 50%) of LlHEAP recipients' incomes. 5. The federal administration proposes a decrease in LlHEAP funding in 1996 of approximately 35%, or $700 million. 6. In Texas the LlHEAP Block Grant is administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) as the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP). 7. In Texas LlHEAP funded programs install energy conservation measures and improves energy efficiency in low-income families' homes, in combination with other sources of funds. 8. In Texas LlHEAP funded progïams provided energy crisis payments, copayments, case management, budget counseling, energy conservation education, and heating and cooling system repair or replacement funding. 9. LlHEAP funded programs operate in all 254 Texas counties through a network of 56 local organizations. 10. LlHEAP funding programs provided over $29 million in assistance to over 200,000 low-income households in Texas in 1995; and 11. In Texas LlHEAP funded programs provide assistance to the poor, the elderly, the disabled, native americans, and migrant farm workers, all of whom have annualized family gross income at or below 123% of federal poverty income guidelines. 12. Energy crises are daily realities for poor Texans. 13. LlHEAP funding cuts hurt the poorest people in Texas. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE ELECTRIC UTILITY BOARD OF THE CITY OF SAN MARCOS, TEXAS: PART 1. The President is urged to maintain 1994/1995 funding levels for LlHEAP and to refrain from any reductions in LlHEAP funding.