[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish announces final phase of annual energy assistance program

[Westley Annis]

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St. Bernard Parish's Department of Housing and Redevelopment has announced
the final phase of appointments for eligible low-income St. Bernard
households to acquire payments to assist with energy payments. But the
department again specifies that residents must call to set up appointments
and walk-ins are not welcome.

The program initially was announced in January and that change in procedure
- no walk-ins - was in response to the thousands who flooded in earlier that
month to sign up for the St. Bernard Parish housing voucher wait list. Among
those hordes of people interested in the housing vouchers, several were
arrested when fights erupted after some pushed and shoved each other to get
ahead in line.

For the energy assistance program, St. Bernard residents initially could
begin calling for appointments on Jan. 25. In its final phase, funds for
crisis and disconnect assistance have been exhausted, according to a parish
announcement. In other words, the parish will not be able to assist with
must bills that are pending disconnection.

But, the parish announcement states that applicants with a disconnect notice
and who have not received a benefit for a disconnect notice in the past 12
months may also apply.

Special attention typically is given to households with members over 60
years of age, household members with disabilities and households with
children age five and under.

The Louisiana Community Action Partners' Low-Income Home Energy Assistance
program is funding the program. It is administered in partnership with the
Louisiana Housing Corporation and is available in every parish in Louisiana.

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