Senators announce over $382 million to help California families with heating costs

Families to receive help in paying for needed bills

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KYMA, KECY) - U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) announced nearly $400,000,000 to go towards the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Friday.

"As we face the highly transmissible COVID-19 Omicron variant, it is especially critical for families to be able to keep the lights on and have reliable heat to stay safe at home,” said Senator Padilla. “Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, California is receiving hundreds of millions of dollars to help hardworking families with the cost of heating and other utilities this winter.”

Funding for this program comes from the American Rescue Plan and the Further Extending Government Funding Act.

“Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, Californians will receive more than double the assistance to help pay for energy bills this winter,” Senator Feinstein said. “Thanks to this additional funding, more families will be able to stay warm by avoiding devastating power shutoffs and receiving assistance in weatherizing their homes.”

This funding is meant to help low-income households pay a portion of their energy needs.