The Kansas State Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services coordinates a variety of low income energy assistance program for state residents. Working in coordination with local and regional providers, as well as allocating Federal Liheap funds, the programs are open to Kansas residents based upon need, as determined by income.
To qualify for the state’s programs, an individual must be directly responsible for paying the energy bills and make a good faith effort to pay the bills given his or her existing household income. A sliding scale of household size relative to income determines the guidelines for qualification, as state residents can earn energy assistance by earning up to 130% of the federal poverty guidelines.
The benefits provided by the state depend on a measure of need, as determined by the nature of the residence, the household members and the utility rates in a given district. Additionally, the state Housing Resources Agency allocates weatherization grants to help families improve the energy efficiency of their homes. The Housing Resource Agency aims to low the costs of home ownership by providing incentives for low income families to improve their homes and surrounding environment.
As part of the programs, the state offices a Residential Application Replacement Program, known as RAR, which provides grants to replace out-dated applications with newer, Energy Star certified models. Under the program, households can lower their energy costs by switching to higher efficiency solutions. Another related program is the Housing Development Grant Program, which provides funds to help low income families purchase or upgrade their existing homes according to guidelines. Through the program, Kansas households can get grants to upgrade the infrastructure of their homes in order to save on living expenses.
Additionally, the State’s First Time Home buyers Program helps provide financing for lowering income families to afford a new mortgage. Under the program, the low interest, subsidized loan is backed by the state in coordination with individual private lenders.
For families who need to upgrade their existing homes, the Home Owner Rehabilitation program provides grants and funds to help repair and upgrade existing homes. Grants are widely available and are distributed on a merit and need basis, with priority going to homes that are in dire need of upgrades. Further, the Emergency Repair Program addresses household needs in terms of safety by upgrading wiring, infrastructure and providing general home repairs.
