Energy Programs

EP – 110 DEFINITIONS

CHANGE #1-2011

December 1, 2011

ALIEN - Any person who is not a citizen or native of the United States.

BOARDER - A person who lives in a household and pays a set amount for room and meals.

CIP (CRISIS INTERVENTION PROGRAM) - CIP is a program which provides assistance to low-income families who are experiencing or in danger of experiencing a heating or cooling-related emergency.

CONTIGUOUS PROPERTY - Real property with boundaries which touch the home site property, disregarding the presence of streets, roads, rivers, or streams.

EIS (Eligibility Information System) - An automated system which contains information pertinent to an individual's eligibility to receive benefits under a number of public assistance programs.

ELDERLY - A person age 60 or over.

ELIGIBLE ALIEN - A person who is not a United States citizen but who meets the alien status requirements in EP-175. He is included as an eligible energy household member.

ENERGY BURDEN/EXPENSE - The percentage of a household's income that is used to pay for all home energy costs and needs.

FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES - A federal program which provides monthly benefits that help low-income households buy the food they need for good health.

FSIS (Food Stamp Information System) - An automated system which contains information pertinent to an individual's eligibility to receive food stamp benefits.

GREEN CARD - A slang term describing the Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-151 or Form I-551). Most versions of these forms are not green in color.

HOMELESS - An individual who lacks a permanent or fixed residence.

HOMESITE - Principle residence of applicant/recipient or energy household member.

HOUSEHOLD - For purposes of the Energy Programs, a household consists of any individual or group of individuals who live at the same residence unless known to be a boarding house or separate apartment.

ILLEGAL ALIEN - A person who (a) entered the United States without approval by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) or (b) who, after entering legally, remained in the United States past the time limit granted by INS without authorization.

LIEAP (LOW INCOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM) - LIEAP provides for a one-time vendor payment annually to help eligible families pay their heating bills.

LUMP SUM - Money received with no anticipated recurrence.

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE (MEDICAID, MA) - A program to assist eligible aged, disabled, blind individuals, pregnant women, families and/or children with the cost of medical care under Title XIX of the Social Security Act.

MEDICARE - A program of health insurance for aged and disabled individuals who meet the program's eligibility requirements under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act.

MIGRANT FARM WORKER - A person who moves with the migrant stream in order to follow seasonal farm work employment and does not return to his permanent home each night.

PRIMARY SOURCE OF HEAT - The source of heat used by most by the household.

EXAMPLE: Four-member family occupies a single unit dwelling and heats with coal. One member is elderly and needs extra warmth. The elderly person keeps an electric heater to supplement the heat in his room. The primary source of heat for the household is coal.

PROJECT SHARE - Charitable donations.

PRIVATE LIVING ARRANGEMENT - Housing owned by an individual or private company.

PUBLIC HOUSING - Housing owned by the government. This can be apartments or houses.

RENTER - Any individual who pays rent for separate living quarters. Energy costs may be included in the rent or may be paid separately.

ROOMER - A person who lives in a house and pays a set amount for a room only.

SERVICE PROVIDER – A vendor that provides a heating or cooling source to Energy Program applicants.

SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME (SSI) - A cash payment program administered by the Social Security Administration for low-income aged, blind, or disabled persons.

SUBSIDIZED HOUSING - Any housing unit (household) which receives a federal subsidy to assist with utility bills.

TEMPORARY RESIDENT STATUS - One year period for which an alien has lawfully been granted the privilege of residing in the United States. The temporary status may be removed after one year when the Immigration Office rules favorably or unfavorably on granting permanent resident status to the alien.

VULNERABLE - A household is said to be vulnerable if it is subject to the rising cost of heating and has a heat source.

FULLY VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLD - Vulnerable households are those who live in a private living arrangement and are subject to the rising cost of heating and have a heat source. Also includes households living in public housing where utilities for heat are billed separately from the rent or where utilities for heat are included in the rent, and the household has paid an excess in utilities for heat in the last 12 months at the current address.

NOT VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLD - A household that is not subject to the cost of heating. Individuals who reside in an institution are not considered vulnerable.

WORK FIRST FAMILY ASSISTANCE (WFFA) - Work First is an assistance program which provides a money payment and medical assistance to certain relatives and children when the children have been deprived of parental support and care due to the death, physical or mental incapacity, continued absence of either parent from the home, or unemployment of one or both parents.