Residents relying on the Metropolitan Action Commission's help for energy payments will need to hold on a little longer this year as their LIHEAP program's usual October 1 start is pushed to November 1. According to a statement obtained by the Nashville government's newsroom, the Tennessee Department of Housing Development (THDA) is rolling out a new eligibility platform, which has led to the postponement. As Lisa McCrady Beverly, MAC's Director of Communications and Engagement, noted, those with low to moderate incomes are the hardest hit, spending a larger portion of their income on energy costs.
In the interim, MAC will not leave residents out in the cold; city funds are set to cushion the most urgent cases throughout October, traditionally a month inundated with applications for energy assistance, a period which sees MAC assist an estimated 1,368 households. Priority for these stopgap funds will go to applicants who are either over 60, are veterans with children five years or younger, live with an individual who is disabled, or have already been disconnected from their energy supply.
For Nashville residents who do not meet these specific criteria, patience is required until applications reopen in November. "We want to help residents navigate this change as well as assist customers with the most urgent needs," Beverly expressed in the news release. This delay will not affect MAC's housing payment assistance program, which is on track to commence on October 1, according to the Nashville government's newsroom.
Details about applications and the assistance programs are available online on the MAC's website and residents with immediate concerns are encouraged to visit the Customer Care Center in person, located at 1281 Murfreesboro Pike, open Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m, or they can make a direct call at 615-862-8860 to connect with someone who can guide through the process help secure the necessary energy assistance.
