3/18/2015 CEAP FAQs Update /26/2014 Priority Worksheet for PY15 CEAP Service Delivery Plans... 2

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1 Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) Announcements for Subrecipients Last Updated 3/31/2015 Program Announcements 3/18/2015 CEAP FAQs Update /26/2014 Priority Worksheet for PY15 CEAP Service Delivery Plans /28/2014 Service Delivery Plans for CEAP /26/ CEAP Program Guidance Revisions /12/ Federal Register Notice About LIHEAP Performance Data Form /18/2013: Updated CEAP FAQ's /04/2013: Updated CEAP FAQ's /26/2013 & 10/22/2013: PY2014 CEAP Service Delivery Plans /07/2013: PY2013 CEAP Performance and Expenditure Reporting /28/2012: 2013 CEAP Webinar to Introduce TAC Rule Changes /02/2012: PY2013 CEAP Service Delivery Plans /25/2012: LIHEAP Household Database Reminders /29/2012: Notice of Public Hearing for FFY 2013 LIHEAP Plan /05/2012: Public Hearing on Proposed CEAP TAC Rule Amendments /01/2012: 2012 Poverty Income Guidelines /14/2012: CEAP Service Delivery Plans /17/2012: Update on PY2012 CEAP Contracts /18/2015 CEAP FAQs Update Website: CEAP FAQs Update The Department has updated the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program ("CEAP") Frequently Asked Questions ("FAQs"). These can be accessed at the following link: If you have questions, please contact a member of the Community Affairs Staff ( or submit them through the Community TDHCA: CEAP Program Announcements - Page 1/10 12/18/2013

2 Affairs Program Assistance form, available at Thank you. 11/26/2014 Priority Worksheet for PY15 CEAP Service Delivery Plans If you have not already done so, please submit a copy of your PY15 CEAP Priority Worksheet to laura.saintey@tdhca.state.tx.us for your PY15 SDP. If you have questions related to the 2015 CEAP SDP Submission, please contact a member of the Community Affairs staff ( ) or visit Thank you. 10/28/2014 Service Delivery Plans for CEAP 2015 A document related to the 2015 CEAP Service Delivery Plans (SDP) has been uploaded on the TDHCA website, at the following link: Service Delivery Plans for CEAP PY 2015 are due to the Department by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 14, Please respond to the following five Service Delivery Plan questions and upload your responses to the 2015 CEAP Service Delivery Plan Submission Form on Wufoo. Submission Form: Due Date: Friday, November 14, ) The Department is offering two methods for determining conditions that trigger a weather-related crisis in the Subrecipient's service area: a) Subrecipients may use the requirements of the Texas Public Utility Commission Substantive Rule (j) for declaring a weather-related crisis. "Extreme weather conditions," as referred to in 10 TAC shall mean a day when: i. the previous day's highest temperature did not exceed 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and the temperature is predicted to remain at or below that level for the next 24 hours anywhere in the county, according to the nearest National Weather Service (NWS) reports; or TDHCA: CEAP Announcements - Page 2/10 12/18/2013

3 ii. the NWS issues a heat advisory for a county, or when such advisory has been issued on any one of the preceding two calendar days in a county. With this method, Subrecipients are not required to provide the temperature measures that will trigger a weather-related crisis in their local area as part of the Service Delivery Plan. Subrecipients must maintain on-site documentation of NWS reports supporting the declaration of a weather-related crisis in the service area. Or b) Provide the temperature measures that will trigger a weather-related crisis in your local area. Agencies must use temperature data from a reliable source, including National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Data Online tool ( ), or 2) Provide the latest Census data for the priority groups throughout your service area. Priority groups must include the elderly, disabled individuals, and households with children under the age of six. Data must be from 2010 Census or newer American Community Survey data sets. This data is available at the U.S. Census Bureau American FactFinder ( ). 3) Using the Census data provided in response to question 2, provide a brief description of your agency's prioritization process for eligible CEAP applicants. 4) Provide a brief description of your agency's determination process for the number of assistance payments per household. 5) As required by Assurance 16 of the LIHEAP statute, provide a brief description of the efforts that will be used to encourage and enable households to reduce their home energy needs and thereby the need for energy assistance. Please include all needs assessment, counseling, and client education activities. In addition to completed PY2015 Service Delivery Plan questions, agencies are required to have internal policies and procedures to administer CEAP on file and available for review. If you have questions related to the 2015 CEAP SDP Submission, please contact a member of the Community Affairs staff ( ) or visit Thank you. 6/26/ CEAP Program Guidance Revisions Attention Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) Subrecipients: The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (the Department) has updated two documents on the CEAP Program Guidance webpage: - PY14 CEAP Admin Program Services Costs - Frequently Asked Questions? Revised June 2014 The Department will work to continually update this webpage to enable the network to find the best guidance for the CEAP program. CEAP program questions may be submitted through the Community Affairs questions portal at Thank you TDHCA: CEAP Announcements - Page 3/10 12/18/2013

4 6/12/ Federal Register Notice About LIHEAP Performance Data Form Dear Subrecipients: A notice was published in the Federal Register (FR) regarding the proposed LIHEAP Performance Data Form which will include the Grantee Survey and new data collection for state grantees related to LIHEAP performance measures. The Department encourages Subrecipients to take note of this notice, related to their LIHEAP performance reports. Please see the full FR notice regarding the proposal and the public comment process, at: Thank you. 12/18/2013: Updated CEAP FAQ's Attention Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) Subrecipients: The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (the Department) has again updated the "Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)" document posted on the CEAP Program Guidance webpage, Topics recently added to this document are: * utility allowance and utility reimbursement information (page 2) * prioritization process of clients (page 4-5) * alternative method for UA component (page 11) The Department will work to continually update this FAQ document to enable the network to find guidance to the most common questions being asked about the CEAP program. CEAP program questions may be submitted through the Community Affairs questions portal at 12/04/2013: Updated CEAP FAQ's Attention Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) Subrecipients: The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (the Department) has updated the FAQ document posted on the CEAP Program Guidance webpage. Topics added to this document are: * prioritization process of clients (page 4-5); * alternative method for UA component (page 11); This document is available under the "CEAP Guides" section of the CEAP Program Guidance page: The Department will work to continually update this FAQ document to enable the network to find guidance to the most common questions being asked about the CEAP program. CEAP program questions may be submitted through the Community Affairs questions portal at: TDHCA: CEAP Announcements - Page 4/10 12/18/2013

5 09/26/2013 & 10/22/2013: PY2014 CEAP Service Delivery Plans Service Delivery Plans for CEAP PY 2014 are due to the Department by COB Friday, November 1, Please respond to the following five Service Delivery Plan questions and upload your responses to the 2014 CEAP Service Delivery Plan Submission Form. Submission Form: Due Date: COB Friday, November 1, ) Pursuant to 10 TAC Part 1, Chapter 5, Subchapter D CEAP rules, provide the temperature measures that will trigger a Household Crisis in your local area. Agencies must use temperature data from a reliable source, including National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Data Online tool ( or 2) Provide the latest Census data for the priority groups throughout your service area. Priority groups must include the elderly, disabled individuals, and households with children under the age of six. Data must be from 2010 Census or newer American Community Survey data sets. This data is available at the U.S. Census Bureau American FactFinder ( 3) Using the Census data provided in response to question 2, provide a brief description of your agency's prioritization process for eligible CEAP applicants. 4) Provide a brief description of your agency's determination process for the number of assistance payments per household. 5) As required by Assurance 16 of the LIHEAP statute, provide a brief description of the efforts that will be used to encourage and enable households to reduce their home energy needs and thereby the need for energy assistance. Please include all needs assessment, counseling, and client education activities. In addition to completed PY2014 Service Delivery Plan questions, agencies are required to have internal policies and procedures to administer CEAP on file and available for review. If you have questions related to the 2014 CEAP SDP Submission, please contact a member of the Community Affairs staff ( or visit 05/07/2013: PY2013 CEAP Performance and Expenditure Reporting Your additional CEAP contract for PY 2013 is now available in the Community Affairs Contract System for review and approval. Subrecipients should complete a Monthly Performance Report and Monthly Expenditure Report for each contract, every month, as detailed below Contracts (contract term 04/01/ /31/2013) Monthly Expenditure Reports: Report monthly expenditures in the 5812 contract until fully expended. Monthly Performance Reports: Enter 0 performance. All persons served must be reported in CEAP 2013 Monthly Performance Report (contract term 01/01/ /31/ Contract). CEAP 2013 (contract term 01/01/ /31/2013) 5813 Contracts Monthly Expenditure Reports: Subrecipients must enter 0 expenditures monthly until 5812 contract has been fully expended. Once all 5812 contract funds have been fully expended, CEAP Subrecipients will resume expending CEAP 2013 contract. TDHCA: CEAP Announcements - Page 5/10 12/18/2013

6 Monthly Performance Reports: All persons served must be reported in CEAP 2013 Monthly Performance. If you have questions about reporting CEAP activity in 2013, please contact Cathy Collingsworth or Elmis Hermosilla, Thank you. 11/28/2012: 2013 CEAP Webinar to Introduce TAC Rule Changes Attention CEAP Subrecipients, Community Affairs Training staff will be presenting a webinar on Friday December 14, 2012 at 9:00am Central to introduce TAC Rule Changes that will be effective for the 2013 CEAP program year. Participation is highly encouraged for all 2013 CEAP Subrecipients. Title: 2013 CEAP Webinar to Introduce TAC Rule Changes Date: Friday, December 14, 2012 Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM CST Registration Link: After registering you will receive a confirmation containing information about joining the Webinar. System Requirements PC-based attendees Required: Windows 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server Mac -based attendees Required: Mac OS X 10.5 or newer Mobile attendees Required: iphone, ipad, Android? phone or Android tablet 11/02/2012: PY2013 CEAP Service Delivery Plans Service Delivery Plans for CEAP PY 2013 are due to the Department by COB Friday November 16, Please respond to the following five Service Delivery Plan questions and upload your responses to the 2013 CEAP Service Delivery Plan Submission Form. Submission Form: Due Date: COB Friday November 16, ) Pursuant to 10 TAC Part 1, Chapter 5, Subchapter D CEAP rules, provide the temperature measures that will trigger a Household Crisis in your local area. Agencies must use temperature data from 2) Provide the latest Census data for the priority groups throughout your service area. Priority groups must include the elderly, disabled individuals, and households with children under the age of six. Data must be from 2010 Census or newer American Community Survey data sets. This data is available at the U.S. Census Bureau American FactFinder, 3) As required by Assurance 16 of the LIHEAP statute, provide a brief description of the efforts that will be used to encourage and enable households to reduce their home energy needs and thereby the need for energy assistance. Please include a needs assessment, counseling, and client education activities. TDHCA: CEAP Announcements - Page 6/10 12/18/2013

7 4) Provide a brief description of your agency's prioritization process for eligible CEAP applicants. 5) Provide a brief description of your agency's determination process for the number of assistance payments per household. In addition to completed PY2013 Service Delivery Plan questions, agencies are required to have internal policies and procedures to administer CEAP on file and available for review. If you have questions related to the 2013 CEAP SDP Submission, please visit 09/25/2012: LIHEAP Household Database Reminders Dear CEAP and WAP Subrecipients: Each Federal Fiscal Year (FFY), CEAP and WAP subrecipients receiving LIHEAP funds have been required to enter unduplicated LIHEAP households that received any type of LIHEAP assistance, including LIHEAP Weatherization and CEAP, in the LIHEAP Household Database. This requirement will continue with the start of the FFY 2013 on October 1, Please note that TDHCA will clear out the LIHEAP Household Database on the evening of September 30, CEAP and WAP subrecipients receiving LIHEAP funds will continue to enter unduplicated LIHEAP households as usual in the LIHEAP database. It is important that CEAP and WAP subrecipients receiving LIHEAP funds have accurately entered all unduplicated LIHEAP Households served between October 1, 2011 and September 30, Instructions for the LIHEAP Household Database are available at Questions regarding the LIHEAP Household Database may be submitted through the Community Affairs questions portal at or directed to Cate Taylor at or mailto:cate.taylor@tdhca.state.tx.us. Thank you. 06/29/2012: Notice of Public Hearing for FFY 2013 LIHEAP Plan For the 2013 Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) beginning October 1, 2012, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) anticipates receiving federal funds to continue the operation of programs that assist very low-income Texans with home energy. In the process of deciding how to use Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds, TDHCA solicits public input on the details of the plan. As part of the public information, consultation, and public hearing requirements for LIHEAP, the Community Affairs Division of TDHCA has posted the proposed plan on the TDHCA website and will conduct a public hearing. Primarily, the hearing solicits comments on the proposed use and distribution of FFY 2013 funds provided under LIHEAP. LIHEAP provides funding for the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) and the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The public hearing has been scheduled as follows: Thursday, July 12, 2012, 9:00 a.m. Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs 221 East 11th Street, Room 116 Austin, Texas TDHCA: CEAP Announcements - Page 7/10 12/18/2013

8 FFY 2013 LIHEAP Plan DRAFT is available at A representative from TDHCA will explain the planning process and receive comments from stakeholders and the general public regarding the proposed plan for LIHEAP. A copy of the Draft LIHEAP Plan may be obtained after June 20, 2012, through TDHCA's web site, or by contacting the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Community Affairs Division, P.O. Box 13941, Austin, Texas , or by phone at (512) Anyone may submit comments on the draft plan in written form or oral testimony at the public hearing. TDHCA must receive written comments no later than 5:00 p.m., Sunday, July 15, Comments concerning the draft plan may be submitted via to cate.taylor@tdhca.state.tx.us or by fax (512) or by mail to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Community Affairs Division, Attention Cate Taylor, at TDHCA, P.O. Box 13941, Austin, TX If you have questions regarding the public hearing process or any of the programs referenced above, please contact TDHCA, Community Affairs Division. Individuals who require auxiliary aids or services for this meeting should contact Ms. Gina Esteves at (512) or Relay Texas at at least two days before the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Non-English speaking individuals who require interpreters for this meeting should contact Jorge Reyes, (512) , at least three (3) days before the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Personas que hablan español y requieren un intérprete, favor de llamar a Jorge Reyes al siguiente número (512) por lo menos tres días antes de la junta para hacer los preparativos apropiados. 03/05/2012: Public Hearing on Proposed CEAP TAC Rule Amendments Notice of Public Hearing for Public Comment on Proposed Amendments to 10 TAC Chapter 5, Subchapter D, Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) will hold a public hearing for public comment on proposed amendments to 10 TAC Chapter 5, Subchapter D, 5.402, 5.407, 5.422, 5.423, and regarding the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP). The amended sections are proposed in order to comply with federal and state laws. Proposed amendments may be found in the March 2, 2012 Edition of the Texas Register: The public comment period will be held from March 2, 2012 to March 23, 2012 to receive input on the proposed amendments. A public hearing will be held at the following time and location: Wednesday, March 14, 2012, 10:00 a.m. Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs 221 East 11th Street, Room 116 Austin, Texas Local officials and citizens are encouraged to participate in the hearing process. Public comment on the proposed amendments may be provided via to tdhcarulecomments@tdhca.state.tx.us, in writing to: TDHCA, Energy Assistance Section, P.O. Box 13941, Austin, Texas , Attn: Ms. Cate Taylor, or by fax to (512) TDHCA: CEAP Announcements - Page 8/10 12/18/2013

9 Individuals who require auxiliary aids or services should contact Gina Esteves, ADA Responsible Employee, at least two days before the scheduled hearing, at (512) , or Relay Texas at , so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Non-English speaking individuals who require interpreters for this meeting should contact Jorge Reyes, (512) at least three (3) days before the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Personas que hablan español y requieren un intérprete, favor de llamar a Jorge Reyes al siguiente número (512) por lo menos tres (3) días antes de la junta para hacer los preparativos apropiados. 03/01/2012: 2012 Poverty Income Guidelines Attention CEAP and WAP Subrecipients: On January 26, 2012, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the 2012 HHS Poverty Guidelines ( For CEAP PY 2012 beginning January 1, 2012, eligibility for CEAP will revert to 125% of Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. For LIHEAP WAP PY 2012, beginning on April 1, 2012, eligibility will also revert to 125%. However, based on DOE Weatherization Program Notice 12-8, eligibility for DOE WAP PY 2012 will remain at 200% of Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. DOE WPN 12-8 is available at Breakout of the 2012 Poverty Income Guidelines are also posted on the TDHCA website at Please contact your assigned Program Officer with questions. 02/14/2012: CEAP Service Delivery Plans Service Delivery Plans for CEAP PY 2012 are due to the Department by COB Wednesday February 29, Please respond to the following four Service Delivery Plan questions and return your responses to Cate Taylor at mailto:cate.taylor@tdhca.state.tx.us. 1) In addition to the 10 TAC Part 1 Chapter 5 rules, provide the temperature measures that will trigger an Energy Crisis in your local area. (Note: use temperature data from weather.com). 2) Provide the latest Census data for the priority groups throughout your service area. Priority groups must include the elderly, disabled individuals, and households with children under the age of six. 3) Provide a brief description of the efforts that will be used to encourage and enable households to reduce their home energy needs and thereby the need for energy assistance. Please include a needs assessment, counseling, and client education activities. (LIHEAP Statute Assurance #16). 4) Provide a brief description of use of Direct Service Support dollars by your Agency. TDHCA: CEAP Announcements - Page 9/10 12/18/2013

10 The SDP questions have also been posted at Please contact your assigned CEAP program officer with any questions. 01/17/2012: Update on PY2012 CEAP Contracts Dear CEAP Subrecipients: We are diligently working to get the 2012 Contracts out. We have run into some legal issues with our rules that are being sorted out. We hope to have the contracts out by next week. The legal issues we are addressing relate to the requirements for evidence of medical vulnerability and the possibility that prior to providing utility assistance, subrecipients may be required to verify the citizenship status of clients. As you can guess, these are very serious issues for the communities we serve, and we want to ensure that our program serves the most people that we can while following all appropriate legal requirements. At this time, please refrain from providing any services that by rule, require the collection of medical documentation from clients. Currently, our rules do not require verification of citizenship, so there should be no change in your procedures at this time. We understand that you have been receiving calls from clients requesting assistance. Please note that if you have CSBG funds, the Department will allow you to use those funds to pay staff to take applications and provide intake. The Department will allow you the ability to use the CSBG funds to pledge and pay for Crisis Assistance, even if you do not have utility assistance currently budgeted. At this time, this utility assistance will be limited to energy payments based on weather-related crisis or shut-off notices only. These funds may not be used to assist with heating and cooling appliance assessment, purchase or repair or for refrigerators. Upon contract approval, you must return to your existing CSBG plan and utilize your new CEAP funds to reimburse the CSBG program (if there was no utility assistance in the current CSBG budget). For monitoring purposes, please ensure that you document CEAP administrative, case management, and energy payments made from CSBG as well as the reimbursement of costs to CSBG. You may utilize this for CSBG monitoring purposes. The Department is working to get the CEAP contracts out as soon as possible. For earlier archived announcements, please contact the Community Affairs Division, TDHCA: CEAP Announcements - Page 10/10 12/18/2013