Registration for $50 Million DWP Utility Relief Program to Assist Low-Income Families Extended to November 22

This short-term program will help LA City residents who may be experiencing income loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Low-income residents may be eligible to receive a one-time, $500 check in the mail to help pay utility bills.

Registration is now open for the $50 million COVID-19 Utility Grant Program, which is being administered by LADWP, and will provide $500 per household to help low-income families impacted by COVID-19 with utility bills. Registration is available online through November 15, 2020, and will prioritize City of LA LADWP customers who are enrolled in its low-income programs. However, City LADWP customers not enrolled in the low-income assistance programs who are impacted by COVID-19, and earn at 50% AMI or lower, can also apply.

Residents can register or get more information at ladwp.com/UtilityCares.

Last Tuesday, the City Council unanimously voted to approve the program, which was developed through the Ad-Hoc COVID-19 Recovery & Neighborhood Investment Committee to utilize federal CARES Act funding to assist struggling low-income Angelenos with utility costs.

The program will serve up to 100,000 households.

The program launch comes as the federal government goes back and forth on possible additional Stimulus assistance while LA County’s unemployment rate remains high at 15.1%. 

Since establishing the COVID-19 Committee to prioritize what the City of Los Angeles should spend its Federal CARES Act funds on, City Council has funded:

• $103 million rental assistance program, largest of any city in the nation
• $200 million to address homelessness
• $42 million to award non-repayable grants to assist small businesses, and non-profits, including $6 million to assist low-income workers, such as street vendors
• $30 million in childcare support, including child care stipends dedicated to low-income families; relief grants to child care providers; and establishing Alternative Learning Sites at 50 Recreation and Park facilities so children have a place to go, and learn, while their parents are at work.
• $5 million for domestic violence and human trafficking victims’ assistance through Project Safe Haven.

Applicants must be an LADWP residential customer with an online account in order to complete an online application during the program enrollment period of November 2 – 22, 2020.

While grants will be allocated via lottery, priority will be given to customers currently enrolled (as of November 1) in one of four LADWP assistance programs: the Low-Income Discount Program; Lifeline Rate; Life Support Equipment Discount; or Physicians Certified Allowance Discount.