HomeMy WebLinkAbout05.c. Receive Announcement of Central San's Participation in a COVID Wastewater Bill Relief ProgramPage 1 of 2
Item 5.c.
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November 21, 2022
TO: FINANCE COMMITTEE
FROM: PHI LIP LEI BER, DI RECTOR OF FINANCEAND ADMINISTRATI ON
REVIEWED BY: KEVIN MIZUNO, FINANCE MANAGER
ROGER S. BAILEY, GENERAL MANAGER
SUBJECT: RECEIVE ANNOUNCEMENT OF CENTRAL SAN'S PARTICIPATION IN
ACOVI D WASTEWATER BILL RELIEF PROGRAM
A Federal Low I ncome Household Water Assistance Program (LI HWAP) is now available to provide
financial assistance to low-income Californians to help manage their residential water and wastewater utility
costs. Established by Congress in December 2020, this federally funded program helps low-income
households pay down their outstanding residential water and wastewater bills. California was allocated
$116 million in one-time funding to provide LI HWAP assistance. The State's Department of Community
Services and Development (CSD) is the designated administering agency for LI HWAP in California.
Through LI HWAP, CS works with a network of community -based local service providers to help low-
income households pay down their outstanding residential water and wastewater utility bills.
Central San has enrolled with the LI HWAP program to enable low-income customers to participate.
Customers with outstanding sewer service charges (SSC) from the defined COVI D period of March 4,
2020, through June 30, 2021 can obtain funding from the LI HWAP program to have these balances paid
off.
Central San has created a section on its webpage to explain how the program works and how customers
can participate.
https://www.centralsan.org/post/low-income-household-water-assistance-prog ram
Notifications have also been placed on social media. Customers initiate the process by contacting the County
department noted below:
Contra Costa Employment & Human Services Department/Community Services Bureau
1470 Civic Court, Ste 200, Concord, CA 94520
Phone: (925) 681-6380
Monday through Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For an eligible low-income customer who did not pay the SSC portion of their property tax bill during the
COVI D eligibility period, this program will pay off that portion of their property tax bill for them. This could
be as much as $763 for single family residences and $722 for multifamily residences (representing a
portion of two property tax bills, for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019-20 and FY 2020-21). Once approved, the funds
will be disbursed directly by the State to Central San.
November 21, 2022 Regular FINANCE Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 239 of 244
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Some coordination is required between Central San and the County. For the individual customer who did
not pay their outstanding tax bill for FY 2019-20 and FY 2020-21, Central San has already received funds
for the SSC due to the County's participation in the Teeter plan. But the customer would have an
outstanding/in-default tax bill with the County. Logistically, this will be handled in the following manner:
1. Central San will receive the payment for the SSC from the State.
2. Central San will reverse/cancel the SSC on the tax bills for FY 2019-20 and FY 2020-21. There is
an existing County process and form to do this.
3. Central San will return the funds for the SSC to the County that were advanced by the County to
Central San under the Teeter plan.
4. End result: Central San has the correct amount of funds for the SSC; not zero and not twice as
much as it should. The customer no longer has an outstanding tax bill related to SSC. The funds
advanced to Central San under the Teeter Plan have been returned. However, it should be noted
that any other unpaid amounts from the tax bill that remain outstanding will ultimately need to be paid
by the customer.
While unfortunate, Central San expects that the number of customers who will ultimately use this program
will be low due to several factors:
1. The County has not seen significantly higher than normal property tax defaults during the COVI D
period;
2. The availability of other relief programs such as the State's property tax deferment program for low-
income or disabled seniors, or other programs specific to the COVI D period (waivers of penalties
for late property tax bills, mortgage payment deferments, etc.);
3. More financial distress among non -homeowners and those who would not directly pay a sewer
service charge bill (renters);
4. Limited awareness of this program and the need for customers to initiate participation in the program.
To date, Central San has not been informed of any customer participating in the program, but staff will
report on participation as such information becomes available.
Strategic Plan Tie -In
GOAL ONE: Customer and Community
Strategy 2 - Promote initiatives to advance affordable and equitable access to services
November 21, 2022 Regular FINANCE Committee Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 240 of 244