Atlantic City Electric and Delmarva Power, electric utility companies serving customers in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, asked APPRISE to present data on low-income energy poverty issues affecting customers in their service territory at a conference for community action agency personnel. APPRISE utilized Census, Current Population Survey, and American Housing Survey data to produce statistics that highlighted these issues.

APPRISE developed information on the energy needs of California’s low-income utility customers using public data sets including the Current Population Survey and the 2000 Census. The study results will be used to set policy for the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program and the Low-Income Energy Efficiency (LIEE) Program.

The 2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) is a national survey that collected energy-related data for occupied housing units and households. The Office of Community Services (OCS) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) funded a special set of questions for low-income households responding to the 2005 RECS. Those questions collected information on residential and home energy-related problems faced by low-income households and measured the extent to which households reported that participation in LIHEAP helped to ameliorate those problems. APPRISE conducted an exploratory analysis of the 2005 RECS data for OCS to develop a better understanding of the performance of the survey questions and to develop new information on the Energy Insecurity of low-income households, including:

• Levels and Types of Energy Insecurity – Estimation of the rate at which low-income households face various types of energy problems and examination of survey respondent reports on the extent to which energy assistance restores home heating and cooling for households experiencing service interruptions.
• Factors Related to Energy Insecurity – An analysis of the factors associated with energy problems including poverty level, energy burden, geographic region and other demographic and housing factors.
• Performance of the Home Energy Insecurity Scale – An assessment of the performance of the Home Energy Insecurity Scale in measuring the impacts of energy costs on low-income households compared to other Energy Insecurity measures used in the past.

The National Low Income Energy Consortium (NLIEC) has begun to produce information that enhances knowledge and casts public attention upon the low-income residential energy issues and hardships facing the particular region in which their annual conference is held. In 2005, NLIEC asked APPRISE to conduct an analysis of energy poverty throughout Arizona, in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, and in specific Phoenix-area neighborhoods. APPRISE used Census, Current Population Survey, and American Housing Survey data to produce this information, which was presented at the annual conference in Phoenix and compiled for a report on energy poverty in Arizona.

APPRISE conducted a survey with households across the U.S. to examine the extent to which increased home energy and gasoline costs have impacted these households and how they have coped with increased prices. The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the sacrifices and tradeoffs that low, moderate, and middle income households have made in response to rising fuel costs. Households were asked about beneficial behaviors such as energy conservation and investment in more efficient appliances, and about dangerous sacrifices such as going without food and medicine, and keep the home at an unsafe temperatures. The study showed that increased home energy and gasoline costs have impacted households at all income levels. Low-income households, as expected, have sacrificed the most as a result of these price increases. Low- to middle-income households are likely to have gone without food and medicine and to have compromised their energy usage. Low- to moderate-income households are likely to have missed energy bill payments and even have their service terminated. They are also likely to have gotten behind on credit card bills, mortgage or rent, and car payments. All income groups however, have reduced discretionary spending, driving, and heating and cooling usage. All income groups have also made investments in more energy efficient heating, cooling, and appliances to bring down their costs.

The purpose of the LIHEAP Feasibility Study is to support the Division of Energy Assistance in their development of program outcome measures and to identify options for developing annual estimates of the proposed outcome measures. As part of the study, APPRISE conducted a literature review of existing data sources and performed an in-depth examination of three options for furnishing LIHEAP performance measurement data. These options were (1) working within the context of the existing data sources, (2) replacing the existing data sources with other existing Federal and/or State surveys, and (3) developing a new survey specifically designed to furnish LIHEAP performance measurement data.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is one of seven block grants originally authorized by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981. In 1994, the purpose of the LIHEAP statute was amended to clarify that the program is "to assist low income households, particularly those with the lowest income, that pay a high proportion of household income for home energy, primarily in meeting their immediate home energy needs."

Furthermore, Congressional Committees indicated in 1994 that LIHEAP grantees needed to reassess their LIHEAP benefit structures to ensure that they are targeting those low income households that have the highest energy costs or needs. The purpose of this evaluation study was to assess to what extent the LIHEAP program is serving the lowest income households that have the highest energy burdens. The study uses data from the 2001 Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) to examine the distribution of income and energy burden for low income households and identify those that have the lowest incomes and highest energy burdens (i.e., high burden households). The study uses the 2001 RECS LIHEAP Supplement to measure the effectiveness of the FY 2001 LIHEAP program in serving high burden households. The study quantifies program effectiveness using targeting performance measures. The study also identifies procedures for updating energy burden targeting performance statistics in the future.

APPRISE provides program support to the Federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which is a federally funded program to help eligible low-income households meet their home heating and cooling needs. The LIHEAP Home Energy Notebook focuses on the home energy mission of LIHEAP by providing LIHEAP grantees with the latest national and regional data on home energy consumption, expenditures, and burden; low income home energy trends; and the LIHEAP program performance measurement system.

APPRISE is supporting NCAT in the LIHEAP Integrity Working Group Project. This working group will identify LIHEAP program integrity issues, research program integrity systems currently used by LIHEAP grantees, identify areas where additional guidance is needed from federal agencies, and identify best practices and solutions for improving program integrity. APPRISE will facilitate working group meetings and support NCAT in the development of a strategic work plan.

APPRISE previously worked with the federal LIHEAP office to develop a performance measurement plan for targeting heating assistance to households with vulnerable members and a logic model to support that performance measurement plan. APPRISE also developed a separate model to examine the targeting of elderly households. APPRISE then extended the logic models to address all LIHEAP program components including cooling assistance, crisis assistance, home energy-related equipment repair and replacement, weatherization, and Assurance 16 activities. APPRISE also developed a logic model for targeting LIHEAP income eligible households with at least one young child. The final report recommended an integrated strategy for implementing all of the logic models.

APPRISE provides program support to the Federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP is a federally funded program to help eligible low-income households meet their home heating and cooling needs. The Division of Energy Assistance in the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Community Services, administers LIHEAP at the federal level. APPRISE assists both the federal LIHEAP office and state LIHEAP offices in developing performance measurement data and other statistics needed to effectively administer the program.

LIHEAP Targeting Performance Measurement Statistics: GPRA Validation of Estimation Procedures This study examined and compared alternative procedures for estimating the recipiency targeting performance measurement indicators used by the LIHEAP program to measure program performance. The "recipiency targeting index" for a specific group of households is computed by comparing the percent of LIHEAP households that are members of the target group to the percent of all income eligible households that are members of the target group. The study showed that CPS data are the best data source for making estimates of the number of LIHEAP income eligible households and the administrative data are the best data source for making estimates of LIHEAP recipient households.

APPRISE is furnishing technical support to the Division of Energy Assistance in the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Community Services. As part of this support, APPRISE is assisting in the development of performance measurement procedures that address deficiencies outlined in the 2003 PART Assessment for the LIHEAP Program. APPRISE annually develops State-level targeting performance data that indicate the extent to which States targeted energy assistance to low-income and vulnerable households.

The purpose of this study was to furnish comprehensive information on ratepayer-funded low-income energy programs. The report includes information on and analysis of the energy needs of low-income households, the legal and regulatory framework supporting ratepayer-funded programs, program design options, and the findings from evaluations of program effectiveness.

APPRISE conducted surveys of LIHEAP recipients in 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2011. APPRISE recently conducted a survey of 2011 recipients to update information about LIHEAP-recipient households that was collected in the previous surveys. These surveys documented changes in the affordability of energy bills, the need for LIHEAP, and the choices that low-income households make when faced with unaffordable energy bills. The 2011 Survey interviewed recipients in 13 states. Stratified samples of fiscal year 2011 LIHEAP recipients were chosen from each of the 13 state LIHEAP databases. The study characterized the LIHEAP population for 2011 and documented the challenges that these households face in addition to their energy bills, including unemployment, lack of health insurance, and medical issues.

APPRISE is assessing the fiscal integrity and operational efficiency of the NJ LIHEAP and USF Programs. This research will include an assessment of the performance of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), Division of Housing and Community Resources (DHCR), Office of Home Energy Assistance (OHEA) and an assessment of the operations of the LIHEAP and USF programs. We will review program documents, and conduct interviews with HHS LIHEAP compliance staff, DCA management, USF managers at the NJ Board of Public Utilities, and managers at Community Based Organizations that administer the programs. We will also review program databases and statistics, conduct on-site interviews and observations with a sample of local agencies, and conduct a survey with LIHEAP recipients.

The Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) is a national in-person survey of energy use in residential housing units conducted by the U.S Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA). In this project, we updated the national area probability sample frame, selected the sample, recruited and trained interviewers, collected data, processed the data, analyzed the data, and conducted an energy supplier follow-up survey, and documentation. In 2005, APPRISE was a part of a sample redesign project for the RECS, which involved evaluating the performance of the 1993 design, developing design alternatives, and implementing the listing and sample selection procedures selected by EIA. As part of this effort, we also designed procedures to incorporate a supplemental sample of LIHEAP recipient households.

The Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) is a national in-person survey of energy use in residential housing units conducted by the U.S Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA). In this project, APPRISE will develop Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) participation data for respondents to the 2009 RECS survey by obtaining information on RECS sample locations and respondent addresses; collecting LIHEAP administrative data from LIHEAP program managers; matching LIHEAP administrative data to RECS respondents; developing statistical procedures for addressing survey non-response and weighting issues; and furnishing documentation regarding the procedures used to fulfill the objectives of this task.

APPRISE conducted research to assist Washington's Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development to assess low-income household needs for energy conservation and energy assistance services. The research included an analysis of the fuels used, energy costs, and energy burden for low-income households in WA; documentation of current energy prices and assistance programs offered by utility companies in WA; and recommendations for the types of energy assistance programs that may best meet the needs that are documented in the study.

APPRISE conducted a statewide survey of LIHEAP-recipient households in Washington to document the challenges that these households face in meeting their energy needs. The Washington State Energy Assistance Survey documented the need for LIHEAP and the choices that low-income households make when faced with unaffordable energy bills. Research showed that LIHEAP plays a significant role in alleviating some of the problems caused by high energy bills. Seventy-one percent of LIHEAP-recipient households said that they would have had to keep their home at an unsafe or unhealthy temperature if LIHEAP had not been available, and 95 percent said that LIHEAP had been very important in helping them to meet their needs. However, a large share of LIHEAP-recipient households in Washington still face difficult choices due to unaffordable energy bills. The survey documented the percentage of these households that go without food or medical care, keep their home at unsafe or unhealthy temperatures, and use dangerous heating methods.