3004-5      GRANT COMPUTATION

Step 1 – Community Fuel Points

Heating cost points are assigned to each community in the state, based upon the community's annual fuel cost and climatic conditions. These points are listed in Addendum A.

• If the household primarily uses natural gas for heat, use the community heating cost points for natural gas. If no natural gas points are listed for a specific community, use the points from the nearest community with natural gas on the listing.
• If the household primarily uses self-harvested wood or coal for heat, use the community heating cost points for oil multiplied by 0.5.
• If the household primarily uses purchased wood or coal for heat, use the community heating cost points for oil multiplied by 0.8.
• If the household primarily uses wood pellets for heat, use the community heating cost points for oil multiplied by 0.9.
• If the household primarily uses steam for heat, regardless of how the steam is produced, use the community heating cost points for oil.
• If the household primarily uses electric for heat, use the community heating points for oil.
• If the household primarily uses gasoline to heat their vehicle that has been used as their home for 60+ days, use the community heating points for oil

Step 2 – Dwelling Type

Multiply the community heating cost points by the first factor listed below that describes the household's dwelling:

1. the factor of 1.4 if the household resides in a mobile home or boat with heated living space of 980 square feet or more;
2. the factor of 0.4 if the household resides in a recreational vehicle, tent, or pickup camper;
3. the factor of 0.15 if the household resides in a one-room dwelling such as a studio apartment, hotel, or boarding home;
4. the factor of 0.35 if the household resides in a mobile home or boat with heated living space less than 980 square feet;
5. the factor of 0.55 if the household resides in a one-bedroom dwelling, or a one-room house or cabin without bedrooms;
6. the factor of 1.3 if the household resides in a three-or-more-bedroom single family, duplex, or triplex home;
7. the factor of 0.7 if the household resides in a two-bedroom unit in an apartment building of four or more attached units or resides in a mobile home with less than 980 square feet of heated living space, regardless of the number of bedrooms;
8. the factor of 1 if the household resides in a two-bedroom single family home, duplex, or triplex home;
9. the factor of 0 if the household is applying for a SRHUDSubsidized Rental Housing Utility Deposit.

A loft counts as one bedroom. 

If the household resides in a single residence with one or more households, the heating cost points are reduced to the household's proportionate share of the home heating expenses.

Step 3 – Household Size and Income

Verify each household's gross income for the month prior to application. Verification may be provided through documentary evidence (wage stub, award letter, etc.), DPADivision of Public Assistance and DOLDepartment of Labor records, or impartial third parties such as fee agents, village council representatives, or social service agencies.

Assign each household the following percentage of heating cost points based upon the household's gross monthly income and family size, expressed as a percentage of the Alaska poverty level. The Alaska poverty level figures are included in Addendum E.

• 100 percent of points if the household's gross monthly income is no more than 25 percent of Alaska's federal poverty level;
• 90 percent of points if the household's gross monthly income is more than 25 percent but no more than 50 percent of Alaska's FPLFederal Poverty Level;
• 80 percent of points if the household's gross monthly income is more than 50 percent but no more than 75 percent of Alaska's FPLFederal Poverty Level;
• 70 percent of points if the household's gross monthly income is more than 75 percent but no more than 100 percent of Alaska's FPLFederal Poverty Level;
• 60 percent of points if the household's gross monthly income is more than 100 percent but no more than 125 percent of Alaska's FPLFederal Poverty Level;
• 50 percent of points if the household's gross monthly income is more than 125 percent of Alaska's FPLFederal Poverty Level but no more than 150 percent.

If the household's gross monthly income exceeds the maximum allowable FPLFederal Poverty Level, the household is not eligible.

Step 4 – Priority Groups

Add one point to the income adjusted heating cost points if the household includes one or more members 60 years of age or older, legally disabled, or under six years of age.

Step 5 – Heating Points of 2.0 or More

Households must have heating cost points of 2.0 or more to be eligible for HAPHeating Assistance Program. If the household's total points compute to less than 2.0, the household is denied as "Limited Heating Points."

Step 6 – Round Points

Round the final total heating cost points to the nearest whole number. The total heating cost points is limited to 35 points.

Step 7 – Multiply by the Benefit Rate to Determine Household Benefit

ECOSEnergy Community Online System will multiply the final heating points by the benefit rate to determine the amount of the household's heating assistance.

Step 8 – Subsidized Housing Adjustment – If Applicable

Households residing in any type of subsidized housing who are responsible for paying all or a portion of their heating costs directly to a vendor and who also receive a utility allowance as part of their housing cost calculation shall have their total benefit reduced by 50 percent, regardless of their utility allowance amount.

Note:

Applicants living in subsidized housing and participating in a step-down program that automatically decreases the rental assistance subsidy paid by the authority after year one, for example AHFCAlaska Housing Finance Corporation, should be treated as a regular application with no utility allowance after the first year.

Note:

The amount of the HAPHeating Assistance Program grant may be reduced by the amount of the unpaid balance that the household owes the division for previously awarded heating assistance to which the household was not entitled. The division will use this method of recoupment of overpayments only if the household has not responded to the division's request for repayment or the household defaults on its repayment agreement.

The following examples illustrate how a household's heating assistance benefit is determined using a price per point. For the FYFiscal Year 2024 heating assistance season, this rate is $175 per point.