02-05-10 BPU RPT 14 - Laserfiche WebLink

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W A T E R I E N E R G Y I l I E E RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES Board Memorandum P U R I I C U T T I I T T F $ BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES DATE: February 5, 2010 ITEM NO: 14 SUBJECT: LOW INCOME ASSISTANCE — SHARING HOUSEHOLDS ASSIST RIVERSIDE'S ENERGY (SHARE) PROGRAM CONTRACT AMENDMENT ISSUE: Consideration of a Ninth Amendment with the County of Riverside to increase the Fiscal Year 2009-10 SHARE program funding. RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of Public Utilities recommend that the City Council approve a Ninth Amendment to the Agreement with the County of Riverside for the SHARE program in the amount of$1 million for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2009-10. BACKGROUND: Sharing Households Assist Riverside's Energy (SHARE) Fund was established in 1989. SHARE provides low-income residents with utility bill assistance and was originally supported by direct customer contributions that assisted approximately 1,200 households by December 1998. In July 1999, funds allocated from the Low-I ncome Assistance Public Benefits Program were added to the program. The program, along with other county assistance programs, is administered by the County of Riverside Department of Public Social Services— Department of Community Action through an agreement originally dated July 1, 1999. To date, approximately 47,000 households have been assisted, with program participation over the last five years as follows: Fiscal Yr Participants Funds Expended 2005/06 4,142 $621,300 2006/07 4,779 716,850 2007/08 6,025 903,750 2008/09 7,202 1,080,300 2009/10 5,268 921,875 (July 2009 thru January 15, 2010) For over a decade, no qualifying Riverside Public Utilities' resident has been denied assistance. Many utilities that rely on state or federal support can only offer assistance while funding support is available. Because Riverside owns and operates its own electric utility,the City is able to meet customer needs through reprioritizing budget requirements. Due to the overall increase in customer participation, the 2009-10 SHARE funds are nearing depletion, with five (5) months remaining in the contract term. The additional $1 million will enable Riverside to continue offering low income assistance on electric bills to all qualifying customers through June 30, 2010. FISCAL IMPACT: The additional $1 million needed for the Fiscal Year 2009-10 SHARE program is available in the Public Benefits Un-programmed Funds Electric Account No. 6020100-453001.