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W A T L R E N E R G Y L I f RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES W& Board Memorandum P U B L I C U T I L I T I E S BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES DATE: JANUARY 14, 2019 GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT ITEM NO: General Manager's report on SHARE program participation July through November 2018 Concurrent with the adoption of the rate plan earlier this SHARE Customers year, the City also approved enhancements to the SHARE Year -to -Date program as well as increasing the amount budgeted for the w (July - November) program from about $1.7 million per year in FY 17/18 to = 2,500 2,282 2,347 $2.8 million for FY 18/19. The SHARE program provide � ! financial assistance to qualified low-income customers. c 2000 Enhancements for this year included changing the income Q'-) 1,500 Total Goal eligibility for customers from 150% of the Federal Poverty U CustomersCustomers Level to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, which will Q� N 1.000 Served in Served in allow more customers to qualify.FY 17/18 FY 18/19 5004,319 E 000 0 The primary enhancement to the SHARE program was the N 0 addition of two monthly on -bill rebates for customers. U FY 17/18 FY 18/19 Qualified low-income customers can receive $14 per month from their electric bill and $2.25 from their water bill. The SHARE program maintained the once -annual $150 assistance to customers but has limited it to either deposit assistance or emergency assistance for customers that have receive a disconnection notice but are unable to pay. In prior years, customers did not need to demonstrate an emergency to receive the once -annual assistance. Over the first five months, through November 2018, of the enhanced SHARE Program, the total number of customers that have received SHARE assistance on their utility bill is 2,347. This represents a year -over -year increase of 3% when compared to 2,282 customers served between July and November 2017. November 2018 also realized an 11 % increase in monthly participation over November 2017, as shown in the table below. These participation numbers are consistent with the soft -launch of the new program beginning in July 2018 and as shown, below, reflect consist monthly participation numbers. As the upcoming electric rate increase takes effect January 1, 2019, and with additional outreach efforts proposed, staff anticipates further increases in customer participation in the SHARE program. 700 600 E 500 0 400 U 300 -6200 :V, 100 581 564 Jul Aug Customers Receiving SHARE Assistance by Month 630 471535 515 346 383 374 314 297 284 249 260 259 Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun ■ Customers Served FY 17/18 ■ Customers Served FY 18/19 Note: The number of customers served in FY 17/18 in February through June have been updated to reflect actual data. Prior month's data were estimates based on previous years.