02-10-2020 BPU RPT 11 - Laserfiche WebLink

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W A T E Rr E N E R G Y L I F E P U B L I C U T I L I T I E S BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES Board Memorandum DATE: February 10, 2020 GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT ITEM NO: 11 General Manager's Report on SHARE Program Participation and Customer Resource Center (CRC) Utility Assistance Programs July through December 2019 SHARE Program The SHARE program provided assistance to over 4,400 electric customers and over 1,300 water customers for fiscal - year 18/19. Enhancements for fiscal -year 19/20 include allowing customers that participate in other Federally funded programs such as: Cal -Fresh, SNAP, CalWorks/TANF, LI -HEAP, MediCal/Medicaid, Healthy Familes A&B, National School Lunch Program, SSI, WIC or the Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance to bring their current year award letter to easily qualify for SHARE. Additionally, the monthly assistance increase was approved by Board June 10, 2019 and by Council July 2, 2019. Effective July 3, 2019, qualified customers can receive $14.50 per month for their electric bill and $2.50 for 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 receive a disconnection notice but are unable to pay. Over the first year of the enhanced program, the total number of customers approved for SHARE assistance was 4,414. This represented a year -over -year increase of 2% when compared to 4,319 customers served between July 2017 and June 2018. Participation continues to trend similar to prior years despite increasing outreach. Staff believes that this is due to the current economic conditions. The number of customers served July 2019 through December 2019 is 2,692, a 0% change from the previous year. Customers Receiving SHARE Assistance by Month 704 631 619 R2 604 564 515 514 E 504 +141 383 391 383 X404 3Y3 334 323 �j304 255 272 254 227 214 244 16 2CX) i� 1 1 1 1 1 4 Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mor Ap• ;;'gay Ax ■ Customers Served FY 18114 ■ Customers Served FY 19120 In FY 18/19, the SHARE program cost varied month to month, the monthly average per customer increased as more customers enrolled in the monthly rebate programs. Expenses associated with the rebates per customer are spread throughout the year as customer receive their monthly rebates. The amount expended per customer as of the end of FY 18/19 was $225.64 (the amount includes monthly payments for enrolled customers through the end of the current fiscal year). Through November, the amount expended per customer is $239.38.