CARES Act funding, other aid available from government, nonprofits

Hawaiian Electric customers who are having difficulty paying their electric bill may qualify for assistance from a number of government programs and nonprofit agencies offering help to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those programs include:

• City & County of Honolulu - $25 Million CARES funding

COVID-19 Hardship Fund – up to $2,000 per month for 6 months for rent, mortgage or utilities

Administered by Aloha United Way and Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement

• Maui County - $5 Million CARES funding

Hawaiʻi Emergency Laulima Partnership (H.E.L.P.) Program - $500 to $1,250 per household up to 3 times to assist with utilities, mortgage, rent, insurance, or childcare

       Administered by Maui Economic Opportunity Inc. (MEO)

• Hawaiʻi County - CARES funding

The county is setting up its program to distribute funds to eligible households

• Additional CARES funding is available for households in need of utility payment help that meet the 60 percent state median gross annual income limit (individual, $30,767, and for a family of four, $59,167). Applicants who meet income requirements may be eligible for up to $1,000 in LIHEAP COVID-19 Disaster Energy Crisis Intervention Assistance

Visit agency websites for details:Honolulu Community Action Program (HCAP)              www.hcapweb.org; Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) www.meoinc.org; or Hawaiʻi County Economic Opportunity Council (HCEOC) hceoc.net

• Go to www.hawaiianelectric/COVID19.comto learn about other available payment assistance programs and their eligibility requirements.

Hawaiian Electric suspended collection efforts in March to ensure customers’ electric service was not disrupted during COVID-19-related orders to stay at home. Disconnection notices and disconnections for nonpayment will resume after Sept. 1. Late fees resume after Sept. 15.

To avoid disconnection, customers who are having trouble paying their electric bill must contact Hawaiian Electric to set up a payment plan.

Go to www.hawaiianelectric.com/paymentarrangementfor information on available payment plan options. A link to a payment arrangement request form is available on that webpage; the form can be emailed to our customer care team. Submitting the form is the quickest way for customers to start the process.

The company’s walk-in payment centers remain closed until further notice, but there are several payment methods available to customers.

Go to  www.hawaiianelectric.com/paymentoptionsfor payment methods. Customers who prefer to pay in person may do so at no charge at Western Union payment locations at retailers throughout the company’s service territory. The company website lists the locations.

For assistance managing energy costs, Hawaiʻi Energy is a trusted resource for tips and rebates to help offset the costs of energy-saving equipment and services. Visit https://hawaiienergy.com/tipsfor more information.