SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio City Council on Thursday agreed to spend $30 million helping struggling residents with their utility bills.
The council voted to allocate $20 million to assist CPS Energy customers and $10 million to assist San Antonio Water System customers, according to a news release from the city. The funding for the program comes from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act.
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“The American Rescue Plan Act funds provide the City with the opportunity to address immediate community needs like utility assistance. This much-needed program will help residents in San Antonio recover at a faster pace from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said City Manager Erik Walsh. “To ensure that eligible residents receive funds for assistance with their utility bills, they should register now for affordability and payment programs at SAWS and CPS Energy.”
The program is intended to help low-income residents who can show proof of hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funds will be administered through the utility to eligible customers to help with past due bills between March 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021.
Residents interested in the program must also be signed up to the CPS affordability plan or the SAWS affordability plan, according to the news release.
Funds will be dispersed starting before the end of the year, officials said.
How to apply for CPS Energy Utility Assistance:
- In person at any walk-in center or community event,
- Online application
- English: https://www.cpsenergy.com/arpa
- Spanish: https://www.cpsenergy.com/arpa-sp
- By phone, 210-353-6110.
How to apply for SAWS Utility Assistance:
- Visit www.saws.org/uplift
- By phone, 210-704-SAWS