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Nonprofit leaders tell council $300 electric hookup fee is a barrier for households in need
Summary
A Saint Vincent de Paul representative told Seaford leaders that a new $300 electric hookup fee is a barrier for the low-income families the nonprofit serves and asked the city for help after describing recent cuts to safety-net benefits for clients.
During public comment at the Aug. 12 Seaford City Council meeting, Lynn Betts, president of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul conference at Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church, asked the city to reconsider or assist with a newly posted $300 electric hookup fee. Betts told council the families her organization serves are facing reduced SNAP and Medicaid benefits and high rents, and that the $300 fee represents a substantial barrier to securing housing and utility service. She said Saint Vincent de Paul has paid hookup fees for two families so far in 2025 and listed the organization9s limited funding sources: church donations, occasional grants and volunteers9 out-of-pocket support. Betts said many nonprofit volunteers do not live inside the city and miss the city billing notice; she said her group would convene in September and planned to return with suggestions for how the city might help address the barrier. Why it matters: The comment highlights a community concern about a utility connection charge that local nonprofits say creates an obstacle to housing stability for households already experiencing benefit cuts. Next steps: Betts said Saint Vincent de Paul will meet in September and follow up with the city with potential suggestions to help affected households; council did not take immediate action during the meeting.
