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Moab extends utility‑assistance pilot, raises eligibility to 80% AMI and adds renter accommodations
Summary
The City Council adopted an ordinance extending and revising a six‑month residential utility‑assistance pilot. Revisions raise income eligibility to 80% of Area Median Income, add renter application pathways for shared accounts, keep the $40 monthly credit cap, and call for additional outreach and confidentiality safeguards.
The City Council voted to extend and revise a six‑month pilot utility assistance program that provides qualifying households up to $40 per month toward water, sewer and stormwater charges.
City staff presented data from the pilot’s first six months and recommended changes to expand eligibility and remove barriers that prevented many renters from applying. Staff said the original pilot used federal poverty levels and a $40 credit cap and had low uptake: “Only 16 applications came in,” Marcy (city utilities/finance staff) told the council, and several prospective applicants were ineligible because apartment complexes and trailer parks often have consolidated utility accounts that could not be credited under the original rules.
To increase access, staff recommended switching eligibility from federal poverty thresholds to 80% of Grand County area median income (AMI), adding clearer documentation requirements, and creating an administrative pathway to accommodate renters in properties with single master utility accounts. Marcy and senior staff said the city will provide confidential intake and can help applicants with paperwork, including in‑person assistance for people without reliable internet access.
Council members asked about outreach and administrative capacity. Staff said they will increase publicity (utility‑bill messages, website updates, partner organizations) and can provide a searchable address list to partner agencies so those organizations can quickly confirm whether a given address is inside city limits before referring applicants. The city also said only a limited number of staff handle confidential household financial information and that records are not made public.
Financially, staff noted the pilot’s budgeted allocation is $75,000 for the fiscal year; with the program structure used in the presentation, that amount could support up to roughly 156 households for 12 months at a $40 monthly credit if fully used. Council adopted the ordinance extending the pilot and incorporating the changes; the roll call recorded the motion’s passage on a unanimous vote reported by staff.
Ending: The council adopted the revised pilot (extension for another six months, eligibility at 80% AMI, renter accommodations and stronger documentation/outreach). Staff will return with administrative refinements and outreach plans and will monitor uptake to determine if further budget or program changes are needed.
