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Bellevue staff report 1,100 households served, $1M spent on utility bill assistance; commission to weigh expansion options in March
Summary
City staff said Bellevue’s Utility Bill Assistance program currently serves about 1,100 households and spends roughly $1 million annually; staff will return in March with quantified policy options to consider expanding eligibility or benefit levels, noting expansion could raise utility rates or require additional staffing.
City staff told the Environmental Services Commission on Jan. 8 that Bellevue’s utility bill assistance program now serves about 1,100 households and that program expenditures for 2025 exceeded $1 million.
Jacob (the business‑services manager) summarized program components: a long-term assistance program that offers a roughly 70% discount for qualifying low‑income seniors or permanently disabled customers (or a rebate for multifamily customers who don’t receive a direct bill), an emergency-assistance program that can pay up to four months of bills for qualified customers facing short-term financial shocks, and a community-funded "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" program that can waive two…
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