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Council extends utility-assistance pilot, backs scalable model to reach more households
Summary
After staff found low uptake in a six-month, $25,000 pilot, council voted to extend the program for six months and adopt a scalable assistance model that raises eligibility toward 60% AMI while keeping the $25,000 budget.
Councilors voted to extend a six-month pilot utility-assistance program and to implement a "scalable assistance" model that expands eligibility and increases assistance for lower-income households while preserving the pilot’s total budget at $25,000.
Ryan Quigley, assistant to the city manager, told the council the pilot (Oct. 2025–Mar. 31, 2026) produced 30 total applications and 11 approvals; the program disbursed about $696 of the $25,000 budget (roughly 3%). "There was 30 total applications over 6 months," Quigley said, and he described barriers: the 30% AMI eligibility threshold excluded many applicants and the original 10% average credit was perceived by applicants as too small to justify applying.
Staff proposed three options and recommended extending the pilot six months while adopting a scalable model with eligibility up to 60% AMI and graduated assistance levels; council accepted that recommendation. Council members stressed the need for clearer advertising (including posting AMI thresholds on the billing statement), administrative readiness, and monitoring for increased demand. Councilor Davis moved the extension and modification to the scalable model and Councilor Conklin seconded; the motion carried.
