SUFFOLK PUBLIC UTILITIES ANNOUNCES HRUBS UTILITY BILL PANDEMIC RELIEF PROGRAM
from City of Suffolk
SUFFOLK PUBLIC UTILITIES ANNOUNCES HRUBS UTILITY BILL PANDEMIC RELIEF PROGRAM
Suffolk Public Utilities has announced a HRUBS Utility Bill Pandemic Relief Program that will become effective on Monday, August 24, 2020. This Program provides financial assistance for qualifying City of Suffolk customers who are experiencing financial hardship due to employment impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Program provides financial assistance to qualifying City of Suffolk residents who are not able to meet the financial obligations of their monthly City of Suffolk HRUBS water and sewer bill. Assistance is dependent on the availability of funding and applicant qualifications.
Relief amounts include for customers with water, sewer, and wastewater charges of up to $200.00 per bill, for a maximum of 4 billing periods; customers with water only charges up to $100.00 per bill for a maximum of 4 billing periods; and for customers with sewer and wastewater charges up to $100.00 per bill for a maximum of 4 billing periods.
To be considered for assistance, the applicant must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
• Applicant must be a City of Suffolk resident and have an active City of Suffolk HRUBS account.
• Applicant must be listed as an account holder on the City of Suffolk HRUBS account. Multiple individuals within a household will not qualify.
• Applicant’s inability to pay must be due to the impact of COVID-19 that resulted in a loss of employment, furlough, or a 50% or greater reduction in work hours.
• Applicant must have an unpaid balance due from March 1, 2020, or later. Unpaid balances prior to March 1, 2020 are not eligible.
• Applicant must have applied for unemployment benefits, or in the process of applying for unemployment benefits, and must provide supporting documentation of the application.
Application requirements include the following:
• Completed assistance application.
• Proof of unemployment, lay-off, or significant reduction in work hours beginning March 1, 2020, or later. Acceptable proof consists of a valid award letter for unemployment benefits from the Virginia Employment Commission; valid award letter from self-employed individual through the CARES Act; verification of job loss from employer on letterhead confirming loss of employment, furlough, or a 50% or greater reduction in work hours; copy of most recent City of Suffolk HRUBS bill. Service address must match the address on the application, and on the proof of employment.
To obtain an online application, download the following link, https://www.suffolkva.us/1471/COVID-19-U..., or call 757-514-7450 to obtain a paper application.