Attention OHEP Customers:
Beginning Friday, January 27, 2023, and every Friday thereafter, in-person appointments will be limited to crisis customers only. Customers who visit OHEP offices on a Friday and are not in-crisis will be asked to return on the next business day. Thank You, Management
MEAP
The Maryland Assistance Program provides grants to assist with home heating bills. Payments are made to fuel suppliers and utility companies on behalf of the customer. MEAP is available to all income eligible Maryland heating customers, both homeowners and renters, including roomer or boarder, regardless of whether you pay your heating costs.
MEAP also offers the Utility Service Protection Program (USPP). This program provides eligible households access to an even monthly payment program and protection from turnoffs.
EUSP
The Electric Universal Service Program (EUSP) provides financial assistance with electric bills. Eligible customers receive help that pays a portion of their current electric bills. Customers who receive EUSP are placed on a budget billing plan with their utility company. Budget Billing is a tool that utility companies provide to help spread out year annual utility bills into even monthly payments to avoid spikes in your bill caused by seasonal fluctuations in energy use. Please check with your utility company on eligibility requirements and budget billing policy.
Arrearage
Arrearage Retirement Assistance helps customers with large, past due electric and gas bills. If eligible, customers may receive a grant for up to $2,000 towards their past due bill. Customers must have a past due bill of $300 or greater to be considered eligible. Customers may only receive an arrearage grant once every five years, with certain exceptions. Arrearage grants received between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021 will not count towards the five-year limitation.
USPP
The Utility Service Protection Program (USPP) is designed to protect low-income families from utility turn-offs during the heating season. All MEAP eligible customers may participate in USPP. Participation also requires a year-round even monthly budget billing. Failure to make consecutive payments may result in removal from USPP.
SMTCCAC, Inc. is the local administering agency of Maryland State Office of Home Energy Programs for Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's County.
Effective December 19th, 2022, all customers applying for Energy Assistance will be seen by
APPOINTMENT ONLY
You MUST bring the following with you to your appointment, or you will be rescheduled:
1. Completed OHEP Energy Assistance Application
2. Proof of Residency such as a lease, housing letter, mortgage statement, property tax statement, or the Living Arrangements Form
3. Proof of gross income from the previous 30 days for everyone in your household over 18 years old
4. The Declaration of Zero Income Form, Household Worksheet and Resource Provider Statement if your household has not received income over the previous 30 days
5. Recent energy bill(s) and termination notice (if applicable)
6. Applicant's Photo ID
7. Social Security Cards for everyone in your household or, if needed, a letter from the Social Security Administration after you've applied for new cards
We no longer except incomplete applications. All supporting documents must be submitted with your application.
Alternatives to applying in person:
Online: https://www.smtccac.org/office-of-home-energy-program.aspx
MUST COMPLETE STEP 1 and STEP 2
Fax: 301-274-5638
Mail: P.O. Box 280 Hughesville, MD 20637
Email: ohep@smtccac.org
Drop Box: 8371 Old Leonardtown Road, Hughesville, MD 2063
Maryland Low Income
Household Water Assistance
Program (LIHWAP)
The Maryland Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) is part of a federally-funded
American Rescue Plan program that provides assistance to help households pay water and wastewater bills.
Depending on your income and specific needs, you may qualify for the following assistance.
OHEP is now serving St. Mary's County with the Low Income Homes Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)! Please click the button below, for more information about the program:
English Application
Spanish Application
Download Flyer
Community Needs Assessment
We are embarking upon our Community Needs Assessment activities. We’d like to hear from you about needs impacting our low-income community members, in the counties surrounding SMTCCAC, Inc. One method we are using is an online survey through Survey Monkey. We would greatly appreciate you completing this survey, to help improve and inform future services and programming at the agency. This survey should take about 20-30 minutes to complete.
Community Needs Assessment Survey
The Energy Assistance Program helps households pay their utility bills,
minimize heating crises, and make energy costs more affordable.
Who Is Eligible For Energy Assistance?
Renters, homeowners, residents of public housing,
sub-metered homes (where you pay another
company, not the utility directly), Roomers/Boarders
are all eligible for Energy Assistance grants.
The most important factors in determining who is
eligible for energy assistance are the size of your
household and how much money you made in the
last 30 days
Things That May Delay Your Application
- Not completing all sections of the application
- No signature or date on the application
- Missing documents
- Not including all household members
- Not including all income for the past 30 days
- Electric bill not in Applicant’s name
Needed to Apply:
- A copy of your photo ID
- Proof of everyone’s gross (pre-tax) income for the last
30 days
- Proof of where you live (This can be your utility bill)
- Copies of Social Security cards for everyone in your
household
- A copy of your most recent heating fuel bill or receipt
(if applicable)
- Copy of your most recent Utility bill or termination
notice (if applicable)
Did You Know?
- All energy assistance dollars are grants. You do not
have to pay back a grant.
- Grant amounts are calculated based on your income
from the last 30 days and your fuel type.
- Make sure you submit all of your supporting
documents with your energy assistance application.
- Missing documents or signatures WILL delay your
application.
- Continue to make payments on all your electric and
heating bills. Energy Assistance will not cover your
whole bill.
Drop-in applications accepted:
- Hughesville Location
8371 Old Leonardtown Road
Hughesville, MD 20637
- Huntingtown Location
3720 Solomons Island Road
Huntingtown, MD 20639
-
Applications can be faxed to:
301-274-5638
Useful links:
Maryland's Dept. of Human Resources
2022 OHEP Brochure (English)
2022 OHEP Folleto AF 2022 (Español)
Apply through MyDHR
Check your application status
The Office of Home Energy Programs (OHEP) provides bill assistance to
low-income households in the State of Maryland
Income Eligibility Limits
Effective July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022