Kyle residents experiencing financial struggles may soon be able to receive relief for utility costs from the city. The City Council approved a Utility Customer Assistance Program—a six-month pilot program—on April 7.
What’s happening?
The UCAP provides active residential city of Kyle utility customers with targeted, temporary financial support for essential water, wastewater, solid waste and storm drainage services, according to agenda documents.
The program functions as a safety net for residents and is not a citywide rate-reduction program. UCAP assistance is applied as capped bill credits rather than uncapped bill forgiveness.
During the program’s pilot phase, staff will report updates to the council and gather feedback from customers and recipients. The feedback will help shape any potential longer-term continuation of the program.
The details
The total amount of funds for the pilot program is capped at $30,000, with any desired increase requiring council approval. UCAP will be funded by the city’s Water and Wastewater Fund.
Residents must meet city-established eligibility requirements, according to agenda documents, including:
Being an active residential city of Kyle utility customerBeing the primary account holder on the utility accountMust submit a hardship applicationNo household that qualifies for UCAP financial assistance may receive more than $600 total within a calendar year. The program covers multiple services, including:Water: up to $100 per month, not to exceed $600 per calendar yearWastewater: up to $50 per month, not to exceed $300 per calendar yearGarbage: up to $25 per month, not to exceed $150 per calendar yearStorm drainage: up to $15 per month, not to exceed $90 per calendar yearQualifying residents may receive assistance through a variety of means, including:A one-time credit applied to a current or past-due balanceA payment plan for up to 12 months with 25% of the balance or less due at setup and no late feesUp to $75 for the reconnection of utilities due to financial hardshipA one-time waiver of up to $50 when proof of hardship is submitted within 30 days of the penaltyGoing forward
City staff will evaluate the program after the pilot period has ended to assess participation, outcomes, effectiveness and administrative feasibility.