To help customers financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, LADWP joined forces with the Office of Council President Nury Martinez in November to offer the Utility CARES Grant Program and provide one-time relief checks of $500 to low-income Los Angeles residents. The program, budgeted for $50 million, was made possible through federal CARES Act funding received by the City to assist struggling low-income Angelenos with utility costs.
Thanks to concerted outreach by LADWP, the Council and Mayor’s offices, and community partners, the program garnered over 77,300 applications. Of those, 67,315 applications met eligibility criteria and were accepted, representing $33,657,500 in grants that will be provided to customers.
The program was offered for two weeks in November and extended for a week (November 23) to give more people a chance to apply. LADWP expected to start issuing checks around the middle of December – just in time for the holidays.
To be eligible for the grant, residents had to meet the household income eligibility requirements and be able to provide documentation demonstrating they were financially impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
