Newsroom & Public Notices
NJBPU Partners with Union City to Host Hudson County Community Utility Assistance Day to Help Residents with Their Utilities
| For Immediate Release: | Contact: Tracy Munford |
| Date: 06/10/2024 | 609-940-1099 |
Held in tandem with Utilities Assistance Week, which runs from June 10-14, the event will connect residents with their local utility company and service providers to learn about the many assistance programs offered by both the State and utility providers. Hudson County is the latest in a series of successful Utility Assistance Days in Camden, Trenton, Passaic, and Elizabeth with nearly 7,000 residents attending to date.
“We are committed to ensuring residents who need help paying their utility bills have access to the resources and information to do so,” said NJBPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy. “We are excited to partner with Union City, one of New Jersey’s largest and most diverse cities, during Utilities Assistance Week to help raise awareness and maximize the impact of our utility assistance programs.”
Participating organizations are the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, the New Jersey Department of Human Services – Lifeline Program, New Jersey Family Care, Union City, PSE&G, Save Latin America, PACO (Puertorriqueños Asociados for Community Organization), Bayonne Economic Opportunity Foundation, New Jersey Shares, and Comfort Partners.
“I want to thank the Board of Public Utilities for delivering responsive and high-quality utility assistance for residents across the state,” said State Senator and Union City Mayor Brian Stack. “Utility services impact every resident in New Jersey and are an essential part of a good quality of life. I encourage residents across Hudson County, the 33rd Legislative District, and certainly Union City to take advantage of this opportunity.”
“Thank you to the NJBPU, DCA and DHS for bringing Utility Assistance Day to the 33rd District,” said Assemblyman Julio Marenco. “Utility service is an essential part of the daily lives of every resident of our district – I encourage residents to take advantage of this opportunity by applying for utility assistance at Hudson County Utility Assistance Day.”
“It is vital that all residents of the 33rd Legislative District have heat, hot water, and all utilities. BPU's Community Utility Assistance Day provides many resources for low- and moderate-income households to ensure those utilities continue uninterrupted,” said Assemblyman Gabriel Rodriguez.
“The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs administers several programs, including the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, that can help low- and moderate-income households with their heating and cooling bills,” said Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez. “Since eligibility requirements have been expanded to include higher income levels in recent years, Utilities Assistance Week provides a good opportunity to encourage people to visit dcaid.dca.nj.gov to see if they qualify for help.”
“This is a wonderful opportunity for Hudson County residents to learn about the utility assistance programs available and how to apply. Many of the individuals and families that we serve at the New Jersey Department of Human Services are eligible for utility assistance, but may not know it. This includes individuals and families participating in the Work First New Jersey program, the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, and older adults or people with disabilities participating in the Lifeline Utility Assistance Program,” said Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman. “I encourage all eligible residents concerned about higher utility bills to attend this informative event and get familiar with the resources available to them from the State.”
To determine eligibility for utility assistance on-site, residents attending the Hudson County Community Utility Assistance Day event should bring the following:
- One month of income statements from within the past eight weeks (or a zero-income statement) for all adult household members;
- Copies of social security cards or residency status for all household members;
- Proof of address (i.e., copy of rental lease or housing authority letter). (If you are a homeowner, please bring your tax bill, mortgage statement, or deed.)
- All pages of electric, natural gas, and/or heating bills
Additionally, customers in arrears who enroll in the Universal Service Fund (USF) program will be automatically screened for the Fresh Start program. Fresh Start provides eligible USF customers an opportunity to have their overdue gas and electric balances forgiven by paying only their current monthly bills on time and in full. To self-screen for USF eligibility or apply online, please visit www.nj.gov/dca/dcaid or call 2-1-1 for more information.
For those unable to attend, please call 2-1-1 to learn more about New Jersey’s utility assistance programs. Those with complaints or concerns regarding their utility company are encouraged to call the NJBPU at 800-624-0241 or file online here.
Media Contact: Bailey Lawrence (908) 812-4865; Bailey.Lawrence@bpu.nj.gov
About the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU)
NJBPU is a state agency and regulatory authority mandated to ensure safe, adequate and proper utility services at reasonable rates for New Jersey customers. Critical services regulated by NJBPU include natural gas, electricity, water, wastewater, telecommunications and cable television. The Board has general oversight and responsibility for monitoring utility service, responding to consumer complaints, and investigating utility accidents. To find out more about NJBPU, visit our website at www.nj.gov/bpu.
