Funds for heat crises will soon be easier to receive

Spring is around the corner, but you get the feeling we haven’t yet felt the last blast of winter.

For qualifying residents who might suffer the catastrophic loss of heat, the city has emergency money available.

The Board of Aldermen recently approved adding $30,000 emergency money for home repairs. The money can be dispersed while bypassing the usual more lengthy channels.

“It’s really some extra money to get us through the winter,” said Scott Slattery, the urban programs manager.

An example: If an elderly person’s furnace blows up, he or she can contact urban programs directly to apply for the money.

“I expect to have all the money spent by early spring, and if it isn’t, it goes back into the contingency account,” Slattery said.

Should a homeowner suffer a late-winter emergency, he or she should call the urban programs department at 589-3085.