Federal program helps low-income Floridians keep power on. Trump laid off its staff
The Trump administration has pulled the plug on a program that has helped tens of thousands of low-income Floridians keep the power and AC on, including during potentially dangerous extreme heat waves.
This week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services laid off 10,000 employees, another slash to the federal workforce following a string of controversial job cuts under the Elon Musk-directed Department of Government Efficiency. The layoffs included the entire staff behind what’s known as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), said Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, which helps states secure funds from the federal program.
LIHEAP still has around $378 million in funding — about 10% of its annual budget — but that runs out in September, and it’s unclear who, if anyone, would take over management.
Shelby Green, a Florida-based research associate with the Energy and Policy Institute, said she’s concerned that without a staff or White House political support, the program could be doomed.
“The mass layoffs of the federal workers who help manage and administer the LIHEAP program is a sign that the total elimination of LIHEAP is on the horizon,” she said.
The program has been continuously running since the 1980s, and it helps about 6 million households a year cover electricity costs if they can’t afford them. Last year, around 140,000 households in Florida received some $117 million in federal funding. Those funds, Wolfe said, help some of Florida’s poorest families stay connected to the energy grid and keep cool during periods of extreme heat.
The money goes fast. In Broward County, a month’s worth of funding was claimed by needy residents in a single day. The next time funding will be available is in May, the website reads.
The state of Florida, which directs distribution of the federal money, did not immediately respond to questions about how the layoffs could affect the flow of funds in Florida. Miami-Dade County, where 20,000 households receive LIHEAP funds, told the Herald that delays in processing applications and distributing funds could jeopardize vulnerable residents’ ability to pay their energy bills. The county, without mentioning specifics, added that it’s exploring “alternative funding sources” and might adjust eligibility criteria to minimize disruptions.
Funding interruptions aren’t new for Florida, which inadvertently froze the program for months in the summer of 2023, the hottest summer on record.
READ MORE: Florida froze program to help with power bills. Advocates worry it could happen again
Herald reporting on the disruption sparked a congressional inquiry led by Rep. Robert Scott, a Democrat from Virginia. The investigation, led by the Department of Health and Human Services, found that Florida mismanaged funding for the program, leading to bottlenecks in cash flow to the community organizations that help distribute the funds throughout the state.
There have been no further disruptions in recent years, but some experts worry that without federal employees in their seats to send funds to Florida, the state’s program could suffer a similar shutdown.
Little help for high power bills
Green said she’s particularly worried about low-income Floridians who are already dealing with the highest home insurance costs in the nation, rising costs on everyday goods from the newly imposed tariffs and potentially higher energy costs if Florida Power & Light gets approved for its historically high rate hike.
“This will put Floridians in a really precarious situation, especially in the summertime, when they might have to choose between paying their electricity bill and turning off the AC to afford it,” she said.
A recent study from the University of Miami surveyed dozens of residents of Miami-Dade County and found many low-income households are already struggling with high power bills, and they reported they give up food, medicine and doctor’s visits to ensure they can afford to keep the AC blowing.
For those that need to run the AC to stay healthy, especially households with children, elderly or disabled family members, there are few options for help with high bills other than LIHEAP. Some utilities, including Florida Power & Light, offer their own charity programs to help low-income customers cover their bills.
But they’re limited. FPL’s Care to Share program offers up to $750 during a 12-month period, while LIHEAP can cover up to $1,350 a year — or an additional $2,000 a year during a crisis.
PAUSE Act appears dead in Tallahassee
In 22 states, including Texas and Louisiana, there is some sort of state law banning utilities from disconnecting overdue customers if it’s extremely hot outside — but not Florida.
As part of its last agreement with the state to raise electricity prices, FPL agreed to stop disconnecting overdue customers if the temperature was 95 degrees or hotter. But some legislators are trying to make that policy state law.
SB 330, also called the PAUSE Act, would bar utilities from turning off the lights if the heat index (a “feels like” metric that combines temperature and humidity) is going to be 90 degrees or higher.
So far, it appears dead in the water. Since the bill and its house companion were first introduced, they haven’t budged.
Correction: This story was updated to include new, higher figures for how much FPL’s Care To Share assistance program can help with power bills.
This story was produced with financial support from supporters including The Green Family Foundation Trust and Ken O’Keefe, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
This story was originally published April 4, 2025 at 3:33 PM.
