(a) Title. This section shall be known and cited as the Utility Billing Relief Program.
(b) Purpose. The Utility Billing Relief Program is intended to address City water and sewer bills for the most vulnerable, low-income homeowners, especially those with past due debt.
(c) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
"Anniversary Date" means the date one year from a Participant’s enrollment in the UBR.
"Comptroller" means the Comptroller of the City of Chicago, or the Comptroller’s designee.
"Homeowner" means the Owner and occupant of a single family or two-unit residence located in the City of Chicago.
"LIHEAP" means the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, codified at 42 U.S.C. § 8621-8630.
"Participant" means a participant in the UBR.
"Reduced Rate" means a 50% reduction in the ordinary charges for water service imposed in Chapter 11-12, sewer service imposed in Chapter 3-12, and a corresponding reduction in the Chicago Water and Sewer Tax imposed in Chapter 3-80. Reduced Rate does not include the charge for refuse collection imposed in Article II of Chapter 7-28.
"UBR" means the Utility Billing Relief Program created by this section.
(d) Program.
(1) Eligibility. A Homeowner who is eligible to participate in the UBR and applies to the Comptroller may become a Participant. In order to become a Participant, a Homeowner must own and occupy the single-family or two-unit residence in the City of Chicago for which participation in the UBR is sought, and must meet the eligibility criteria to participate in the LIHEAP with the exception of any United States citizenship requirement; provided, however, that a Homeowner does not need to participate in the LIHEAP in order to be eligible for the UBR. A Homeowner who receives an exemption under Section 3-12-050 shall not be eligible to simultaneously participate in the UBR. A Participant who does not successfully complete the UBR two times shall no longer be eligible to participate in the UBR.
(2) Billing and payment. Upon acceptance and enrollment in the UBR, the City shall bill, and the Participant shall pay, the Reduced Rate for a period of one year in order to successfully complete the UBR. A Participant shall not be required to make any payment toward a past due balance while enrolled in the UBR. During participation in the UBR, a Participant is exempt from the assessment of additional penalties and interest on any past due charges incurred before becoming a Participant, or charges incurred while a Participant; and referral for debt collection.
(3) Successful completion. A Participant who has made payment for all Reduced Rate bills issued by the City during the UBR by the Anniversary Date shall have any past due balance incurred before enrollment in the UBR forgiven. A successful Participant who continues to meet enrollment eligibility requirements may re-enroll in the UBR.
(4) Unsuccessful completion. A Participant who has not made payment for all Reduced Rate bills issued by the City during the UBR by the Anniversary Date shall have any past due balance, including penalties and interest, incurred before enrollment in the UBR reinstated to the Participant’s account, in addition to any past due balance incurred during the UBR, and the Participant shall be required to make full payment of such past due balance. Such past due balance shall not have incurred any additional penalties or interest during participation in the UBR. The Participant may be eligible to participate in a payment plan to resolve the outstanding debt. If all criteria are met, an unsuccessful Participant may be eligible to re-enroll in the UBR, provided that the Participant has not been unsuccessful in completing the UBR on two occasions.
(e) Rules. The Comptroller is authorized to adopt such rules as the Comptroller may deem necessary for the proper implementation, administration, and enforcement of this section.
(f) In furtherance of administering this section, the Comptroller shall have the authority to enter into an agreement with the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County ("CEDA"), or any successor agency that administers the LIHEAP in Cook County, to administer outreach and enrollment activity for the UBR. Such agreement may contain terms and conditions that the Comptroller deems appropriate, and the Comptroller shall have the authority to perform any and all acts as shall be necessary or advisable in connection with such agreement and any renewals thereto, including the expenditure of duly appropriated funds.
(Added Coun. J. 11-26-19, p. 11514, Art. V, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 10-27-21, p. 40504, Art. III, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-20-22, p. 50569, § 4)
Editor’s note – Pursuant to Coun. J. 11-26-19, p. 11514, Art. XV, this section shall take effect on April 1, 2020. Coun. J. 11-26-19, p. 11514, Art. V, § 3, added this section as § 11-12-550. Because that section already existed, this section has been added as § 11-12-545 at the discretion of the editor.