Seniors, People with Disabilities Can Apply for LIHEAP Program Beginning Sept. 1

CHICAGO - August 26, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today announced that seniors and people with disabilities can begin applying for winter heating assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) beginning Sept. 1.

"Winter in Illinois can be treacherous, especially for vulnerable populations like seniors and people who have disabilities," said Governor Quinn. "Even though there are still hot days ahead, it's important to beginning planning for the cold weather now. Through the LIHEAP program, we're helping Illinois citizens get the assistance they need to stay safe, healthy and warm this winter."

LIHEAP is a state and federally funded energy assistance program for low income families, in which heating bill payments are made on behalf of households.

A single-person household can qualify with a monthly income of up to $1,354; a two-person household up to $1,821; and a family of four can earn up to $2,756. Benefits are paid directly to utilities on behalf of eligible households. The exception is households whose heating costs are included in their rent.

LIHEAP energy grant applications are processed through a network of 35 local administering agencies around the state. These agencies will begin accepting applications on a first-come, first?served basis from the elderly and people with disabilities on Sept. 1.

Households with children under the age of five can begin applying for LIHEAP assistance beginning Oct. 1. Individuals not eligible for priority enrollment can apply beginning Nov. 1.

LIHEAP is expected to make energy assistance payments on behalf of more than 300,000 households this winter with an anticipated $150 million in federal and non-federal funding.

For a complete listing of LIHEAP's local administering agencies and additional information about the program, go to LiheapIllinois.com, or call the toll-free hotline at 1?877?411-WARM.

Disaster Recovery Enhancement Fund to support buyouts, relocations, home improvements

WASHINGTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan today awarded nearly $312 million to 13 states to invest in efforts to reduce the human, physical, and economic toll of future disasters.  The grants announced today are provided through HUD's Disaster Recovery Enhancement Fund (DREF) and are intended to encourage states to undertake activities and long-term strategies that focus on reducing damages from future natural disasters.

In the past two years, HUD allocated more than $5.6 billion in disaster recovery funding through its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to these states.   The DREF was established to support the long-term recovery following dozens of natural disasters in 2008.  As a result of having received CDBG funds for those disasters, these 13 states were eligible to receive additional allocations based on the significant investment they've made by targeting their CDBG funds to disaster mitigation.

"An ounce of prevention today can spare communities a world of hurt tomorrow," said Donovan.  "We're making a serious investment in our future by making certain that when disaster strikes, the impacted communities in these states can weather the storm."

Disaster mitigation, like those that qualify for funding through the DREF, are a sound investment.  According to an independent study by the National Institute of Building Sciences, every dollar spent on disaster mitigation activities saves taxpayers $4 in future disaster recovery expenses.  The 13 states that received funding through the DREF invested nearly $876 million in disaster mitigation which translates into a total anticipated return on investment of more than $3.5 billion.

The purpose of the DREF is to reward states that invested CDBG disaster recovery funding in activities that reduce risks from future disasters.  HUD recognizes that while these types of activities are often more expensive in the short-term, they dramatically cut recovery costs over the long-term.  To help assist with the additional cost of mitigating future risk, DREF funds can be used toward projects meeting unmet disaster recovery needs, and those that include :

Ø Buyout payments for homeowners living in high-risk areas;

Ø Optional relocation payments to encourage residents to move to safer locations;

Ø Home improvement grants to reduce damage risks (property elevation, reinforced garage doors and windows, etc.);

Ø Improving and enforcing building codes; and

Ø Developing forward-thinking land-use plans that reduce development in high-risk areas.

HUD is awarding DREF grants to the following states:

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and  transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

WASHINGTON --- Senator Chuck Grassley and Representative Darrell Issa have asked Inspectors General from 29 government agencies to review whether federal agencies are taking new steps to limit responses to Freedom of Information Act requests from lawmakers, journalists, activist groups and watchdog organizations.

The request from Grassley and Issa is based on what was reported earlier this summer about Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano requiring FOIA requests to be given more scrutiny, depending on who the requestor was.  The Inspectors General also have been asked to determine the extent to which political appointees are systematically made aware of FOIA requests and their role in decision-making.

"The question is to what extent an effort has been made to inhibit the accountability that's established through the Freedom of Information Act with new hurdles or by making politically appointed officials part of the FOIA review process within the various federal agencies.  These requirements could delay disclosures, and that's a disservice to the public," Grassley said.

"Getting through a non-partisan bureaucracy to obtain information through FOIA is difficult enough without political appointees inappropriately injecting partisan political considerations into the process," said Rep. Issa.  "There's a clear public interest in finding out if what happened at Homeland Security is also taking place in other federal agencies.  This inappropriate interference by political appointees in FOIA requests further undermines President Obama's promise to create an unprecedented level of openness in government."

Click here to read a copy of the letter that was sent to the 29 Inspectors General, including those from the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Elections Assistance Commission, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Federal Trade Commission, the General Services Administration, the Government Accountability Office, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Archives and Records Administration, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Office of Personnel Management, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Small Business Administration, the Social Security Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Interior, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Treasury, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Quad Cities Chamber Board of Directors this afternoon named Tara Barney Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the new Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce and Rick Baker the President & Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the new organization. Chamber directors Steve Bahls, John Roche and Ken Koupal made the announcement after informing staff that Barney and Baker would join forces to lead the new organization. 

We hope you will join us in congratulating Tara and Rick on their leadership roles and thank them for their  commitment to the Quad Cities region.  With Tara's background in economic development and Rick's expertise in chamber operations, Quad City businesses will have an unbeatable combination of talent and skills working on their behalf.

For additional information on today's announcement, visit the website at

www.quadcitychamber.com.