The state’s looking at a winter with more demand and less money.

MaineHousing, is opening its Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program early this year, July 14, hoping to process thousands of applications before fall.

It’s also warning homeowners to start savings plans – LIHEAP assistance won’t be nearly enough.

Jo-Ann Choate, energy and housing services manager for the state agency, said the average benefit last winter was $750. The early estimate for this coming winter: $417. More than 50,000 Maine households got the heating help last year. Even more are expected to apply for the winter of 2009.

Choate said applications will be taken from all priority groups, which include the elderly, homes with children under 2, homes that heat with wood, and homes that pay for fuel entirely out of pocket. To meet income guidelines, a family of four would need to earn less than $36,040 a year.

“We’ve been fielding calls for weeks from people wanting assistance. They’re in arrears, they owe back bills. There’s already a demand,” Choate said.

As in past years, people who apply now won’t find out until fall whether they were accepted or the firm dollar amount.

The benefit of applying early: “They’ll be ready to go as soon as we get the funding. It’s a lot more stressful in November or December, when you need to have oil and you can’t wait,” Choate said. “What happens when you open the door in October, you have thousands of people who want an appointment; they may not get an appointment until January or February.”

The agency usually opens the application process for all people in the fall.

MaineHousing is starting this heating season with $17 million for LIHEAP, she said. Last year, it handed out $38 million. That included three releases of emergency funding throughout the heating season.

“We’re concerned. We’re doing everything we can right now,” Choate said, including steering people toward advice like having their furnace cleaned and encouraging them to be proactive, to look out for themselves. Start a payment plan with an oil dealer now, she said.

“You’d be amazed at how many people don’t,” Choate said. “This is an assistance program. It’s never intended to pay for the whole thing.”

The state Office of Energy Independence and Security this week put the statewide average for home heating oil at $4.71 a gallon. If it stayed at that level, the $417 in LIHEAP money would buy, on average, one-third of a tank.

Community Concepts is handling appointments for Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties.

State heating assistance

In Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties, call Community Concepts at 743-7716 starting July 14 to schedule a LIHEAP appointment. Benefits won’t be handed out until October, but the state is encouraging early applications.