Background
In Washington, Spokane City is home to 22,200 residents, 3,900 of which live in poverty (Data USA, 2024). Spokane residents obtain their utilities services from the Public Works and Utilities department. They pump all drinking water from the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer through eight wells scattered across the city (Public Works and Utilities). As Spokane has many different elevation levels, they use “storage tanks and reservoirs, booster stations” which catalyze pumped drinking water to elevated areas (Public Works and Utilities). Spokane City is working hard to address their water-related issues including aging infrastructure, high water consumption levels, and PFAS contaminants in their local rivers. Though their efforts in addressing these issues are notable, water affordability and assistance for residents under the poverty line is a significant issue due to a lack of funding and rising water rates.
Current Water Rates in Spokane
Figure 1: Water Usage Rates in Cubic Feet Inside vs. Outside Spokane City
Figure 2: Water Service Charges Inside vs. Outside Spokane City
The Spokane Utility Department’s water rates combine drinking water, waste water, stormwater, and garbage services into one bill that residents pay (City of Spokane, 2024). Drinking water rates are based on how much the customer uses. In addition, residents are charged a service fee of $18.76 per month if inside Spokane city and increases by $9.38 if outside the city. With regards to sewer residential services, inside the city is $35.27 and $70.54 outside the city. Stormwater services are only offered to residents inside Spokane City (City of Spokane: Utility Rates, 2024).
Figure 3: Spokane Utility Service Fees
For water consumption in Spokane, the average resident consumes about 22 units in the summer and seven units of water in the fall through spring (Billingham, Eliza, 2024). This would mean that an average utility bill (including wastewater, water service, stormwater and water-wastewater capital) is $94.606/month and $144.58/month (excluding stormwater) outside the city.
Future Water Rates in Spokane
Spokane has had stable utility rate growth for the past 10 years with a 2.9% increase every year in their utility bills (Dinman, Emry, 2024). It was said that next year, utility bills could increase by $7.14 every month and “an additional $8.40” per month in 2026 (Dinman, Emry, 2024). This would mean bills would cost $180.286 per year for an inside-city resident instead of $94.606. This is almost double the amount of the yearly utility bill they pay currently.
Income and Poverty in Spokane
The poverty level in the City of Spokane, WA is about 14.8% of the population or 3,900 out of 22,200 Spokane residents (Data USA). Generally, Spokane City has a medium level of poverty in the US. Along with this, 6% of their monthly income is used to pay their utility bill (Tollefesen, Ryan, 2020). In Figure 4, it shows that residents with an extremely low income make about $18,690 – $26,700 per year (City of Spokane).
Figure 4: Levels of Income in Spokane
Figure 5: Federal Poverty line:
What does the City Currently Offer to Alleviate Financial Burden?
Currently, the city provides a “Utility Bill Credit” for seniors and disabled individuals “who qualify for the State of Washington property tax exemptions granted through Spokane County”(City of Spokane). This credit provides about $10 every month (City of Spokane). They also provide rebates for high efficiency toilets, irrigation controllers, smart water monitors, and other water conservation tools (Public Works & Utilities). Two main water assistance programs were launched to help with alleviating water bill payments for low income residents.
UHelp Program & Other Water Assistance Programs:
Image Source: https://my.spokanecity.org/publicworks/utility-billing/uhelp
Within Spokane City, there are two main water affordability programs that provide monetary relief for utility bills: Low Income Households Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) and the UHelp Program.
The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIWHAP) provides residents, whose yearly income is 150% or below the Federal Poverty Line, with monetary assistance $0-$2,500 to help them with paying their late utility payments (Washington Water Service; Washington Department of Commerce).
The UHelp program is a city program that provides “one-time emergency financial assistance to help pay for their City Utility bills” (City of Spokane: UHelp Program). UHelp provides up to $146 to eligible residents. Their eligibility standards are based on how far below the Federal Poverty Line a resident is. To be eligible for UHelp, residents must be 150% below the FPL or more. For example, this means for a family of three, their annual income would have to be $38,730 (Washington State Department of Commerce) or below to qualify for assistance. This also means that anyone over this limit (0%-149% of the FPL) would not qualify for the program.
An intervention to help UHelp acquire funding for their program will be addressed. Unfortunately both programs currently have no funding to assist Spokane residents with low income and are waiting on grants to start the program again.
Problem: Lack of Funding for U-Help Program
The U-Help program in Spokane was created in order to minimize water insecurity for low-income residents in Spokane City. This program allows residents and community members to make voluntary donations to help others facing financial issues. However, recently the program was paused due to a lack of funding and has raised concerns how this will affect low-income and vulnerable communities. Normally the program obtains funding from donations, grants, or “the public with a dollar-for-dollar match provided by a designated Public Works fund of up to 50,000 each year” (Davis, K., 2024). UHelp also does not seem to have many outreach endeavors in contacting organizations to raise awareness about their program to acquire funding.
Why have U-Help Funds Depleted?
The intention of the program was to provide monetary relief to low-income residents of Spokane through community-driven efforts that emphasize Spokane’s commitment to mutual aid. However, the program struggled to gather enough voluntary financial contributions to make a significant impact in Spokane. Because of this, there was limited participation as well as community awareness leading to the program being underfunded. Reports from the City of Spokane showed that donations decreased over time and the program was not able to meet the growing demand for assistance. Since donations were low, administrative costs to operate the program became too high which raised concerns about the program’s effectiveness. Additionally, the city may have redirected resources to other programs that they found more important. With budget constraints and priorities such as housing, infrastructure, etc., programs like U-Help dealt with reduced financial support.
Intervention
Finding Future Funding
In order to restart the U-Help program and effectively support Spokane’s low-income residents, the program can source their funding from local businesses to secure sponsorships or utilize grants such as the Community Development Block Grant. Federal and state grants focused on alleviating poverty could also provide additional funding if needed. Additionally, corporate involvement and funding through sponsorships can provide stable and consistent funding as well as improving how residents view the program and whether they will enroll. U-Help can also partner with local utility companies for direct financial contributions or partner with nonprofits such as Salvation Army. By collaborating with utility billing companies, residents could donate small amounts to U-Help directly through their utility bill website. Applying for grants or allocating more city funds for the program would help fund the program because it would demonstrate U-Help’s potential to mitigate water insecurity and prevent utility shut offs which will help strengthen these for investment. Lastly, UHelp can increase its community engagement to raise awareness about the program to organizations interested in sponsoring low income assistance programs. Utilizing social media, workshops, and partnerships with community organizations will help to spread the message.
Grant Opportunities
With regards to grant opportunities for outreach, UHelp program can apply for federal grants to obtain funding including the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) provided by the Department of Housing and Urban development. This grant would significantly benefit the U-Help program if approved since it “support[s] community development activities” for low income residents and “expanding economic opportunities”(Spokane County). As of 2024, it could award up to $1,500,000 to the program. The grant proposal that we suggest UHelp write, would align with two out of the three eligibility requirements including “benefitting low-and moderate-persons [and] meeting a particular urgent need …[or] threat to the health [or] welfare of the community”(Spokane County).
Sponsorships
U-Help can partner with nonprofits such as the Salvation Army to enhance the program. Salvation Army is known for managing assistance programs effectively and can assist with the allocation of funds for low-income residents. Additionally, the two organizations can work together to identify eligible households and distribute aid efficiently. The Salvation Army could also host a donation drive specifically for the U-Help program, encouraging those who donate to the Salvation Army to contribute to U-Help.
Community Outreach Implementation
The key to success for revitalizing the U-Help program is through effective community outreach and engagement. This would include the following methods:
Fundraisers: Holding annual or bi-annual fundraiser(s) for the UHelp program would not only help spread awareness but could also raise additional funds for the program. In addition, community members or local businesses could come together to hold a bake sales or another event.
Partnerships: Includes collaborating with non-profits, community organizations, and schools in order to spread word and help bring awareness to water affordability and sustainability through water conservation.
Transparency: Requiring continuous and regular communication on the program’s impact, including funds received and current standing of funds. Transparency contributes to building trust and encourages continued support and participation. U-Help could also post their annual reports on their website with detailed breakdowns of funds, administrative funds, and the stats on how they have been able to mitigate water insecurity.
How Does U-Help Benefit Residents?
Reintroducing the U-Help Program to Spokane City will benefit Spokane’s most vulnerable communities through:
Alleviating Financial Stress: U-Help will assist in reducing financial stress by providing a safety net for households struggling with paying their bills.
Preventing Utility Disconnections: Timely financial assistance can help residents keep their utilities running, ensuring access to an essential service such as water.
Concluding Remarks
The U-Help program is a utility assistance initiative that helps support the needs of Spokane’s most vulnerable residents. While the program lacks funding as of late, reimagining the program to include workshops and community engagement to obtain sponsors is an opportunity to strengthen the program for the future. Ultimately, utilizing community engagement, funding innovation, and outreach, U-Help can become an important resource for Spokane’s low-income households, minimizing water insecurity for low income households. When funding is acquired, residents will be able to receive financial assistance they need from the UHelp program, and experience additional benefits including paying water bills on time (reducing late fees) which will also benefit the Spokane Utility System by reducing water shutoffs and late payments. Overall, funding for these programs is a desperately needed and as time continues and water rates continue to increase in Spokane, the programs survival is going to be essential for low income residents.
References
Billingham, E. (n.d.). Spokane city utility rates to climb more than usual next two years. Inlander. Retrieved December 11, 2024, from https://www.inlander.com/news/spokane-city-utility-rates-to-climb-more-than-usual-next-two-years-28792669
City of Spokane, WA (via Public) / UHelp Program Needs Assistance. (n.d.). Retrieved December 11, 2024, from https://ebs.publicnow.com/view/966D77ABDFCDC2F9F4E4B44CFCB926DE4B5179E9
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) | Spokane County, WA. (n.d.). Retrieved December 11, 2024, from https://www.spokanecounty.org/5598/Community-Development-Block-Grant-CDBG
Data USA. (n.d). Data USA: Spokane, WA https://datausa.io/profile/geo/spokane-wa
Davis, K. (2024, August 26). Uhelp Program Needs Assistance. City of Spokane. https://my.spokanecity.org/news/stories/2024/08/26/uhelp-program-needs-assistance/
Dinman, E. (2024, September 17). After a decade of steady increases, Spokane utility rates may jump next two years | The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved December 11, 2024, from https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/sep/17/after-a-decade-of-steady-increases-spokane-utility/
Low Income Household Water Assistance Program. (n.d.). Washington Water. Retrieved December 11, 2024, from https://www.wawater.com/lihwap/
LIHEAP Eligibility Guidelines. (2024). Washington State Department of Commerce. https://deptofcommerce.app.box.com/s/3fp0xz4y2x2p4hedw9ww4sk7ma36srlx
Poverty Guidelines. (n.d.). ASPE. Retrieved December 11, 2024, from https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines
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Spokane’s MFTE 12-year Affordable (Low to Moderate Area Median Income). City of Spokane.
Tollefsen, R. (2020, November 5). Spokane Cost of Living: Spokane, WA Living Expenses Guide.
https://www.realestatespokane.com/blog/spokane-cost-of-living
Utility Rates. City of Spokane: Public Works Division. (2024).
Utility Billing. (2024, December 11). https://my.spokanecity.org/publicworks/utility-billing/
Utility Billing Rates. (2024, December 11). https://my.spokanecity.org/publicworks/utility-billing/rates/
Utility Billing Senior and Disabled Credit. (2017, November 20). https://my.spokanecity.org/publicworks/utility-billing/senior-and-disabled-credit/
Utility Billing UHelp Program. (2024, December 11). https://my.spokanecity.org/publicworks/utility-billing/uhelp/
Water Wise Rebates. (2020, June 29). https://my.spokanecity.org/publicworks/water/water-wise-spokane/rebates/