Cleveland Will Use $2 Million to Pay Overdue Utility Bills for Some Residents

Cleveland city council is poised to pass legislation as soon as next week that would use $2 million in ARPA dollars to reduce or eliminate overdue utility balances for roughly 2,600 households.

“This will help customers who have fallen behind but who have agreed on having a payment plan for water and utilities from [Cleveland Public Power],” said council president Blaine Griffin.

If the ordinance is passed, the program will match payments made or zero out debt owed to Cleveland Public Power or Cleveland Water. There is no income limit, but only those who are already in existing payment plans will be eligible.

“These are for residents who have already taken the initial step, that we know have hit hard times because of Covid-19, and we're going to help them out by making sure that they're no longer on hard times paying for electric or water within the city of Cleveland,” said Utilities Committee chair Brian Kazy.

Kazy said the legislation could be passed in council’s next meeting on Monday, May 15, and that the council will send letters to those eligible for the program the day after.

The program will end after the $2 million allocated is exhausted.

“This is what ARPA was intended for, to help as many residents as we can,” said Kazy.

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