City, Community Action Commission partnering to help families

who lost income because of pandemic

COVINGTON, Ky. – Covington residents who are having trouble paying their utility bills – a la gas, electric, water, and sewer – can get financial help for up to six months.

The City of Covington is contracting with the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission to administer and distribute $175,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funds allocated to the City to fight hardship among its residents caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In short, residents struggling to pay those bills because of a loss of income caused by the pandemic are eligible to receive up to $250 a month for six straight months. The money is paid directly to the utility, however, not to residents, and it’ll be doled out on a first-come, first-served basis.

“The pandemic has hurt our families in more ways than one,” NKCAC Executive Director Catrena Bowman-Thomas said. “Thanks to this partnership with the City, we can alleviate some of that pain.”

To access funds

• Go to the NKCAC Autoscheduler at http://www.nkcac.cascheduler.com or call (859) 439-4004 to make an appointment for assistance.
• Note that there are income restrictions, and you will need papers proving residency and that you have overdue utility bills.

The contract with the Community Action Commission was approved by the Covington Board of Commissioners on Nov. 16.

Covington Neighborhood Services Director Brandon Holmes said the utility program was another example of the City trying to help residents affected by the pandemic.

“It’s been a long two years, and these bitter cold temperatures don’t help,” he said. “Fortunately we have agencies like the Community Action Commission who can help us bring resources to bear to help our families.”

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