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GENERAL ASSISTANCE POLICY Updated 07/16/2013 1 As provided by Chapter 46 of the Code of Ordinances, the City Council hereby establishes the following allowed maximum amounts for food, housing, personal/household supplies, utilities, heating fuel, clothing, burial, cremation, and transportation expenses for persons eligible to receive assistance in accordance with the standards of eligibility. MAXIMUM AMOUNTS The total maximums allowed for general assistance, which are 110% of HUD guidelines, (reduced by 10% from 7/1/2013 - 6/30/2014), are: No. in Household Weekly 1 110.00 529.00 2 137.00 626.00 3 167.00 818.00 4 212.00 1,031.00 5 235.00 1,094.00 6 251.00 1,162.00 Additional persons in the household will be budgeted at $68.00 per person per month. FOOD The maximum amounts allowed for food are: No. in Household Weekly 1 46.51 200.00 2 85.35 367.00 3 122.33 526.00 4 155.35 668.00 5 184.42 793.00 6 221.40 952.00 7 244.65 1052.00 8 279.53 1202.00 Additional persons in the household will be budgeted at $150.00 per month. The administrator will exceed the above maximums when necessary for households having members with special dietary needs. The administrator may require a doctor's statement. ---PAGE BREAK--- GENERAL ASSISTANCE POLICY Updated 07/16/2013 2 HOUSING The maximum amounts allowed for housing are: Unheated Weekly Efficiency 89.00 381.00 1 Bedroom 103.00 445.00 2 Bedroom 139.00 597.00 3 Bedroom 178.00 766.00 4 Bedroom 180.00 774.00 Heated w/hot water Weekly Room 90.00 387.00 Efficiency 104.00 448.00 1 Bedroom 123.00 530.00 2 Bedroom 164.00 704.00 3 Bedroom 209.00 899.00 4 Bedroom 217.00 933.00 Housing rates apply to rooms, efficiencies, apartments, shelters and mortgage payments. Room should include everything except kitchen and bathroom facilities. Efficiency should include kitchen and bathroom facilities. Applicants requesting assistance for housing that contains more bedrooms than are necessary for the number of household members will be provided assistance according to the maximum level for the number of rooms actually needed. PERSONAL/HOUSEHOLD SUPPLIES Expenses for ordinary personal and household supplies will be budgeted and allowed according to the applicant's actual need for these items, up to the maximums below. No. in Household Weekly 1-2 $ 10.50 $ 45.00 3-4 11.60 50.00 5-6 12.80 55.00 7-8 14.00 60.00 Additional persons will be budgeted at $5.00 per month. ---PAGE BREAK--- GENERAL ASSISTANCE POLICY Updated 07/16/2013 3 When an applicant can verify expenditures for the following items, a special supplement will be budgeted as necessary for households with children under 6 years of age for items such as cloth or disposable diapers, laundry powder, oil, shampoo, and ointment up to the following amounts: No. of Children Weekly 1 $ 12.80 $ 55.00 2 17.40 75.00 3 23.30 100.00 4 27.90 120.00 UTILITIES - ELECTRIC The maximum amounts allowed for utilities are: without hot water No. In Household Weekly 1 $14.00 $60.00 2 15.70 67.50 3 17.45 75.00 4 19.20 82.50 5 21.00 90.00 6 22.70 97.50 Additional persons will be budgeted at $7.50 per month with hot water No. In Household Weekly 1 $16.30 $70.00 2 18.60 80.00 3 21.00 90.00 4 23.30 100.00 5 25.60 110.00 6 27.90 120.00 Additional persons will be budgeted at $10.00 per month ---PAGE BREAK--- GENERAL ASSISTANCE POLICY Updated 6/05/2012 4 HEATING FUEL The maximum amounts allowed for heating fuel are: Month Gallons September 50 October 100 November 200 December 200 January 225 February 225 March 125 April 125 May 50 CLOTHING Clothing will be budgeted at $20.00 per person per month when the general assistance administrator finds it necessary to authorize clothing. BURIAL The maximum amount of general assistance granted for the purposes of burial is $1,000.00, with additional payments, where there is an actual cost, for the wholesale cost of a liner if the cemetery bylaws require one, the opening and closing of the gravesite, and a lot in the least expensive section of the cemetery. If the municipality is able to provide a cemetery lot in a municipally-owned cemetery or in a cemetery under municipal control, or in a cemetery that donates the lots to the city, the cost of the cemetery lot in any other cemetery will not be paid by the municipality. CREMATION The maximum amount of assistance granted for a cremation shall be $785.00, with additional payments where there is an actual cost, for the wholesale cost of a liner if the cemetery bylaws require one, and a cremation lot in the least expensive section of the cemetery. If the municipality is able to provide a cemetery lot in a municipally-owned cemetery or in a cemetery under municipal control, or in a cemetery that donates the lots to the city, the cost of the cemetery lot in any other cemetery will not be paid by the municipality. Additional Crematory Fees: Oversized 1 (person and container weighing 300 to 399 pounds) $ 50.00 Oversized 2 (person and container weighing 400 to 499 pounds) 100.00 Oversized 3 (person and container weighing 500 pounds or more) 150.00 ---PAGE BREAK--- GENERAL ASSISTANCE POLICY Updated 6/05/2012 5 TRANSPORTATION 2009-2013 This municipality adopts the State of Maine travel expenses reimbursement rate as set by the Office of the State Controller. The current rate for approved employment and necessary medical travel etc. is 44 cents per mile. PENALTY - Confidentiality of information A civil penalty of not less than $30.00 nor more than $105.00. Note: This penalty is outlined in the City Code of Ordinances Chapter 46 General Assistance, Article I In General.