Austin Energy briefed the Utility Oversight Committee on Oct. 7 about the expansion of the citywide customer-assistance discount program. Staff said automation, data matching and community partnerships dramatically increased enrollment and that the program now reaches roughly 82,000 households toward a target of about 97,000.

Deputy General Manager and Chief Customer Officer Carrie Overton told the committee the 2022 council resolution directed the utility to expand discounts over three years to serve an estimated eligible population near 97,000 households at or below 200% of the federal poverty level (about $67,000 for a family of four). Overton said the program reached roughly 32,000 enrolled households before the expansion and now stands at approximately 82,000.

Staff described several operational changes that contributed to faster enrollment: a customer portal that allows same-day eligibility determinations; address- and data-matching with partners including school districts; stronger data-quality and quality-control processes; and outreach collaborations with nonprofits and faith-based organizations. Overton described wraparound services including in-home case management, referrals to debt-management or one-time emergency assistance and coordination with housing-repair programs.

Austin Energy said households receiving all utility discounts could save just over $1,400 per year on combined city utility bills and that total customer savings in fiscal 2024 could reach about $38 million. Staff noted no additional permanent headcount was added to achieve the expansion, though temporary help and automation were used to handle peak workloads.

Council members praised the expansion and asked staff to continue data scrubs and quality-control reviews over the next 18 months to ensure benefits reach eligible households. No vote was required; staff said they would continue outreach and return with updated enrollment metrics.