Development News for Bellevue, Washington

Belleview Council Considers Expanding Utility Bill Assistance Program

The Belleview City Council considered a proposal to expand the city's utility bill assistance program, aiming to provide rate relief to more low-income households. The Environmental Services Commission studied six options and recommended expanding eligibility to 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) with a tiered assistance model. This expansion would maintain the current 70% discount for seniors and individuals with disabilities below 50% AMI, offer a 35% discount to seniors and disabled individuals between 50-80% AMI, and also provide a 35% discount to all other low-income households up to 80% AMI. The proposal also includes aligning short-term and solid waste assistance programs with these new eligibility requirements. Funding the recommended option (B1) would necessitate a 1.2% rate increase across water, sewer, and stormwater utilities, equating to approximately $2.79 per month for a typical single-family residential bill. The council voted to direct staff to incorporate these recommendations into the budget and utility rates for consideration.