Rate assistance
On December 8, 2020, City Council approved a low-income rate assistance pilot program for solid waste services (provided by Recology San Mateo County) and municipal water (provided by Menlo Park Municipal Water).
This program provides help to residents who generally face financial hardship and those specifically affected by COVID-19. The program encourages residents to:
- Enroll in PG&E California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE) program to receive discounts on their gas and electricity bills, if not currently enrolled
- Receive discounts on their solid waste and municipal water bills, if applicable.
Discounted rates
Menlo Park's low-income rate assistance pilot program provides
- 20% discount for solid waste customers on their Recology bill
- A fixed amount equivalent to 50% of the 5/8-inch meter service charge for water customers on their Menlo Park Municipal Water bill
The solid waste and water discount would be retroactive for enrolled participants. The retroactive discount may appear as a credit or adjustment on their next utility bill(s).
For households who live in the California Water (Cal Water) service area, the Cal Water
Customer Assistance Program (CAP) provides financial assistance for qualified households.
Program qualifications
Residents must be enrolled in the PG&E CARE program to participate in the City’s rate assistance program. The PG&E CARE Program offers a monthly minimum of 20 percent discount on gas and electricity if (a) the customer meets its household income criteria or (b) anyone in the household is enrolled in a public assistance program. If a landlord bills the tenant/applicant directly for gas and electricity, the applicant is a “sub-metered” customer. Even though this applicant is not a direct PG&E customer, he/she may still be eligible for CARE.
To be eligible for the City’s rate assistance program, households must meet the following criteria:
- Must be enrolled in the PG&E CARE program
- Submit most recent PG&E bill to verify CARE enrollment. The address on the PG&E bill must be the same on the solid waste and water bills, but the names may be different
- Submit most recent Recology and Menlo Park Municipal Water bills to receive applicable discounts
- Re-certify eligibility according to the PG&E CARE program enrollment expiration date
Households may enroll in the PG&E CARE program by:
Once a Menlo Park household enrolls in CARE, please complete this short application (English(PDF, 1MB) | Spanish(PDF, 1MB)) and submit it along with the required verification documents to Central Coast Energy Services.