The extreme outdoor temperatures of California this summer have proved difficult for many residents, but especially for seniors who cannot afford to pay for an air-conditioning unit in their homes. Thankfully, one community program has made staying cool possible for seniors in Pacoima and Northeast San Fernando Valley.
Almost 400 community members from Pacoima and the Northeast San Fernando Valley attended an event hosted by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), the Los Angeles Department of Aging, and Councilmember Monica Rodriguez of Council District 7.
The event, Cool LA Heat Relief for Seniors, was held at the Alicia Broadous-Duncan Senior Center in Pacoima, where approximately 300 portable room air conditioners were distributed free of charge to LADWP customers over the age of 60 and who pre-qualified for the giveaway.
On top of the portable room air conditioners, seniors were also able to sign up on the spot for LADWP money-saving programs such as EZ-SAVE, as well as learn about other financial assistance programs, including Lifeline and Level Pay. For those seeking jobs, LADWP also had recruiters available to chat.
LaTanya Bogin-Jordan, director of partnership development at LADWP, shared, “We’ve had an overwhelming amount of seniors sign up, and they have a need. We require them to be 60 and over and to sign up for our EZ-SAVE program and our level pay program so when they get the AC unit; they can have their bill consistent with level pay.”
With Southern California’s record-breaking heat, seniors are grateful for this much-needed support.
“Living in the San Fernando Valley, heat in the summer is just something we have learned to live with. However, the increased intensity of heat waves puts more of our most vulnerable residents at risk. I’m proud to offer this event to assist our seniors with resources and programs that provide them assistance with their bills, provide free portable air conditioning units to qualified applicants, and offer a cool place for friends and neighbors to gather,” Rodriguez of Council District 7 explained.
Seniors are among the most vulnerable citizens, and Cool LA Heat Relief was designed to help this group cope with the impact of severe heat, especially as climate change worsens. “At LADWP, safety is always our number one priority,” said Nurit Katz, Los Angeles Board of Water and Power Commissioner. “As the summer heats up, we want to ensure that seniors and other vulnerable members of our community have access to resources and programs that help manage the risk of heat impacts, especially for those living in warmer areas, like Pacoima and the Northeast San Fernando Valley in general.”
While some seniors head to the mall or movies to cool off, it is not always easy for seniors to leave the house. The portable air-conditioner units distributed will help them and their guests be more comfortable in their homes.
One guest among the hundreds of seniors who were able to get a free air conditioner was Anne Lewis, who shared, “I thank God for the LADWP allowing us to receive air conditioning. I just wanted to say that I’ve been living in Van Nuys now for three years and my air-conditioning central air went out.”
Expressing a commitment to serving every Angeleno and making sure customers are equipped with the tools and resources needed to manage their bills, LADWP CEO and Chief Engineer Janisse Quiñones stated, “About 20% of our city population is over 60 years old, and we know our elderly are more vulnerable to temperature swings and are threatened by the extreme heat in the summer, which is now our new normal. To help customers stay safe and cool, we are here to provide portable air-conditioners to eligible customers and financial assistance information, so customers don’t have to worry about how high their summer bill could get.”
