STATE OF FLORIDA

DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS

LENORA OBREMSKI, )

)

Petitioner, )

)

vs. ) CASE NO. 81-391L

)

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND )

REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, )

)

Respondent. )

)

RECOMMENDED ORDER

Pursuant to notice an administrative hearing was held in Ocala, Florida on April 7, 1981 before the undersigned Hearing Officer of the Division of Administrative Hearings, Department of Administration.

APPEARANCES

For Petitioner: Ms. Lenora Obremski, pro se

Star Route 6, Box 369-E Dunnellon, Florida 32630

For Respondent: James A. Sawyer, Esquire

Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services

3001 Southwest Broadway

Ocala, Florida 32671 ISSUE

Whether Petitioner is eligible for low income energy assistance as provided in Section 409.508, Florida Statutes (1980), home Energy Assistance Program; Rule 10 CER 80-11, Low Income Energy Assistance Program, amended by Rule 10 CER 81-4, Florida Administrative Code.

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT

Respondent Department of Health and Rehabilitative services was designated in Section 409.508, Florida Statutes 1989) , Home Energy Assistance Program, as the state agency to administer the Federal Home Energy Assistance Program as provided in Title III, Public Law 96-223, "Home Energy Assistance Act of 1980." Pursuant thereto Respondent instituted the Low Income Energy Assistance Program.

A timely Household Application for benefits on an approved form was received from Petitioner. The application was promptly processed by the Respondent Department. A Notice of Application Denial was mailed to Petitioner notifying her that her household income exceeded the monthly income and therefore she was ineligible for benefits. Petitioner made a timely request for a hearing. After an informal conference with a supervisor of the Respondent

Department this administrative hearing was scheduled. Immediately prior to commencement of the hearing, in the presence of all parties, Petitioner was advised of her rights and instructed as to the procedures to be followed at the hearing. Petitioner testified for herself. Respondent called one witness and offered two (2) composite exhibits which were entered as evidence.

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. Petitioner Lenora Obremski requested a hearing by a letter received in the office of Respondent on February 25, 1981. After the required informal conference with a supervisor in Respondent Department Petitioner requested a formal hearing. Petitioner failed to appear at the first hearing scheduled but appeared at the second hearing.

   
   

2. On January 17, 1981 Obremski, a white female, filed a Household Application for low income energy assistance. No one her household is a migrant or migrant farm worker, and no one else has applied for the low income energy assistance. She lives with two (2) other persons, receives food stamps and receives a bill for use of liquid propane for heating. By Notice of Application Denial mailed February 6, 1981 Petitioner was informed that he was denied assistance for the reason that her monthly income exceeded the maximum income far a household of her size. Action as taken by Respondent within 45 days of Petitioner's application, and she was promptly notified of the reason for denial of benefits.

   
   

3. Petitioner did not dispute the evidence presented by Respondent after the procedure was explained but was convinced the income limit by household size was unfair, especially since her husband worked overtime and still made a small amount of money. Under Rule 10 CER 80-11.07, Determination of Eligibility Based on Income, Florida Administrative Code, and the applicable chart Petitioner Obremski's household income of $550.40 exceeds the income limit of $519.00 for a household of three (3) persons.

   
   

   CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

   
   

4. The Division of Administrative Hearings has jurisdiction of this matter and the parties thereto pursuant to Section 120.57, Administrative Procedures Act, Florida Statutes, and Rule 10 CER 80-11.13, Hearings for Individual Households, Rules Promulgated by the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, Florida Administrative Code.

   
   

5. Section 409.508, Florida Statutes (1980), Home Energy Assistance Program, Section 2, designates the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services as the state agency to administer the Federal Home Energy Assistance Program as provided for in Title III, Public Law 96-223, "Home Energy Assistance Act of 1980," and to provide home energy assistance benefits to eligible households. The Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services promulgated Emergency Rule 10 CER 80-11, Low Income Assistance Program, to carry out the provisions of the act and amended said rule by Emergency Rule 10 CER 81-4.08, Florida Administrative Code, to extend the time period for application to February 13, 1981.

6. Petitioner made application for benefits for a three (3) person household with a gross income of $550.50. Rule 30 CER 80-11.05, Income, Subsection (1), Florida Administrative Code, requires that the total income received by all household members during the month of application be considered (excluding only specified funds not pertinent to the facts of this case). Rule

10 CER 80-11.07, Determination of Eligibility Based on income, Subsection (2), limits monthly income for a three (3) person household to $519.00. Thus the Petitioner is not eligible for low income energy assistance.

RECOMMENDATION

Based on the foregoing Finding's of Fact and Conclusions of Law the Hearing Officer recommends that low income energy benefits be denied Petitioner.

DONE and ORDERED this 13th day of May, 1981, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida.

DELPHENE C. STRICKLAND

Hearing Officer

Division of Administrative Hearings The Oakland Building

2009 Apalachee Parkway

Tallahassee, Florida 32301

(904) 488-9675

Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 13th day of May, 1981.

COPIES FURNISHED:

Ms. Lenora Obremski Star Route 6, Box 369-E

Dunnellon, Florida 32630

James A. Sawyer, Esquire Department of HRS

3001 SW Broadway

Ocala, Florida 32671

Alvin J. Taylor, Secretary

Attn: Susan B. Kirkland, Esquire Department of HRS

Building One, Room 406

323 Winewood Boulevard Tallahassee, Florida 32301

Docket for Case No: 81-000391

Orders for Case No: 81-000391