Determined to Sit on the Beach Looking at Water

By: Lena Chapin & Gwen Garth

“Last year in March [2019], I began focusing on becoming healthier fiscally and physically. I‘ve done a lot of unlearning, recovering pieces of me, discovering other pieces of me, and becoming that which God has created me to be. While doing all of that, well, I could only focus on a few things at a time. One of the things that I had not focused on was the debt I had accumulated. When I looked at my Fiscal Self, I could see that I was in the water with only my neck and head being visible, but I am determined to be sitting on the beach looking at the water!”

Gwendolyn Garth is a go-getter. An artist, an activist, the director of her own non-profit, a volunteer, and a concerned citizen. She is now taking on her latest challenge … getting out of utility debt. While approaching her anniversary of 22 years of uninterrupted sobriety, she began to reflect, thinking about who she wanted to be, and how she wanted to improve, but her finances were a problem.

Garth felt as though she was drowning in her financial responsibilities. Her utility bills were making the water rise higher and higher. Due to an outstanding balance of roughly $8,000 that had accumulated over the years, Garth was put on a Budget Payment Plus Plan through Dominion that made her responsible for a $921 gas bill each month (her monthly usage plus approximately 1/9 of her outstanding bill). Theoretically, paying this amount each month would have helped Garth pay off her balance quickly and get out of debt. However, Garth’s reliable monthly income is only $444 a month from Social Security. Unable to pay that amount each month meant that Garth’s gas was disconnected in May 2019 and remained off until November.

Awakened to her fiscal reality and in need of warm water, Garth started wondering what her options were, how she had gotten onto the Budget Payment Plus Plan in the first place, and if she was alone in these struggles. What she’s discovered so far is a lot of red tape and dead ends.

“My questions were: How did I get on such a ludicrous payment plan in the first place? I never signed up for that,” said Garth. “Whose budget are they using to even come up with such a plan? Talk about a misnomer— Budget Plus Payment Plan!”

The government has programs to help individuals and families with low incomes cover their utility costs. Programs include Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP), in which both the natural gas bill and the electric bill are set at 6% of the household income. The remaining monthly balance is subsidized by the state of Ohio. Garth says she was enrolled in PIPP which helped her afford her bills, but she accidentally missed a payment in May and was booted from the program. Individuals are unable to reapply once they have lost good standing with the program. That’s when the Budget Payment Plus Plan (BPPP) from Dominion kicked in, increasing Garth’s monthly charge from about $25 with PIPP to $921 with BPPP.

She sought financial help from the Director of the Bishop Cosgrove Center where she teaches art classes, but was unable to receive assistance. The center was hardpressed for funds themselves, and there were no outside assistance programs available at that time of year. However, they connected her with a representative from the Department of Aging, who called Dominion with her to inquire about the budget plan, the outstanding balance, and any assistance they were able to offer. Though pleasant on the phone, the Department of Aging and Dominion offered no real solutions, and nothing has come out of the conversation to date.

“I was so incensed at that moment, I cried with anger. I realized that the utility companies are not very good neighbors, and that this scenario is yet another one of those insidious bricks in America’s system of structural racism,” recalls Garth. “I cried as I realized how easily one can slip into homelessness. I was told that some landlords will evict you if your utilities are off, including CMHA.”

Other landlords will not lease to renters with low or bad credit. Upon checking her credit rating, Garth found that the Dominion bill shows up on her Equifax credit report. Rather than become paralyzed by anxiety and setbacks, Garth got creative with her situation as any artist and entrepreneurial spirit would. With her heat off between May and November she went swimming at the neighboring recreation centers and at Cuyahoga Community College.

“Although I admit I did need the exercise, my real reason was to take a shower,” she recounts. “On those days I could not go, I heated water in my microwave to wash up.” Thankfully her electric was still on and she was able to cook and microwave as necessary.”

“Suppose I had not had an entrepreneurial spirit or an activist spirit? Suppose I had given in to that moment of helplessness and let it massage me into a state of paralysis? I shudder to think!”

Because Garth is politically active and has a long history with the Democratic Party in Cleveland, she was familiar with Senator Sandra Williams and knew that Senator Williams was working with Clevelanders to help provide utility bill assistance and coverage. So, Garth reached out via email with her story and a hopeful heart. Williams’ office responded and since early November has been in communication regarding options for her utility assistance.

At the writing of this article, Garth was attending the Annual Energy Expo hosted by Senator Williams where officials provide information and application assistance for energy assistance programs, including PIPP and the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). HEAP is a federally funded, onetime benefit that is applied directly to the customer’s utility bill or bulk fuel bill. HEAP could help with Garth’s struggles, but it would only be one step.

As with any climb out of financial debt, Garth is beginning a long journey. Because of her activist spirit she wants to bring Chronicle readers along with her on the path. The Cleveland Street Chronicle will journey with Garth and, together we’ll continue to investigate how to navigate utility services, assistance programs, and more.

Garth knows that she is not alone in situations like this, and she believes in using her experiences to help others. “I am sure that I am not the only person who is caught up in this Catch 22 situation,” she says. “As an activist it is my intent to find those who are tired of being on this merry-go-around with our utilities. We’ve all got to do our own little part to help each other. We can’t do it alone,” she said. “History has shown me the power of the voices of the many! Together we can make some noise!”