Fed up and frustrated, several people contacted News 5 last year saying it was nearly impossible to get in touch with HEAP, the Home Energy Assistance Program.
So has anything improved?
Callers from Cuyahoga County said the local Energy Assistance phone number was constantly busy.
That meant they couldn’t register for help to pay their utility bills to avoid having their utility shut off.
Local HEAP officials promised improvement after the News 5 story originally aired.
Thursday, we called the Cleveland office of the Energy Assistance Program four times and kept getting a busy signal.
When we finally got through, a recording said all appointments were booked and to try back tomorrow.
A local HEAP official told us last year that walk-in appointments would be added to help people register for assistance.
We went to the local HEAP office on Prospect Avenue where they do take walk-in appointments. But, some people told us they waited hours for an appointment.
A sign notified people that by 2 o'clock this afternoon, there would be no more walk ins today.
"Over time I call HEAP and you can never get through, you can never get in contact with anyone. It's constantly busy," said Euclid resident Laketta Ferguson. "I have walked in like four times already, and now the lady is telling me to wait until January."
That's because Ferguson was told her case worker quit.
Ferguson just wants help paying her utility bill and no more red tape.
"With it being cold outside and everything the utility companies are not really giving you long extensions either to handle the situation with these people down here," Ferguson said.
The number for the 24 hour hotline for the local HEAP office on Prospect Avenue is 216-518-4014.
One homeowner owner told us the best time to call is after midnight.
