Shelby County CSA LIHEAP Application: Eligibility, Documents, and Filing

You submit a Shelby County CSA LIHEAP application online through the state portal at thda.smartsimple.us, where you upload your income documents, ID, Social Security cards, and a recent MLGW bill. The Shelby County Community Services Agency administers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program locally under rules set by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency, and the 2026 program year opened November 3, 2025.¹ Applications open on a monthly schedule with a limited number of slots. Once the monthly cap fills, intake stops until the next month. Approved benefits for the current program year range from $175 to $750, depending on household size, energy costs, and available funding.

Who Qualifies

Three things decide whether you can apply: you live in Shelby County, you have an active MLGW (Memphis Light, Gas and Water) account, and your household income falls under the limit.²

Income Limits

Tennessee caps LIHEAP eligibility at 60 percent of the state median income.³ For the 2026 program year (effective October 1, 2025), the monthly ceilings by household size are:¹

1 person: $2,671.83/month ($32,053 annually)
2 people: $3,492.91/month ($41,915 annually)
3 people: $4,314.83/month ($51,778 annually)
4 people: $5,136.75/month ($61,641 annually)
5 people: $5,958.58/month ($71,503 annually)
6 people: $6,778.00/month ($81,336 annually)

For households larger than six, add $154.04 per month per additional person. Every household member’s income counts: wages, Social Security, unemployment, pensions, child support, and any other money received in the previous 30 days.

Citizenship

Federal law requires applicants to be U.S. citizens or qualified non-citizens, which includes lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, and people paroled into the country for at least one year.⁴ Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau also qualify.

Subsidized Housing

If you live in subsidized housing and pay your own utility bills separately from rent, you can apply like any other resident. If your utilities are rolled into your rent, most states deny eligibility, and you should check with the CSA before applying.⁵

Who Moves to the Front of the Line

Eligible applications are not paid strictly in the order they arrive. The CSA ranks approved applications on a vulnerability scale and moves these households ahead for payment: a member aged 60 or older, a person with a documented disability, a child under six, or a veteran.¹

Documents to Have Ready Before You Start

Gather everything before you log in. If any required document is missing, the system gives you 15 days to upload it. Miss that window and the application is automatically denied.¹

Social Security cards for every household member over the age of one.²
A valid Tennessee driver’s license or state-issued photo ID for the applicant.
Proof of income from the past 30 days for every adult in the household: pay stubs, Social Security award letters, unemployment statements, pension notices, or similar documentation.¹
THDA’s Zero Income Form (LI-03) for any household member 18 or older with no income. If anyone is self-employed, use the self-employment form (LI-06). Both forms are on the THDA website.⁶
Your most recent MLGW bill, showing a clear account number, in the name of a household member.²

If the MLGW bill is not in your name, you can still apply, but you need a signed permission statement from the account holder authorizing you to seek assistance on that account.²

Filling Out the Online Application

Shelby County CSA accepts LIHEAP applications online only, through the state portal at thda.smartsimple.us.¹ Create an account or log in, then move through the sections in order.

Start with household composition. List everyone living at the address, with name, date of birth, relationship to you, and Social Security number. Do not leave anyone out; the CSA cross-checks household size against income to determine both eligibility and benefit amount.¹ Then enter your MLGW account number and the energy type at your residence.

In the income section, report gross income (before taxes) for each household member over the past 30 days. Enter the exact amounts from your pay stubs or benefit letters; rounded or estimated figures can create a mismatch that slows processing. Upload a clear scan or photo of each income document.

Certify the information and submit. Save the confirmation number or a screenshot. That is your proof of submission if a question comes up later.

Crisis Help if You Have a Shutoff Notice

If you have a disconnection notice or your service is already off, the CSA runs a faster crisis track that is processed in 18 to 48 hours.² Crisis applications are not submitted online. You drop them off in person at the CSA main office at 1188 Minna Place, Memphis, TN 38104 and hand them to the front desk.

To qualify for crisis processing, you need an active or recently disconnected MLGW account and at least one household member who meets a vulnerability criterion: aged 60 or older, disabled, a child under six, or a veteran.² Bring the same documents listed above plus a copy of the shutoff notice.

A household can receive either regular assistance or crisis assistance in a single program year, not both. The limit is one LIHEAP benefit per program year at one address.¹

After You Submit

The CSA has up to 45 days to process a complete application. If something is missing, you will get an email listing what is needed, and the 15-day clock starts for uploading it.¹ Check your inbox regularly after submitting, including spam.

Once your application is approved, your MLGW account is noted so service is not disconnected.² The actual credit can take up to 90 days after that notation to appear on your bill. For crisis applications the initial processing is quick, but the account notation can still take 30 to 45 days.¹

You never receive LIHEAP money directly. The CSA pays MLGW, and the credit shows up on your utility bill, reducing what you owe.²

If You Are Denied

The CSA notifies you of a denial by mail or email. You can appeal any denial except one based on the program running out of funds. Complete the written appeal form that comes with your denial notice and return it to the CSA within 30 days of the denial date.⁷

If the local appeal is denied, you can request a formal fair hearing in writing within 30 days of that outcome. The CSA holds the hearing and issues a written decision. If you still disagree, you have 30 days from the local hearing decision to ask THDA directly for a review. THDA will not accept a review request until the local hearing process is complete. The THDA Administrative Fair Hearing Form (LI-13) is on the THDA website.⁶

1
Shelby County C.S.A. Utility Assistance
2
Shelby County. Frequently Asked Questions – Community Services Agency
3
Tennessee Housing Development Agency. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
4
Administration for Children and Families. Changes to LIHEAP Eligibility for Citizens of Countries Governed by the Compacts of Free Association (COFA)
5
The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Subsidized Housing and LIHEAP
6
Tennessee Housing Development Agency. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Forms
7
Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency. Applicant Rights – Appeal and Fair Hearing