NY Announces Availability of $65 Million in Emergency Federal Help to Pay for Heating – NBC New York (47)

What you should know

• Governor Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that $65 million remains in funding available to help low- and middle-income New Yorkers avoid having their home heat shut off or their heating source run out amid increases in the fuel price this winter.
• To qualify, applicants must meet HEAP eligibility criteria and income guidelines, which vary by household size.
• Demand for heating assistance through HEAP has been high so far this winter season.

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NEW YORK — Governor Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that $65 million remains in funding available to help low- and middle-income New Yorkers avoid having their home heat shut off or their heating source run out in the midst of fuel price increases this winter.

The Home Energy Assistance Program is now accepting second emergency benefit applications for New Yorkers who have exhausted their regular and first emergency benefits and are facing a heating emergency.

“Energy prices remain at sky-high levels, placing an enormous burden on New Yorkers struggling to pay their energy bills during these cold winter months,” Hochul said in a statement. “With only a few more weeks of winter left, this second round of emergency assistance will provide critical relief for low- and middle-income households, helping New Yorkers in need when temperatures drop to frigid levels.”

Income-eligible households who have exhausted the available regular HEAP benefit and the first emergency benefit can now apply for a second round of assistance, whenever they face a heat outage or electricity service disconnection that will affect your main heating equipment.

Households that have exhausted their supply of heating oil or have less than a quarter of a tank of oil, kerosene or propane also qualify; or who have less than a 10-day supply of other heating fuels.

Demand for heating assistance through HEAP has been high so far this winter season. More than 1.4 million regular benefits totaling $212 million have been issued since the program opened in October, with an additional 28,000 emergency benefits totaling $25 million provided since January 3.

To qualify, applicants must meet HEAP eligibility criteria and income guidelines, which vary by household size. For example, a family of four may have a maximum gross monthly income of $5,249 or an annual gross income of $62,983.

Applications for assistance are accepted at local departments of social services in person or by phone, and funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. To find a list of local offices by county, Click here. Residents outside of New York City can also apply for regular heating assistance benefits online. New York City residents can download an application and get information about the program by clicking here.

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