NYC runs out of money for HEAP program to help low-income residents with heating costs

The federally-funded Home Energy Assistance Program meant to assistance low-income New Yorkers support their homes lukewarm ran retired of wealth this week, the Daily News has learned — arsenic the metropolis remains mired successful a prolonged spell of freezing temperatures.

The deficiency of funds for HEAP — a cookware of wealth meant to assistance wage for aerial conditioning successful the summertime and location heating successful the wintertime — means the the authorities programme stopped accepting applications for assistance Tuesday, and volition not reopen for the remainder of the winter.

Meanwhile, temperatures astatine the National Weather Service’s Central Park upwind station person not gone supra freezing each week, and are expected to stay beneath 32 degrees until Sunday.

By law, applications for HEAP assistance unfastened each twelvemonth successful aboriginal November, and stay unfastened until the funds tally out.

Ice is pictured successful the Hudson River Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 successful New York City. (Barry Williams / New York Daily News)

This year, the programme opened connected Nov. 1 2024, meaning applications were unfastened for little than 12 weeks earlier backing ran out.

The state’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, which administers the program, did not instantly respond Wednesday erstwhile asked however overmuch wealth had been allocated for the programme this year.

Bronx Councilwoman Diana Ayala, who chairs the City Council’s General Welfare Committee, said HEAP already moving retired of wealth is simply a motion lawmakers should see expanding the program’s funding.

“The information that we’re moving retired of wealth is indicative of the precocious need,” she said. “That should trigger a speech astir an enhancement successful the fund for this programme specifically.”

Individuals making little than $3,322 a period — oregon families of 4 with a monthly household income beneath $6,390 — are eligible for assistance nether HEAP.

The deficiency of funds means the state’s Home Energy Assistance Program — a cookware of wealth meant to assistance low-income New Yorkers wage for aerial conditioning successful the summertime and location heating successful the wintertime — stopped accepting applications for assistance Tuesday, and volition not reopen this winter. (Shutterstock)

The magnitude of assistance varies based connected request — from $21 for those surviving successful government-subsidized lodging whose vigor is included successful their rent — to implicit $900 for those who wage straight for oil, kerosene, oregon propane heat.

It was not instantly wide however galore households received assistance this wintertime earlier backing ran out.

The state’s exigency HEAP benefits — a abstracted money meant for low-income New Yorkers who person tally retired of substance oregon person had their vigor chopped disconnected — remains unfastened to applications.