Assemblymember Sam Roberts (D-Syracuse) announced that the federal government has approved $50 million in additional funding for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), enabling more Central New York families to receive benefits into February.
“Central New Yorkers are used to tough winters but this year has been especially hard and has stretched family budgets thin,” said Assemblymember Roberts said. “This critical extra funding will go a long way toward helping hardworking families in our communities make it through this challenging time. I encourage anyone who is struggling to afford to heat their home to apply as soon as possible.”
HEAP also assists low-income homeowners with repairing or replacing any damaged or non-functioning heating equipment, including furnaces, boilers or other direct-heating components necessary to keep the home’s heating source functional. HEAP benefits could cover the incurred cost of such repairs or replacements, up to $6,500.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released $454 million in funding to states, increasing New York’s HEAP allowance by $50.6 million. The recent increase brings the state’s total for the 2013-14 heating season to more than $366 million.
Eligibility for HEAP is calculated based on factors including income, household size, the primary heating source and the presence of a household member who is under age 6, age 60 or older or permanently disabled. HEAP assistance has already been provided to more than 1.3 million New York households this winter, and there are still households in need of assistance according to the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.
Eligible households in New York may receive one regular HEAP benefit per season and could also be eligible for an emergency benefit if they are at risk of running out of fuel or having their utility service turned off.
Those who think they may be eligible should visit myBenefits.ny.gov or reach out to Onondaga county social services department at (315) 435-8295. For more information about HEAP, visit otda.ny.gov/programs/heap.
