More than $360 million in federal funding is headed to New York to help thousands of households afford their heating bills this winter. The funding secured by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand can also be used for cost-effective home energy repairs.
The funding is awarded through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Gillibrand said she is also working on a bipartisan push to secure additional funding for LIHEAP to make sure that as many qualifying families as possible get the assistance they need to stay safe and warm throughout the coming months.
“LIHEAP provides a lifeline for low-income families and seniors and I’m proud to have helped secure $360 million in LIHEAP funds to extend this lifeline to thousands of New Yorkers this winter,” said Senator Gillibrand. “But we know from past years that this money will not be enough to provide assistance to everyone who qualifies for it. That’s why I’m also calling for additional supplemental LIHEAP funding to help ensure that as many New Yorkers as possible receive aid. I’m committed to securing it.”
New York State’s LIHEAP program is called the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). As of July, more than 1.7 million benefits totaling $428 million had been authorized for New York State households through HEAP in FY23. The program provides benefits to lower the cost of heating and cooling; emergency benefits to meet households’ immediate energy needs; and financial assistance to help homeowners repair or replace inoperable or unsafe heating equipment.
Starting on November 1 households can apply for the HEAP Regular benefit online at myBenefits.ny.gov. All NYS households can also apply in person at their HEAP Local District Contact, or in writing by mailing a completed application to their HEAP Local District Contact. Starting January 2, 2024, households can apply for the HEAP Emergency benefit in person or by phone through their HEAP Local District Contact. There is no online option.
