New York, November 1, 2007 — Governor Eliot Spitzer today announced the annual launch of the home heating assistance program, which this year includes an increase in payments for low income New Yorkers and other key improvements to maximize the funds available.
The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) administered through the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) is a federally funded program that assists eligible households in meeting their home energy needs. HEAP will begin accepting applications beginning on November 1st. Applications can be filed with local Departments of Social Services.
“As the winter months approach, it is critically important that we help our most vulnerable residents confront the rising costs of heating their homes,” said Governor Spitzer. “This year’s increased benefits paid through HEAP will contribute to the economic security of low-income working families by ensuring that the cost of home heating does not hinder their ability to provide for their family this winter.”
OTDA Commissioner David Hansell said: “Low-income households spend as much as 14 percent of annual income on energy, compared to less than four percent for other households. In keeping with Governor Spitzer’s pledge to increase the economic security of our low-income working families, we are making HEAP benefits available to the greatest number of families as possible.” Lois Aronstein, AARP New York State Director, said: “AARP commends Governor Spitzer on improving the HEAP program to provide more low-income New Yorkers with the assistance they need. Improvements to this program mean fewer low-income older adults will have to choose between heating their home and fulfilling other basic needs.”
Public Service Commission Chairwoman Patricia L. Acampora said: “I am encouraged that many community-based organizations, utility companies, state and local governments and energy service companies are coming together to help ensure that low-income customers receive the HEAP benefits they need in meeting their energy bills.”
This season, the maximum regular benefit a household can receive will increase by 23 percent to $540 – up from $440 last year.
In addition, OTDA has increased eligibility levels to the maximum allowed under law. For example, a family of four with a household income of as much as $43,308 – up from $40,716 a year ago – would be eligible for home energy assistance this year.
Other key changes for the 2007-08 season focus on maximizing the buying power of the HEAP grant and making the program more user friendly for energy vendors. For the first time:
- Emergency benefits will be available to a family with a fuel supply of 10 days or less – up from seven days in previous years. This helps to avoid off-cycle delivery charges to ensure that HEAP recipients are using their grant to pay for fuel – not delivery and late payment fees;
- All 57 districts and New York City are included in the HEAP Oil Buying Component which requires vendors who accept HEAP to provide discounts or price protection measures to customers;
- A portion of HEAP funding will be reserved to install cooling measures, including air conditioners, to reduce heat-related illness in at-risk households. In addition, HEAP funds will be available to repair and replace furnaces where the damage has resulted from declared state or federal disasters; and
- Fuel vendors will receive state payments directly through the Office of the State Comptroller’s central accounting system, which will expedite vendor receipt of HEAP payments and thereby increase the amount of deliverable fuel able to be purchased with the HEAP benefit beyond the discount achieved by the Oil Buying Component.
OTDA designed the HEAP program so that the highest benefits are provided to households that spend a large percentage of their income on energy costs and include vulnerable low-income families. “Vulnerable” individuals are defined as children less than six years of age, adults 60 years of age or older, and disabled individuals.
Income eligible residents in New York can receive one benefit a season, which last year averaged about $270, and could also be eligible for an emergency benefit if they are in impending danger of running out of fuel or having their utility service shut off. The average emergency benefit was $371 last year.
Last year, New York issued more than one million HEAP benefits to needy low income households. 844,530 households in New York received a regular HEAP benefit and 163,007 of those received an additional emergency allocation.
