NY Will Receive $473 Million in Federal Aid for Seniors and Low Income Families to Cover the Cost of Heat; Almost 100,000 Long Island Households Use Benefit
Record Number of Families May be in Need of Assistance Due to Recession – Bitter Cold Spell And Winter Weather Blanketing The Region with Three Months of Winter Left
Funding Released As Part of LIHEAP Block Grants to Stat
New Yorker, NY – January 17, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — As New Yorkers are being blasted with freezing temperatures and record snowfall, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is releasing funds provided by Congress to help Long Island seniors and low income families deal with heating bills this winter. As part of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program’s (LIHEAP) block grants, New York State is set to receive a total of $473 million. In 2010, 25,297 households in Nassau and 60,527 households in Suffolk received the benefit, and similar numbers of households are expected to receive the benefit this year. Due to the recession and the recent bitter cold spell and winter weather that has gripped New York, Schumer today said that releasing these resources is essential for Long Island families and seniors who struggle to heat their homes.
“With one of the worst winters in recent memory, and as our economy continues to struggle, Long Island families and seniors need this heating assistance more than ever,” Schumer said. “No one should have to worry about affording basic necessities simply because rising home heating costs are squeezing their family budgets. With this additional LIHEAP aid, more families and seniors will be able to keep warm this winter.”
Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the release of an additional $1.6 billion in LIHEAP block grant funds, bringing the total available under the March 4th Continuing Resolution (CR) to $3.9 billion. New York is set to receive an additional $195.5 million, bringing the total for this year to $473 million. Over a million New Yorkers from across the state historically take advantage of this assistance.
Releasing emergency LIHEAP funding will help tens of thousands of Long Island families and seniors with their energy bills, and in doing so, create a noticeable economic multiplier. Less burdened by energy bills, these low-income families have more to spend on other essentials, and can avoid the choice between paying energy bills and putting food on their table.
More families are in need of LIHEAP benefits than ever before. According to projections by National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), in the north east region of the United States home heating costs are expected to skyrocket: oil prices are expected to rise 16% this year, propane 11.3%, natural gas 3.5% and electric heat 3.3%. In addition, Americans continue to struggle due to the recession, with unemployment over 9%, and, as of 2009, the highest poverty rate in in over a decade. In the last year, states helped 8.7 million households pay their heating bills.
The mission of LIHEAP is to assist low income households, particularly those with the lowest incomes that pay a high proportion of household income for home energy in meeting their immediate home energy needs. States, territories, and Indian tribes and tribal organizations that wish to assist low income households in meeting the costs of home energy may apply for a LIHEAP block grant. Congress established the formula for distributing funds to States based on each State’s weather and low income population. Home energy is defined by statute as a source of heating or cooling in residential dwellings.
Contact:
New York City
757 Third Avenue
Suite 17-02
New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212-486-4430
Fax: 212-486-7693
TDD: 212-486-7803
