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Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
IMPORTANT!
The Regular Benefit component of the 2007-2008 HEAP program is closed.
The Emergency Benefit component of the 2007-2008 HEAP program is closed.
The Furnace Repair and Replacement component of the 2007-2008 Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is open effective Monday, October 1, 2007 until close of business Tuesday, September 30, 2008.
2008-2009 NYS HEAP Draft State Plan Public Hearings
The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance will conduct three public hearings in July to provide for comment on the 2008-2009 New York State Draft Plan for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). Hearings will be conducted in Syracuse, New York City and Albany and at the times listed below.
View the Public Notice and Registration form
View the 2008-2009 NYS HEAP Draft State Plan
- Syracuse, New York, Tuesday, July 8, 2008, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, Holiday Inn Syracuse/Liverpool, 441 Electronics Parkway, Syracuse, New York 13088.
- New York, New York, Thursday, July 10, 2008, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, OTDA Training Center, 6th Floor, Room 603, 317 Lenox Avenue, New York, New York 10027.
- Albany, New York, Friday, July 11, 2008, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm, Courtyard by Marriott, 168 Wolf Road, Albany, New York 12205.
HEAP Funded 2008 Cooling Component
A limited amount of federal Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) funds have been made available for the purchase and installation of energy efficient air conditioners to eligible individuals during the summer of 2008.
To be eligible for the program, a household must meet existing HEAP income guidelines and have at least one member that suffers from an acute medical condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat. Written documentation from a physician clearly indicating the need for an air conditioner is required and must be dated within the previous six months.
Local social services districts are targeting outreach to medically needy households that would receive the greatest benefit from cooling services. New York City agencies are working collaboratively to target outreach to the neediest households.
New York City households should direct inquiries to the New York City 311 helpline. Outside New York City, inquiries should be directed to the local weatherization subgrantee list.
Comments received during the 2008-09 HEAP Needs Assessment Public Hearings
A summary of comments on the HEAP program received during the 2008-2009 Needs Assessment Public Hearings are available for review. The 2008-09 Needs Assessment Public Hearings were held in Albany, Syracuse, and Manhattan, NY in February 2008 to elicit public comment on the development of the HEAP program.
2007-2008 NYS HEAP State Plan
The 2007-08 NYS HEAP State Plan has been accepted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). This plan outlines how New York State will implement the Home Energy Assistance Program for the 2007-08 program year. View the 2007-08 New York State HEAP Plan.
Questions regarding the HEAP program should be directed to your County Social Services Office or to the NYS HEAP Hotline at 1-800-342-3009.
Choose from the topics below:
BACKGROUND
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally funded program that assists eligible households in meeting their home energy needs. Applications are taken at all local departments of social services. For information on where to apply, call 1-800-342-3009.
Applications may be obtained and submitted to your county Department of Social Services HEAP Office for an eligibility determination. You may obtain the address and telephone number from the list of HEAP contacts in your county or the Blue Pages of your telephone directory.
IF YOU HAVE A POWER OR GAS SHUTOFF OR YOU HAVE LESS THAN A TEN DAY SUPPLY OF HEATING FUEL, YOU NEED TO CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND FIND OUT WHERE TO APPLY.
TARGETED HOUSEHOLDS
New York's benefit program is structured in such a way that higher benefits are provided to those households that have larger percentages of their income spent on energy costs, contain a vulnerable individual, and have the lowest income.
Vulnerable individuals are defined as children under the age of 6, adults aged 60 or older, or disabled individuals.
ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility for the program is based on income and your housing situation. Your total gross monthly income for your household size must be at or below the following:
2007-08 Income Guidelines |
|
| Household Size | Income Limit |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,876 |
| 2 | $2,454 |
| 3 | $3,031 |
| 4 | $3,609 |
| 5 | $4,186 |
| 6 | $4,763 |
| 7 | $4,871 |
| 8 | $4,980 |
| 9 | $5,088 |
| 10 | $5,196 |
| 11 | $5,626 |
| Each Additional Person: Add $435 | |
You must also live in an eligible housing situation. This generally means that you must either pay directly for heating costs or must pay rent that includes heating costs. If you live in subsidized housing, you must pay heating costs separately from your rent. Individual applicants must be U.S. citizens or qualified aliens.
In order to be eligible for emergency benefits, a household/applicant must be in an emergency situation. An emergency situation is defined as having less than a 10 day supply of fuel, having utility service terminated, or having utility service scheduled for termination. The household/applicant must meet the above income guidelines and:
- Be the customer and tenant of record
- Reside in the dwelling
- Have insufficient liquid resources to meet the emergency
BENEFIT STRUCTURE
New York's benefit program consists of two components, regular benefits and emergency benefits.
- Regular Benefit Component
- New York State provides benefits to households that pay directly for heat or make undesignated payments for heat in the form of rent.
- The state calculates household benefits using a point system. Points are assigned based on income, percent of income spent on energy, and presence of a vulnerable individual in the household. The point value for the 2007-2008 program has been set at $60 per point. The minimum number of points is two; the maximum number of points a household can receive is nine.
- Eligible households that pay directly for heat receive a benefit amount ranging from $120 to $540.
- Eligible households that do not pay directly for heat receive a standard statewide benefit of either $40 or $50, depending on income level.
- Crisis Benefits
- Eligible households receive emergency benefits based on the type of emergency. In the 2007-2008 program, basic emergency benefits have been set as follows:
| Category | Household Size | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 or less | 4 or more | |
| PSC Heat Related Domestic (electric service required to operate heating equipment) | $125 | $150 |
| Natural Gas — Heat Only | $250 | $275 |
| Natural gas heat and electric to operate heating equipment | $375 | $425 |
| PSC/Village of Greenport Electric Heat | $440 | $560 |
| Municipal Electric – Heat Related Domestic | $60 | $75 |
| Municipal Electric heat – Primary Heating Source | $125 | $150 |
| Non-utility heating fuel (oil, kerosene, propane, wood) Effective 2/11/08 | $700 | $700 |
RECEIVING BENEFITS
Households may receive regular benefits in one of the ways listed below.
- Application
- Applicants must request benefits using a state prescribed form. This includes applications printed from the OTDA website, e-filed applications, and the Temporary Assistance/ Food Stamps Request for Benefits form.
- Applications are available at all local social services district HEAP offices.
- Those households residing in Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Cortland, Greene, Herkimer, Jefferson, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Onondaga, Orleans, St. Lawrence, Steuben or Yates counties which received a HEAP benefit during the 2006–2007 season and who continue to reside in the same county, may apply for HEAP electronically over the Internet at https://www.otda.state.ny.us/otdaheap/.
- All other households may download a printable version of the application. This application is currently available effective November 1, 2007. Applicants should then contact their local social services district HEAP office, as an in-person interview may need to be scheduled to review information contained in the HEAP application.
- Automatic Payment Component
- In the 2007-2008 heating program, households in receipt of Temporary Assistance or Food Stamps with HEAP eligible living arrangements are identified via our statewide computer system and are issued a payment automatically. No application is required if the household is in receipt of either ongoing Food Stamps or Temporary Assistance Benefits as of September 8 and 15, 2007 respectively.
- Payments
- Payments to eligible households that pay for heat separate from their rent are sent directly to the household's heating vendor.
- Payments to eligible households that have their heat included in their rent are paid either directly to the household or to the eligible household's utility vendor.