The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), which helped mitigate the burden of high winter fuel bills for 1.4 million New York households last year, has opened for the season and is accepting new applications.
Regular HEAP eligibility and benefits are based on income, household composition and the type of fuel used to heat your home. To qualify for assistance, an individual’s gross monthly maximum income cannot exceed $2,300, and the gross monthly maximum income for a household of two is $3,007. Eligible homeowners can also apply for the Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement to repair or replace the furnace, boiler and other direct heating equipment necessary to keep the home’s primary heating source working.
Benefit amounts are based on the actual cost incurred to repair or replace the essential l heating equipment, with $3,000 allowed for a repair and $6,500 for a replacement.
Homeowners must meet all the eligibility conditions, including the income and resource requirements.
Before work is started, it must be approved and authorized by the HEAP local district. Payment is made directly to the vendor after all the work is completed.
For more information or for help completing an application, please call NNORC at 514-2023.
HEAP: Heating Equipment Tune-up Component
The HEAP Heating Equipment Tune-up benefit provides for equipment inspections and cleanings prior to the start of the heating season for eligible households. The 2015-2016 Tune-Up benefit will operate through November 4, 2016 or until funding is exhausted.
Eligible households can receive up to $400, which includes cleaning of the primary heating equipment, but may also include chimney cleaning, minor repairs, installation of carbon monoxide detectors, or programmable thermostats. (Sorry, households with a service contact with their provider are not eligible for this benefit.)
Your household may be eligible for this benefit if:
- You own your own home and that home is your primary residence.
- Your household’s gross monthly income is at or below the current HEAP income guides for your household size ($2,244 for a 1-person household/$2,935 for a 2 person household).
- Your heating equipment is more than 12 months old AND the furnace, boiler, or chimney have not been cleaned withing the past 12 months.
Applicants must also choose an Albany County HEAP vendor to provide the cleaning and tune-up services, if their vendor is not a HEAP provider with signed contacts with NYS/OTDA/HEAP.
For more information, please call Albany County DSS at 447-7323 or NNORC at 514-2023.
Help with the Winter Heating Bill Blues
The Home Energy Assistance Program, commonly referred to as HEAP, will open for the season and begin accepting applications on November 16.
Regular HEAP eligibility and benefits are based on income, household composition and the type of fuel used to heat your home.
To qualify for assistance, an individual’s gross monthly income cannot exceed $2,244, and the gross monthly income for a household of two cannot exceed $2,935.
For more information or for help completing an application, please call NNORC at 514-2023.