HEAP has money to burn reminds Lancman

Assemblymember Rory Lancman is reminding low-income individuals and families that the federal government is dispensing an additional $82.3 million in emergency funds to New York, to help people like them pay their heating bills.
The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally-funded program administered by New York State.
The program is structured so that higher benefits are provided to households which incur a large percentage 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 six, adults aged 60 or older, or disabled individuals.
Qualified applicants can receive as much as $540 toward their heating bills, according to Lancman. “Oil and gas prices are at an all-time high and families are struggling to heat their homes,” he said, adding, “but families need to apply in order to be considered for state assistance.”
Applications are taken at all local departments of social services. For information on where to apply, call 800-342-3009.
There is a sliding scale of maximum allowable income per month, based on the number of persons in the household. A single person can earn up to $1,876 per month, while a couple can earn $2,454.
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.
To access more information on this program go to the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance web site at https://otda.state.ny.us/main/heap/.