Families throughout the borough who are having difficulties making ends meet can apply for aid this winter.
Borough President Melinda Katz is urging Queens residents who need financial help to apply for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), a federally funded program that helps low-income homeowners and renters afford heating fuel. Those deemed eligible can receive up to several hundreds dollars a year to offset their fuel bills.
Interested residents can visit Katz’s office at Queens Borough Hall (Room 225) on Mondays and Wednesdays (excluding holidays) between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. up until March 14, 2018. No appointments are accepted; walk-in applications will be served on a first-come, first-served basis.
Applicants visiting the HEAP office must bring a copy of a recent utility bill as well as documentation verifying their income, rent, date of birth and social security number of each household member. A checklist of the documents that must be brought to the HEAP office is available here.
Individuals must apply for HEAP benefits annually. This year, a family of four with a gross monthly income of $4,457 or less can receive HEAP benefits. This monthly income threshold will increase or decrease depending on the size of a household.
“We do not know what Mother Nature has in store for us this winter, but we do know how harmful and even deadly winter temperatures can be for the elderly and to other vulnerable people,” Katz said. “Many individuals and families are eligible for important and potentially life-saving financial assistance that will allow them to afford heating their homes. All Queens residents who are struggling to pay their heating bills should take advantage of this valuable program.”
HEAP also has an equipment repair and replacement component that can help eligible low-income homeowners repair or replace any broken heating equipment needed to keep a home’s primary heating source functional. Applications for these grants can also be made at Borough Hall or at any local HEAP office.
Queens Borough Hall is located at 120-55 Queens Blvd.
Learn more about the program by calling the New York State HEAP hotline at 1-800-342-3009 or visiting this website.
