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Cooling Assistance Benefit Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
The 2023-2024 Cooling Assistance benefit opened on April 15, 2024.
You may be eligible to receive one Cooling Assistance benefit.
One applicant per household may qualify for the purchase and installation of an air conditioner or a fan to help your home stay cool.
***In circumstances where an air conditioner cannot be safely installed, a fan will be provided.***
You may be eligible for a Cooling Assistance HEAP benefit if:
- Your household’s gross monthly income is at or below the current income guidelines for your household size as posted in the following table, or
- You receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, or
- You receive Temporary Assistance (TA), or
- You receive Code A Supplemental Security Income (SSI Living Alone), or
- You received a Regular benefit greater than $21 in the current program year or received a Regular benefit equal to $21 during the current program year and reside in government subsidized housing with heat included in your rent, and
- Your household contains at least one individual with a documented medical condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat, or
- Your household contains a vulnerable member based on their age (elderly age 60 years or older, or young children under age 6) which meet all other component eligibility criteria, and
- A member of your household is a United States Citizen or Qualified Non-Citizen, and
- You currently do not have a working air conditioner or the air conditioner you have is five years old or older, and
- You did not receive a HEAP funded air conditioner within the past five years.
To determine your household eligibility, you will need to file an application with your local department of social services, provide all necessary documentation, and the household must reside in an eligible living situation.
Getting the air conditioner installed
The participating Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) vendor list can be obtained by accessing the HEAP Participating Vendor List.
You can apply for a HEAP Cooling Assistance benefit when it is open:
By Phone:
You may call your HEAP Local District Contact.
In person:
You may apply in person at your HEAP Local District Contact.
Online:
New York City Residents may apply for the HEAP Cooling Assistance benefit online by visiting ACCESS.NYC.GOV.
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