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Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps low-income homeowners and renters pay bills for heating fuel, equipment and repairs. For more information on HEAP & UAP, call 311 or 1-212-331-3150. To contact HEAP call the HEAP LINE at (800) 692-0557.

HEAP is a federally funded program that assists eligible households with grants to pay regular and emergency energy heating costs. The benefit does not have to be paid back. As the Local Department of Social Services (LDSS), HRA/DSS administers the program in New York City.

HEAP eligibility is determined by whether the household income is below the current New York State income guidelines that correspond to the household size and the household energy costs. HEAP may be able to offer a benefit even if heat and utilities are included in the rent or the applicant lives in subsidized housing and pays directly for heating costs.

HEAP Eligibility
HEAP Contact Information
HEAP Office Locations & Application Mailing Address
HEAP Documentation Requirments

HEAT LINE
(212) 331-3150
The Heat Line program functions as the homebound unit for HEAP. Requests and referrals for a home visit can be made by contacting Heat Line at (212) 331-3150. You may also contact Heat Line if you are having trouble paying your bills. (For additional information read about UAP)

In addition to HEAP services, the Heat Line staff verifies whether a customer will have a medical hardship in the event a public utility is disconnects services in a building. Utility disconnection often occurs as a result of a landlord not paying for the utilities, and can affect the hallway lights, elevators or the heating system. If there is someone living in the building with a medical hardship, the utility companies must contact the Heat Line to prevent the disconnection. Heat Line will verify the hardship within 30 days.

Utility Assistance Program (UAP)
Utility Assistance Program (UAP) assists families or individuals who are elderly, blind, disabled, mentally impaired or those residing in a neglected or hazardous environment who require financial assistance for their energy bills.

UAP, a state-mandated program, is the liaison between utility companies and eligible families or individuals. UAP receives referrals from utility companies on behalf of customers faced with termination of services due to nonpayment, theft of service, or meter tampering. The utility companies are required to notify their Local Department of Social Services (LDSS) prior to shutoff. The notification must be made 15 days prior to disconnection if the utility company is aware that families or individuals meet one of the following criteria: elderly, blind or disabled. The same notification must be made if the utility company suspects impairment, the presence of neglect, or another hazardous situation.

UAP staff will also offer customers financial assistance for their energy bills as well as assistance in obtaining extensions from the utility companies.

Do not contact this program directly because all clients are referred by the utility companies. If you are having trouble paying your utilities, please contact the Heat Line.
   
   
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Programs/Services:
HEAP Eligibility

Applications:
HEAP Documentation Requirements

Other Information:
HEAP Contact Information
HEAP Office Locations & Application Mailing Address
    

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Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program - LIHEAP

LIHEAP assists eligible persons and families with their heating and cooling costs. Applications can be filed at your local Human Services Department Office. Applicants will need:

    * Application Form - completed and signed including Social Security Numbers for all applying for help
    * Identity – for one adult
    * Non-Citizen Immigrant Status– for all applying for help
    * Disability – only give proof if you are not getting disability income
    * Income – only give proof when you are not getting other benefits from HSD or your income has changed. When you give proof, give us proof of income from the most recent 30 days or all from last month.
    * Heating/Cooling Costs
          o Proof that you have a heating/cooling cost, including your account number
          o Only give proof of your highest energy cost in the last 12 months if your bill was more than $160
          o Crisis LIHEAP - HSD can help you faster if you have:
                + disconnected utility service;
                + disconnect notice; or
                + almost out of wood, propane or other bulk fuels
          o Give us a copy of your disconnect notice

Spanish Version

    * Formulario de Solicitud - cumplimentado y firmado, incluidos los números de Seguro Social para todos los candidatos a la ayuda
    * De Identidad - para un adulto
    * Los inmigrantes que no son ciudadanos de Estados Unidos que aplican por LIHEAP
    * Discapacidad - sólo dan prueba si usted no está recibiendo los beneficios por discapacidad
    * Ingresos - sólo de pruebas cuando usted no está recibiendo otros beneficios de HSD o sus ingresos han cambiado. Cuando le das la prueba, nos dan la prueba de los ingresos procedentes de los últimos 30 días o todas las del mes pasado.
    * Costos de Calefacción/Frío
          o La prueba de que usted tiene un sistema de costos calefacción/ frío, incluyendo su número de cuenta
          o Sólo dar prueba de su mayor costo de la energía en los últimos 12 meses, si su factura fue de más de $ 160
          o Crisis/emergencia LIHEAP - HSD puede ayudarle más rápidamente si usted tiene:
                + O servicio de utilidad desconectado;
                + O aviso de desconexión, o
                + O casi fuera de la madera, gas propano o combustibles similares,
          o Danos una copia de su aviso de desconexión

    * LIHEAP 2011 points and income guide

For more details please contact your nearest office.

The LIHEAP NMAC policy is available here.
Apply

For additional information on LIHEAP please call (800) 283-4465.

    * LIHEAP application (English)
    * LIHEAP application (Spanish)


New Mexico Human Services Dept  •  2009 S. Pacheco, Pollon Plaza  •  Santa Fe, NM 87504  |  Web

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American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - HWAP State Plan (pdf)
2009 HWAP State Plan (pdf)

What is HWAP?


The Ohio Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP) is a no-cost energy assistance program designed to increase the energy efficiency of dwellings owned or occupied by income-eligible Ohioans, reduce participants’ household energy expenditures, and improve participants’ health and safety. HWAP is federally funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and provided to Ohioans at no cost for customers whose annual household income is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Ohio’s HWAP is administered through the Ohio Department of Development's Community Development Division (CDD) and its Office of Community Services (OCS).

 

 

Who Benefits From HWAP?


Households at or below the federal poverty guidelines, PIPP (Percentage of Income Payment Plan) participants, PIPP eligible households, or households receiving Supplemental Security Income qualify for this no-cost program. After weatherization, households that heat with natural gas reduce space heating consumption by an average of 24.7 percent, and electrically heated homes reduce usage on average of 13 percent. HWAP participants increased the percentage of utility bills that they pay and the rate of disconnections of utility service for this group decreased by 50 percent.

 

 

Who Are The Local HWAP Providers?


As provided in the federal regulations, Ohio's HWAP is carried out by Community Action Agencies and other public and nonprofit entities. A list of the local weatherization providers is available. The web page shows a map of the state. Click on the desired county to see the contact information for the local weatherization provider.

 

 

How Do You Apply For Weatherization Services?


An applicant needs to complete the Combined Energy Assistance Application (also known as the Home Energy Assistance Program or HEAP application). The applicant should complete the application, contact the local weatherization provider, and notify the provider of interest in the weatherization services. The application can also be mailed to the Office of Community Services at 77 South High Street, P.O. Box 1001, Columbus, Ohio 43216-1001. The applicant can access a listing of weatherization providers and request weatherization service from the local provider. Please note the waiting list for assistance (after eligibility has been determined) varies from provider to provider and, in some cases, could be months.  

 

 

What Does HWAP Mean to Ohio?


HWAP has weatherized more than 304,000 dwellings in Ohio since 1977. This will result in a reduction of 376 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, 840 thousand pounds of nitrogen oxide, and 2.3 million pounds of sulfur oxide. Statewide, HWAP has created approximately 403 skilled jobs that provide energy conservation services. Numerous other subcontractors and suppliers benefit from this work. HWAP has served as the model for the development of energy efficiency programs offered by Ohio's utility companies.

 

 

What Makes Ohio's Program Distinctive?


Ohio was one of the first states to incorporate blower-door usage, combustion appliance analysis testing for efficiency and safety, and client education as an integral part of the program. The Ohio Weatherization Training Center trains all field staff in state-of-the-art techniques to cost-effectively and safely reduce the energy burden in all types of structures. All programs are monitored annually for cost-effectiveness and accountability by the Ohio Department of Development staff. Periodically, the state contracts for statewide program evaluations. The 2006 evaluation, which evaluated the 2003 program year, found that the program is cost-effective. The impact, process, and training evaluations are posted at the top of this page.

 
Locate Providers     Residential Services
HWAP FAQs     Weatherization Program Standards
HWAP Reporting System     Combined Energy Assistance Application (pdf)
Ohio Weatherization Training Center    

Aplicacion Combinada para Los Programas de Asistencia para

Energia (pdf)
Residential Updates               

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Michigan Department of Human Services busts myth: Need only strikes in winter
Low-income households face utility shut-off notices year-round

Contact:  Edward Woods III, Office of Communications director, 517-373-7394

June 16, 2010

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - Michigan's troubling economic climate has caused an unprecedented number of families to seek help putting food on their tables or paying their bills. But that hardship is not just happening in the winter. Low-income residents are also facing utility shut-off notices in the summer - situations that put them and their families at risk when the temperatures rise. This is just one of the many myths that are tarnishing the purpose of the welfare system, which is why the Michigan Department of Human Services is continuing its statewide campaign in Traverse City to bust those myths with facts, Director Ismael Ahmed said today.

"Those myths have caused a stigma that may prevent some people who truly need help, especially families with young children and the elderly, to come forward," Ahmed said. "We want to put an end to that because the safety net helps families get back on their feet."

DHS representatives and partners dispelled myths at the event today as part of the department's "Welfare 101: busting myths about welfare" campaign. The campaign was launched April 1 in an effort to reduce widespread negative perceptions and show how valuable the welfare system is for so many Michigan residents, as well as to the state's economy.

Among the myths busted during today's event:

Myth: People only need assistance with their utility bills in the winter.

Fact: Need doesn't only strike when the temperatures dip. Low-income residents need help paying their energy bills year-round.

In June, DHS launched a new online application for energy-related State Emergency Relief (SER) to increase access to low-income residents who are in need year-round.

The SER program provides immediate help to individuals and families facing conditions of extreme hardship or for emergencies that threaten health and safety. It's designed to maintain low-income households normally able to meet their needs, but that occasionally need help when unexpected emergencies arise.

In April, the DHS handled more than 29,000 energy-related SER cases statewide, totaling more than $12.8 million in payments.

The online application is available at www.michigan.gov/mibridges for eligible low-income residents who have had their utilities shut off, are facing a shut off, or are low on fuel, such as oil, propane or coal.

Nearly 200 community partners statewide have computers people case use to access the application, which adds to the 60 computer stations DHS has in about 30 offices.

"Energy assistance programs are a vital lifeline for older adults faced with the crippling costs of health care insurance, the rising price of energy, and the cruel choice of whether to eat today or take their medicine," said Dr. Stuart White, consultant with Michigan's Coordinated Access to Food for the Elderly (MiCafe). "Aging in Michigan should be an opportunity to thrive with dignity and independence after a valued lifetime. It should not be the pathway to poverty."

"It's unfortunate that this economy has caused some people to go without -- food, jobs and even energy," said Tammy Squires, energy use advisor with Cherryland Electric Cooperative. "Luckily, there are state and local programs willing to help out in an emergency."

Additionally, she said, there are several, small cost-cutting measures people can take that can lessen the burden on their wallets. For example, changing out incandescent lights to compact florescent lights will lower lighting costs and they give off less heat, which results in lowering the cost of cooling your home during the summer months.

Today, the need is great and DHS welfare programs can ease the burden on a temporary basis, said Barbara Anders, DHS' financial and quality services deputy director.

She agreed with the need to educate people about these programs. "It's more important than ever before to do your part to educate the skeptics," she said. "Be vigilant and make sure you don't fall into this trap of believing the myths yourself."

DHS officials anticipate the online energy assistance applications will be as successful as its online food assistance application, which has garnered more than 106,000 applicants since the option was launched in August 2009. The effort has successfully increased access to food and created an economic impact through clients' buying power.

Already, almost 1.8 million people in Michigan receive food assistance - a figure that's growing by about 30,000 people per month. The additional direct food benefits put into communities have a local economic impact because every $5 in food benefits generates about $9.20 in economic activity in communities, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates.

To raise awareness about the new online application, the department and energy companies will run radio spots and newspaper ads this summer.

The message? "If you're having trouble paying your energy bills, don't sweat it," Ahmed said. "You may qualify for emergency energy assistance."

Partners in attendance: Michigan's Coordinated Access to Food for the Elderly; Cherryland Electric Cooperative; Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency; Northwest Michigan Works!; Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District; Child & Family Service of Northwest Michigan; Leelanau Family Coordinating Council; Grand Traverse DHS board members; Poverty Reduction Initiative; Goodwill Industries; Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan; Northwest Michigan College; Faith Reformed Church; Child & Family Services; Michigan Prison Reentry Initiative; and United Way of Northwest Michigan.

For the truth about welfare, please visit the DHS website at www.michigan.gov/welfare101. Follow DHS on Twitter @MichiganDHS or become a fan at www.facebook.com/MichiganDHS

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Printable Content

The Energy Assistance Program (EAP) helps pay home heating costs. Households with the lowest incomes and highest energy costs receive the greatest benefit.

    *
      Households who are at or below 50 percent of the state median income are eligible
    *
      Size of grant is based on household size, income, fuel type and energy usage
    *
      Households with the lowest income and highest fuel costs receive the highest grants
    *
      Federally funded through U.S. Department of Human Services
    *
      Funds are available for renters or homeowners

Services include:

    *
      Provide direct payment to the energy supplier
    *
      Educate consumers to use home heating energy efficiently and safely
    *
      Advocate with energy suppliers and human service providers on behalf of consumers
    *
      Crisis help for utility disconnections or necessary fuel deliveries
    *
      Emergency heating system repair or replacement

Minnesota residents also may obtain an application and more information by calling 1-800-657-3710 to locate the local agency serving their county. To assist you better, please have a pen and paper available before calling the number.

Helpful steps to completing your application:

   1. Get the application from the column to the right, click your language choice, open and print the application. (Form is temporarily unavailable while it is being updated.)
   2. Follow the instructions to fill in the application.
   3. Read the Rights and Responsibilities.
   4. Sign and date the application on the bottom of the last page.
   5. Include the most recent copy of your heating and electric bills.
   6. Address your own envelope using the local energy assistance provider address in your area.  To find the provider to contact,  click here:  Provider Lists 
   7. Add postage and mail the application with copies of income documentation and energy bills.

Using the Active Application (you can fill this out using your computer):

   1. Get the application from the column to the right, click your language choice, open and print the application. Follow the instructions on page 5-6. (Form is temporarily unavailable while it is being updated.)
   2. Fill out the application on you computer.  Use the tab key or mouse to move from field to field. Click the mouse or hit enter to put a mark in a box.
   3. Print pages 1-4 of the completed application and then sign and date it on page 4.
   4. Read the Rights and Responsibilities (pp. 7-8)
   5. Include  the most recent copy of your heating and electric bills
   6. Address your own envelope using the local energy assistance provider address in your area.  To find the provider to contact,  click here:  Provider Lists
   7. Add postage and mail the application with copies of income documentation and energy bills.



   

 

http://www.dhr.state.md.us/ohep/index.php

Click the link if you need help with heating bills, electric bills, weatherization assistance and utility service protection program.

 Office of Home Energy Programs

The OFFICE OF HOME ENERGY PROGRAMS (OHEP) helps low-income Maryland citizens pay their heating bills, minimize heating crises, and make energy costs more affordable. A comprehensive energy package, which includes the MARYLAND ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM & THE ELECTRIC UNIVERSAL SERVICE PROGRAM, has links to the community and the customer. These programs promote energy conservation, customer financial responsibility and energy independence.
MARYLAND ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (MEAP)

The MARYLAND ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (MEAP) provides assistance with home heating bills. Limited assistance is available to replace broken or inefficient furnaces.

For information contact the Local Home Energy Programs Office in your area, or call 1-800-352-1446. (For the hearing impaired, 1-800-925-4434). An Application for Assistance can also be had on the Downloadable Applications and Brochures page of this web site.
ELECTRIC UNIVERSAL SERVICE PROGRAM (EUSP)

The ELECTRIC UNIVERSAL SERVICE PROGRAM (EUSP) is a state program that is administered by the Department of Human Resources to assist eligible low-income electric customers with their electric bills. Assistance is available whether you are an active customer or you are currently without service. Eligible electric customers may receive help in three ways:

   1. Help to pay current electric bills;
   2. Help to pay past due electric bills; and,
   3. Help with energy efficiency measures to reduce future electric bills.

For information contact the Local Home Energy Programs Office in your area, or call 1-800-352-1446. (For the hearing impaired, 1-800-925-4434). An Application for Assistance can also be had on the Downloadable Applications and Brochures page of this web site.
WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (WAP)

The WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (WAP) has moved to the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). OHEP will continue to refer eligible customers to WAP. WAP may provide home weatherization services to eligible individuals such as weather stripping, caulking, plastic window covering, etc. to help make your home or apartment more fuel efficient and comfortable at no cost. For additional information please call 1800-638-7781 or log on to www.dhcd.state.md.us
UTILITY SERVICE PROTECTION PROGRAM (USPP)

The UTILITY SERVICE PROTECTION PROGRAM (USPP) protects low-income families from utility cut-offs and allows MEAP eligible households to enter into a year-round even monthly payment program with their utility company. An equal monthly payment plan based on the estimated cost of the customer's average annual utility usage minus the MEAP benefit will be used to determine the even monthly payments for participation in the USPP.

For information contact the Local Home Energy Programs Office in your area, or call 1-800-352-1446. (For the hearing impaired, 1-800-925-4434). An Application for Assistance can also be had on the Downloadable Applications and Brochures page of this web site.