Program That Helps New Yorkers Pay Winter Heating Bills Delayed by Federal Shutdown, Gov. Says

"Nearly 1 million New York City households relied on the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (known as LIHEAP, or HEAP) last winter to help afford their energy costs, more than any other region in the state. Applications for this season were supposed to open Nov. 3, but are being delayed for at least a few weeks-or until the federal government reopens and reallocates funding, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday."

""Thanks to Washington Republicans' government shutdown, hundreds of thousands of vulnerable New Yorkers are about to be left in the cold," Hochul said in a statement. "By refusing to open the government and delaying heating assistance funding, Republicans are once again willfully turning their backs on their constituents.""

"The federal government has been shutdown since Oct. 1, after Republican and Democratic lawmakers hit an impasse over healthcare spending: Democrats in Congress want to extend subsidies that help residents pay for health services under the Affordable Care Act, to avoid huge hikes in people's monthly premiums. Other public programs are also at risk, should the closure continue: funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, is due to run out Nov. 1, meaning more than 3 million New Yorkers could lose the benefits that help them pay for groceries each month."

Federal funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP/HEAP) is paused because of the federal government shutdown, leaving applications for winter heating assistance on hold until funding resumes. Nearly 1 million New York City households used LIHEAP last winter to help afford energy costs. Applications that were scheduled to open Nov. 3 are delayed for weeks or until the federal government reopens and reallocates funds. The shutdown began Oct. 1 after lawmakers deadlocked over healthcare-subsidy extensions. Other programs face risk; SNAP funding is due to run out Nov. 1, potentially affecting more than 3 million New Yorkers.

Read at City Limits