The HEAP Cooling Assistance benefit provides eligible low-income households with one air conditioner or fan, installed. On June 5, the program closed for the year. The NYC Health Department called it the earliest closure on record. Summer hadn't officially started.
Demand outran funding, but the shortage is older than any single budget cycle. LIHEAP, the federal source, was designed around heating. From 2001 to 2019, 5% of national energy assistance went to cooling. Allocation formulas still weight states by winter severity.
Congress secured $4.045 billion for FY2026. All federal LIHEAP staff were fired in April 2025 and have not been rehired. The FY2027 budget proposes eliminating the program for the sixth consecutive year.
After the closure, NYC's Essential Plan Cooling Program still accepts applications from members with qualifying health conditions, though its own funding may close early. Cooling centers activate when the heat index reaches 100°F. For households that need cooling at home, overnight, the program that provided it won't reopen until spring 2027.
Benefit: Up to $800 for a window or portable AC/fan with installation; up to $1,000 for a wall sleeve unit. One per household per five years. First-come, first-served.
Eligibility: Income at or below HEAP guidelines, or receiving SNAP, or a regular HEAP benefit over $21 this program year. Requires US citizenship or qualified non-citizen status.
National scale: Nearly six million low-income households rely on LIHEAP. Total utility debt has climbed to approximately $21 billion, highest since 2021.
After the closure:
- Essential Plan Cooling Program (health-condition-dependent, limited funding)
- Cooling centers (heat index 100°F+ or 95°F+ for two consecutive days)
- NYSERDA Energy Advisor for bill assistance
- 311 for cooling center locations
- American Red Cross: 800-733-2767
- United Way: 211
Source note: National household and utility-debt figures are from NEADA, the advocacy organization for state LIHEAP directors.