Massachusetts will get $159 million in federal money to distribute to families to help pay for expected steep increases in home heating costs this winter.
The state was awarded the money for its Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) late last week. Administered through the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the funding will help low-income individuals and families pay for home heating costs that are expected to jump to some of the highest levels in a decade this winter. Many homeowners are expected to pay more than 60% more this winter than last, regardless of how they heat their homes. The federal money is also used to cover unpaid utility bills and make home energy repairs.
“LIHEAP has been essential to ensuring that Massachusetts families can stay warm during the winter,” Congressman James P. McGovern said in a statement. “As Big Oil continues to rip off consumers and the war in Ukraine continues to drive up energy costs, our delegation requested an expedited release of home heating assistance, and I’m proud to see this huge amount of funding moving quickly into the hands of folks who need it.”
Congress allocated an additional $1 billion nationwide to address rising energy costs and another $100 million through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act — providing an additional cushion of home energy assistance for Massachusetts households.
The $158.9 million awarded to Massachusetts includes $118 million from regular LIHEAP funding, an extra $36 million in supplemental funding from Congress, and $3.7 million in funding from Biden’s Jobs Act.
The additional money comes about a week after the Massachusetts Housing and Community Development (DHCD) opened its LIHEAP assistance program for the 2022-2023 winter heating season.
Applications for home energy assistance are currently being accepted online, and income-eligible households may receive help from Nov. 1, 2022, through April 28, 2023. Both renters and homeowners are eligible for assistance. Depending on the heat source, households may be eligible for more than $1,000 in assistance.
To apply, visit toapply.org/MassLIHEAP, which will enable residents to search for one of the 22 agencies in the state that administer the LIHEAP funding. In Franklin and Hampshire counties and the North Quabbin region, that agency is Community Action, while in Hampden County it’s Valley Opportunity Council.
Home energy assistance is offered to households making less than 60% of state median income to address home energy costs. Eligibility for LIHEAP is based on several factors, including household size and combined gross annual income of residents 18 and older. The program provides assistance for all sources of heat, including oil, electricity, natural gas, propane, kerosene, wood and coal. For example, a family of four, making up to $81,000 would be eligible for help.
For more than 40 years, the LIHEAP helps low-income households pay home heating and cooling bills, prevent energy shutoffs, restore services, make minor energy-related home repairs, and weatherize homes to make them more energy efficient.
“As the temperature drops, families across the Commonwealth are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of energy, caused by the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and Putin’s war of aggression in Ukraine,” Sen. Ed Markey said. “Now more than ever, we need to ensure that we’re fueling the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program with the funding and support it needs, so that it can in turn help heat households across the Commonwealth this winter.”
