MONTICELLO, NY — The Emergency Component of the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) opens on Monday, January 4, 2016. If a resident has already received a Regular HEAP benefit for the 2015-2016 season, the resident may be eligible for another benefit under the emergency component of HEAP. Regular component benefits must be exhausted first to be eligible for the heating emergencies component for eligible households.

Emergency benefits are available to assist eligible households in resolving heating, heat-related electric and energy-related temporary housing emergencies. An applicant must be in an emergency situation defined as one of the following:

1) Less than one-quarter tank of oil, kerosene, or propane

2) Less than a 10-day supply of any other deliverable fuel source

3) The natural gas or electric service for heat or heat-related electric service is terminated or scheduled for termination

4) There is a need of a propane tank deposit to obtain a new propane tank and set it up due to a supplier’s termination of an account

5) There is a need of temporary relocation due to an energy-related emergency

Monthly income eligibility is up to $2,244 for a household of one and is increased by $690 for each additional member of the household. To be eligible for an Emergency HEAP benefit, the applicant must be the customer of record, meet the monthly income eligibility, not have available liquid resources greater than $2,000 (or $3,000 if the household contains an individual age 60 or older), and meet all other non- financial requirements.

The heating emergency benefits are $350 for natural gas heat only, $490 for electric heat and natural gas with domestic electric, $500 for wood, pellets, coal, or corn, and $575 for oil, kerosene, or propane. There is a benefit of $140 available for heat-related electric emergencies. Additionally, there are benefits available for temporary relocation and propane tank deposits.