HEAP delay leaves NY households at risk. Here's what utilities are doing

Many New Yorkers may face increased difficulty paying their utility bills this month as Home Energy Assistance Program , or HEAP, funding is currently frozen due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.

The annual application window typically opens in early November but will be “delayed indefinitely until the Trump Administration and Washington Republicans act to end the government shutdown and fund the program,” according to the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

The state says the postponement will make it harder for the over 1.5 million New York households that depend on the program to afford their utility bills and heat their homes during the winter months.

Here’s how utilities are trying to help New Yorkers who rely on HEAP.

What is HEAP?

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