Latest news with #LIHEAP
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Cooling assistance accepting appointments starting Sunday
CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) — Beginning Sunday at 7 p.m., residents can begin making appointments for the cooling assistance program administered by the Economic Opportunity Authority (EOA). Residents of Chatham County can make appointments by calling 912-721-7910. There are a limited number of appointments available, and clients must meet income guidelines and supply verifiable information. To qualify, a family's annual income must be in accordance with the fiscal year 2025 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) eligibility guidelines. Applicants will need to provide a current electrical bill, social security card for each member of the household, a picture ID and proof of income over the last 30 days for each adult. Applicants will be required to come to the EOA Cuyler building at 618 West Anderson Street for their appointments. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
News24
11-06-2025
- Politics
- News24
Looming cuts to energy aid fuel fear of 'deadly' summer in US
US President Donald Trump is seeking to end a decades-old energy assistance programme used by six million people, amid the second-warmest global temperatures on record and US electricity prices that are expected to rise more than ever in coming months. Experts warn the confluence, worsened by climate change that makes summer heat more intense and longer-lasting, could mean a deadly season for poor communities. The staff at the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance programme, known as LIHEAP, was fired in April amid mass layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The following month, Trump's budget proposal recommended eliminating LIHEAP altogether, calling it "unnecessary because States have policies preventing utility disconnection for low-income households." Residents say they are not sure how they will keep cool. "My air conditioning is my number one priority," said Venus Little, who lives in a low-income apartment complex in Washington, DC, where the windows open only a crack. Little, 58, has been using LIHEAP for years, ever since the single mother of three had her electricity cut off. Now president of her tenants' association, she worries about the effects of LIHEAP cuts at the 284-unit complex, where renters already struggle with "sky-high" utility rates. "That programme has made a lot of difference in a lot of tenants' lives," she said. "I can't even find the words. It's cold-hearted." The programme's future rests with federal lawmakers as they seek to accommodate Trump's expansive effort to shrink the government. HHS did not respond to a request for comment. "This isn't just cutting LIHEAP. You're cutting the financial infrastructure of low-income families," said Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA). "It's the elderly, the disabled, families with young children – these are very vulnerable families." Utility rates have been rising faster than inflation, he said, with one in six US households behind on utility bills and collectively owing some $21 billion – the highest number Wolfe and his colleagues have tracked. Prices for cooling could hit record highs in coming months, NEADA said in an outlook co-published in May, warning that for poor households, the summer could be "deadly". Heat does kill. In New York, an estimated 350 residents die each year due to extreme heat, according to the city's 2024 Heat-Related Mortality Report. Lack of access to air conditioning at home is the most significant risk factor, it said. People in 'danger' When LIHEAP was created in the 1980s, it was intended primarily to help with heating during cold months but since then, summers have become more blistering. Heat waves in 2023 led to more than 2,300 deaths nationwide, a 117% increase since 1999, according to a study last year of federal data. The share of low-income families using central air conditioning rose from 8.5% in 1979 to more than half in 2020, according to federal statistics, with cooling expenditures growing almost six-fold from 1985 to 2022. Last year LIHEAP was funded at about $4 billion, and local officials say there is no way states or cities could replace the federal money even as they play larger roles in funding energy efficiency and other efforts to bring down electricity prices. "We need their partnership – it's devastating," said Lorig Charkoudian, a state delegate in the Maryland General Assembly. "People are in danger this summer," she said. "If people can't keep their electricity running to get air conditioning, there will be people who will end up in the hospital, complicating their medication situation at a much higher financial cost to society than the cost of LIHEAP." Although Washington and 17 states ban utilities from shutting off electricity during summer months, 33 states have no such protections, according to the NEADA. In Washington, lawmakers also are seeking to ban evictions during heat waves, similar to rules under freezing temperatures. Texas city mandates air conditioning In Austin, Texas, residents have a new rule on their side this summer: a mandate that all residences have working air conditioning. One of a rising number of cities to take such a step, Austin has seen record heat waves in recent years and a rise in heat-related health cases. Tenants pressured landlords to take action on cooling, said Vanessa Fuentes, Austin mayor pro tem and a city council member. Fuentes spearheaded the new law, which she said empowers renters "to report to the city and file a complaint that air conditioning has not been installed or properly updated" when temperatures rise above 29 degrees Celsius). Some landlords have expressed concern over the expense of upgrading older buildings and say existing laws sufficed. Fuentes said Austin has a publicly owned utility and is able to provide assistance not dependent on LIHEAP, but the surrounding county works with the federal programme and is home to many of the area's lowest-income families. Federal cuts "will make it harder for them to keep the lights on and stay safe in their homes," Fuentes said.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bipartisan lawmakers seek to reverse Trump's staff cuts at program that helps Americans afford heat, air conditioning
A bipartisan set of lawmakers is introducing a bill that seeks to reverse the Trump administration's staffing cuts at a program that helps Americans afford heat and air conditioning. Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) are introducing legislation aimed at undoing staff cuts at the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The Trump administration fired every staffer who works on the program as part of larger staff cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and has proposed zeroing out LIHEAP's budget. The Lawler-Gottheimer bill, which was first shared with The Hill, requires HHS to have at least 20 people working on the program, 60 percent of whom cannot be contractors. In an emergency, 30 people would have to be employed as part of the program. It's not entirely clear whether the legislation could actually pass or whether it might be attached to any larger bills. However, it represents a signal that the Trump administration's move to fire the LIHEAP staffers is generating at least some Republican pushback. 'Nearly 6 million families nationwide — and 240,000 in Jersey — rely on LIHEAP to keep the heat on in the winter and the AC running in the summer,' Gottheimer said in a written statement. 'President Trump is hell-bent on dismantling this critical program, firing its entire staff back in April and proposing to eliminate LIHEAP completely in his budget to Congress. My new bipartisan bill will stop these reckless cuts and ensure that no family is left in the cold or heat without help.' 'I'm proud to co-lead this bipartisan bill to fix LIHEAP's staffing crisis, ensuring Hudson Valley families get the energy assistance they need to stay warm this winter,' Lawler said in a written statement. 'With minimum staffing requirements and smart use of contractors, we're tackling inefficiency and protecting our most vulnerable who depend on it.' Asked about the cuts of the program during a recent congressional hearing, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. argued that cost savings from President Trump's energy policies would make it redundant. 'President Trump's rationale and OMB's rationale is that President Trump's energy policies are going to lower the cost of energy so that everybody will get lower costs…and in that case this program would simply be another subsidy to the fossil fuel industry,' he said, referring to the Office of Management and Budget. 'If that doesn't happen and Congress chooses to appropriate the money, I, of course, will spend it,' he added. The introduction of the legislation also comes as Gottheimer is running for governor of New Jersey in a crowded Democratic field. Both lawmakers currently represent swing districts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
09-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Bipartisan lawmakers seek to reverse Trump's staff cuts at program that helps Americans afford heat, air conditioning
A bipartisan set of lawmakers is introducing a bill that seeks to reverse the Trump administration's staffing cuts at a program that helps Americans afford heat and air conditioning. Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) are introducing legislation aimed at undoing staff cuts at the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The Trump administration fired every staffer who works on the program as part of larger staff cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and has proposed zeroing out LIHEAP's budget. The Lawler-Gottheimer bill, which was first shared with The Hill, requires HHS to have at least 20 people working on the program, 60 percent of whom cannot be contractors. In an emergency, 30 people would have to be employed as part of the program. It's not entirely clear whether the legislation could actually pass or whether it might be attached to any larger bills. However, it represents a signal that the Trump administration's move to fire the LIHEAP staffers is generating at least some Republican pushback. 'Nearly 6 million families nationwide — and 240,000 in Jersey — rely on LIHEAP to keep the heat on in the winter and the AC running in the summer,' Gottheimer said in a written statement. 'President Trump is hell-bent on dismantling this critical program, firing its entire staff back in April and proposing to eliminate LIHEAP completely in his budget to Congress. My new bipartisan bill will stop these reckless cuts and ensure that no family is left in the cold or heat without help.' 'I'm proud to co-lead this bipartisan bill to fix LIHEAP's staffing crisis, ensuring Hudson Valley families get the energy assistance they need to stay warm this winter,' Lawler said in a written statement. 'With minimum staffing requirements and smart use of contractors, we're tackling inefficiency and protecting our most vulnerable who depend on it.' Asked about the cuts of the program during a recent congressional hearing, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. argued that cost savings from President Trump's energy policies would make it redundant. 'President Trump's rationale and OMB's rationale is that President Trump's energy policies are going to lower the cost of energy so that everybody will get lower costs…and in that case this program would simply be another subsidy to the fossil fuel industry,' he said, referring to the Office of Management and Budget. 'If that doesn't happen and Congress chooses to appropriate the money, I, of course, will spend it,' he added. The introduction of the legislation also comes as Gottheimer is running for governor of New Jersey in a crowded Democratic field. Both lawmakers currently represent swing districts.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
With sale of Borinquen Apartments, New England Farm Workers Council pays off debt to state over misspent money
SPRINGFIELD – The New England Farm Workers sold the Borinquen Apartments in the North End this week to the building's longtime managers for $1.36 million. The sale of the 23-unit building at 2772 Main St. helps pay off the last of a $1.8 million debt owed to the state over misspent fuel assistance funds, says Daniel Knapik, the former Westfield mayor brought in to liquidate the nonprofit's real estate and satisfy the state. The state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities filed a release of the farm workers group's mortgage Tuesday in the Hampden County Registry of Deeds, confirming that the debt has been satisfied. The buyers are Isla Associates 1 and its manager, Maggie Rivera. The $1.36 million sale nearly completes the unwinding of a real estate portfolio amassed by Heriberto 'Herbie' Flores, the former head of the farm workers. In an emailed response to questions, Rivera referred to ongoing litigation seeking to block the sale of properties in the Brightwood area spurred by the involvement of Flores, founder of the farmworkers group. 'I am a property manager by trade. I never had ambition to own property. For over 30 years, I've worked to help improve quality of life for people less blessed than I,' she wrote. 'At some point, the asset became transactional. Brightwood properties that were once developed to promote our neighborhood were being sold. Once that happens, priorities shift, and the community loses its voice,' Rivera wrote. 'Borinquen was not under the protection of litigation as other Brightwood-owned properties in the community. So, we stepped up.' She said company Isla had credibility with U.S. Housing and Urban Development and with the state. This made the transaction easier. 'I love what I do, I love the people I work for,' Rivera wrote. 'Wealth comes in many forms. The day after closing will be just another workday. I will continue to zealously advocate for our residents their homes and the preservation of property intended for our community.' Knapik addressed what remains to be sold. 'Looking back, it's not overly complicated,' said Knapik, who headed the farm workers for about four years until leaving for a new job. 'Properties were bought with the mindset that the farm workers would operate services out of the properties, either them or an affiliate.' But the group lost contracts with the state and federal governments to perform services and it lost business tenants with the pandemic. 'They were left with all these buildings and no way to pay for them,' he said. The farm workers council was once the local administrators for LIHEAP, the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program that helps people with energy bills in winter. But auditors say the group inappropriately spent $1.8 million in LIHEAP funds to prop pup other operations. The group had to pledge its real estate portfolio as collateral until it paid off the debt, a promise in the form of a mortgage in 2023. The properties included not only Borinquen but also the Paramount Theatre, Massasoit House and the massive complex at 1618 Main St. where The Student Prince Café and The Fort are located. Both have already sold, the Paramount to a Connecticut family that plans to take on a failed redevelopment project and the The Fort to the same team of investors who saved the restaurant business and were renting from the farm workers nonprofit. Besides programming, Flores' group held contracts with federal and state government tenants, including the Massachusetts Lottery. Knapik, who is now a consultant with the farm workers, said there are only a few properties remaining in the group's portfolio. That includes 217-225 High St. in Holyoke, a former bank building that has not sold at repeated auctions. The organization still owns vacant lots in Springfield's heavily Hispanic North End near the Borinquen. Those properties will be sold, Knapik said. The money will be put towards paying off other debts. In addition to the LIHEAP debt, the sale of real estate has also funded $3.19 million in mortgage loan payoffs of various buildings. That money was owed to Westfield Bank, TD Bank North, Community Bank and Berkshire Bank, Knapik said. Further, the city of Springfield has been paid $214,235.91 to cover a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development loan. That money came from the sale of a property at 21-23 Hampden St. in Springfield, the Shakago Bar and Grill building. The group also owed over $500,000 in property taxes. Just the sale of the Borinquen was a complex transaction, Knapik said. Out of the purchase price for the Borinquen, Isla paid the state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities nearly $69,0000 to cover back fees for tax credit asset management. These fees are related to a 2013 rehab of the property funded in part with tax credits. The farm workers netted $1.3 million from the sale. Of that, $576,000 went to pay off the LIHEAP debt. The City of Springfield was paid $50,000 for an outstanding HUD loan. Westfield Bank was paid $603,000 on five separate loans. Legal fees associated with the transaction were $61,000 going back to a letter of intent with another potential purchaser in 2023. The farm workers negotiated with Isla and the other potential buyer for years, Knapik said. The Borinquen was once known as the Hooker Apartments, named apparently in honor of Civil War general and Hadley native Joseph Hooker. It was built in 1908. Today, it's a neatly kept property with families seen coming and going and a first-floor laundromat. PeoplesBank buys naming rights to Hartford arena Residential retrofitting program turns on high-speed internet for Bay Meadow Apts. in Springfield Chicopee budget up 6% on personnel, police costs; mayor proposes $3M to defray taxes Read the original article on MassLive. Sign in to access your portfolio
