The following persons may be eligible for LIHEAP benefits, if they are otherwise eligible:
LIHEAP State Plan § 601.31(2)(i)
Homeowners
Renters
Renters who pay for heat indirectly as an undesignated part of rent are eligible for LIHEAP benefits if they are otherwise eligible. The primary heating source for these households is the heating source that is included in rent.
Roomers
An individual who has an agreement with an unrelated landlord or property owner to rent a room. Their payment for lodging includes heat and may include a private bathroom or board, kitchen or bathroom privileges on a shared basis, or light housekeeping facilities.
NOTE: Roomers must be able to provide written verification from the property owner/ landlord upon request from the CAO.
Roomers who pay for their lodging in either a commercial establishment or a private home that is their permanent and primary home may be eligible for LIHEAP benefits, including individuals staying in a hotel or motel long-term.
Roomers are ineligible if their charge for room or room and board includes an undesignated amount for their primary fuel and is based on a fixed percentage of their income or on their source of income. Roomers should not have any utility bills in their name. If they do, they are not considered roomers.
Subsidized housing tenants
Residents of subsidized housing are eligible for LIHEAP if they are billed for heating costs separately from rent.
Subsidized-housing tenants are ineligible for LIHEAP if their rental charge includes an undesignated amount for heat and is based on a fixed percentage of their income or on their source of income.
NOTE: If a household in subsidized housing that pays for rent and utilities as a fixed portion of its income becomes responsible for payment to a vendor either in full or in part for its primary heating costs, that household then becomes eligible for a Cash benefit as long as it is otherwise eligible.
NOTE: Subsidized housing tenants may be eligible for a Crisis benefit based on the relationship the households have with the vendor of their secondary heating source, provided they meet all other Crisis eligibility criteria. For example:
May be Eligible: If families residing in subsidized housing are charged for electricity based on an individual meter reading and they make a payment directly to a vendor, they are considered to have a home-heating responsibility. These households would be eligible for Cash if electricity is their primary source of heat and they met all other eligibility criteria. If electricity is their primary or secondary source of heat, they would be eligible for Crisis, assuming all other eligibility criteria are met.
Not Eligible: Households residing in public housing units with rent and utilities based on a fixed portion of their income have a set limit on the amount of electricity they may use in a given period. If the tenants exceed that amount, they are billed by the housing authority for the excess utility usage. These tenants are not considered to have a home-heating responsibility because these tenants are not responsible for payment directly to a vendor.
Updated August 20, 2024, replacing August 17, 2022