HEAP Cooling Assistance Applications

Where to send HEAP cooling assistance applications?

The simple answer is that the mailing address for applications is:

HRA/HEAP

P.O. Box 1401

Church Street Station

New York, NY 10008

And the number to call to request an application or for further information is (212) 835-7216.

According to the New York State website -- and some employees at the HEAP office in Albany -- all applications are to be submitted in person at a local HEAP office.  But this is not true in New York City! All NYC applications must be mailed.

Which application(s) must an applicant submit?

If the applicant received HEAP this past winter OR receives SNAP benefits, the applicant may submit the simple 2-pp. Cooling Assistance Application along with: a) a medical note; and b) the Vendor List.  (See below for a link to this list.)

All other applicants must submit the 2-pp. Cooling Assistance Application AND the full 5-pp. HEAP application, along with the medical note, Vendor List, and other required documentation.  (See below for instructions.)  Again, these applicants must submit BOTH applications.

Where can applicants obtain the necessary forms and information?

The HEAP office was unable to locate for me a web link to any of the required forms except the short form (even though HRA staff insisted to me that everything is available online).  But I have assembled them for you here:

Click here for the 2-pp. Cooling Assistance Application.

Click here for the full HEAP application.

Click here for the Vendor List.

Click here for HRA's instructions for applicants already receiving HEAP or SNAP benefits.

Click here for HRA's instructions for applicants NOT already receiving HEAP or SNAP benefits.

Where should applications be mailed?

Here is the mailing address for all applications:

HRA/HEAP

P.O. Box 1401

Church Street Station

New York, NY 10008

Other important information!

Please note these other important items:

• All applicants must make a mark on the Vendor List next to their choice of vendor (the vendor is company/organization that will install the cooling equipment).  Applicants may simply choose the vendor nearest their home.
• If HRA receives an application that is missing information or is otherwise problematic, I am told that HRA will place the application in "pending" status and will telephone the applicant.  If the applicant would like HRA to contact someone else, like a social worker, about the application, the applicant should write this on a Post-it and place the Post-it on the front of the application.  Note, however, that the long-form HEAP application has on its p. 4 a section where an "Authorized Representative" may be named.  Applicants submitting only the short-form application do not have this option.
• If you want to speak with someone at HRA about any of this, call (212) 835-7216.  Do NOT call the HRA Infoline, which I have learned is fulfilling requests for blank applications by mailing out incomplete document packages and misleading information.  (For example, they're sending out lists of HEAP centers, all of which are closed for the winter!) I have alerted the HEAP Director's office to this problem and am told that they will follow up.

-Alexander H. Ryley Director, Elderly Project Volunteers of Legal Service