Here's how New York residents can get free A/C this summer
New York residents may be eligible for free air conditioning this summer if they meet certain criteria.
AccuWeather’s Lincoln Riddle shares tips on how to stay safe amid hot weather.
This summer, New York residents may be eligible for a free air conditioner to help combat the heat.
According to the City of New York, the cooling assistance benefit covers the full cost of one air conditioner or fan per household. Services include materials, installation, labor and removal of old units.
The benefit will cover up to $800 for a portable air conditioner, window or fan and up to $1,000 for an existing wall sleeve unit.
Air conditioning units hang on the windows of a housing project during a summer heat wave in the Bronx borough of New York on July 11, 2024.(Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Benefits are on a first-come, first-served basis, and applications opened on April 15.
The 2026 Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Summer Cooling Assistance also complies with Local Law 23, which will require owners of tenant-occupied buildings to provide cooling systems to those who request them by June 1, 2030.
Local Law 23 will also require landlords who control building temperatures to maintain them at most 78 degrees during the summer months, from June 15 to Sept. 15.
Air conditioners are displayed for sale at a Home Depot during a heat wave in Brooklyn on July 28, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Residents may qualify for free air conditioning by either meeting income limits posted on the Access NYC website or receiving other benefits such as Cash Assistance, Code A Supplemental Security Income, SNAP benefits or a HEAP Regular Benefit over $21 this program year.
To be eligible, a household member must also have a documented medical condition worsened by extreme heat, be 60-plus years of age or be under six years old. Those applying also need to be a U.S. citizen or qualified non-citizen, as well as not have a working air conditioner or have one that is at least five years old.
New Yorkers can apply online through ACCESS HRA. For more information or to apply by phone, call 718-557-1399 or visit the NYS OTDA website to learn more about the benefit.
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