Comptroller Stringer Calls on City to Provide Air Conditioners to Low-Income and Vulnerable New Yorkers Ahead of the Summer Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

(New York, NY) – Today, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer sent a letter to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York City Human Resources Administration Commissioner Steve Banks urging the City to strengthen the federal Cooling Assistance Benefit program in order to provide air conditioners to New Yorkers who cannot afford them but are at risk of a heat-related illness, especially in light of the COVID-19 outbreak. The letter emphasizes that the sweltering summer heat will only be compounded by anticipated shelter-in-place and social distancing measures and will place many seniors and vulnerable New Yorkers at risk for heat stroke at home, particularly if City cooling centers are not viewed as safe and beaches and pools remain closed.

“The City’s COVID-19 response has to account for our most vulnerable populations—at every turn. If the current crisis has taught us anything, it’s the importance of planning and preparation, especially when it comes to equipment that can literally save lives. And let’s be clear, a serious heat wave can be deadly for people at risk. We can’t allow this summer’s heat to put seniors or other vulnerable New Yorkers with respiratory issues at heightened risk just because they are sheltering in their homes to try to stop the spread,” said New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. “Air conditioners are not a luxury in this environment, but a public health necessity, and they must be provided to all those who qualify for this life-saving program. It’s time for urgency—and strategic, forward-looking planning to get ahead of this problem now—before the summer arrives.”

In New York City, more than 80 percent of heat stroke deaths in recent years involved victims who were exposed to heat in homes without air conditioning, according to the New York City Health Department. In three out of the past five years in New York City, there were 20 or more days when the temperature exceeded 90 degrees in Central Park. Those most vulnerable to extreme heat overlap with groups that face negative health outcomes related to COVID-19 – namely older adults, people with chronic medical conditions or mental health conditions, and the socially isolated. Several neighborhoods with low penetration of air conditioners align with neighborhoods home to low-income, communities of color such as Brownsville, Mott Haven, Melrose, Hunts Point, and Longwood, demonstrating the clear need for a City subsidy that can help make air conditioners affordable and accessible.

Considering these vulnerable populations are at high risk of heat stroke, Comptroller Stringer urged the City to commit additional City funds to help buttress the federal Cooling Assistance Benefit, which provides up to $800 per household to purchase an air conditioner or fan to low-income families who can document an illness that is exacerbated by heat. The benefit, which is part of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LI-HEAP), is not available to undocumented people and is disbursed on a first-come, first-serve basis. The City presently has about $4 million in undisbursed LI-HEAP dollars, a sum which may prove insufficient given the current crisis.

Comptroller Stringer asked the Mayor to commit to backstopping the program so that in case of heightened demand due to COVID-19 protocols, every New Yorker – including undocumented residents – can qualify for an air conditioner, assuming they meet all income and health eligibility requirements. He also urged the City to begin now to stockpile air conditioners for use in the program to mitigate supply chain issues. By proactively purchasing air conditioners, the City can seek out the most energy efficient options that will help relieve strain on the electricity grid.

Comptroller Stringer’s letter also called on the City to work with the State’s Public Service Commission and Con Edison to provide payment relief for all recipients of these air conditioning units, due to a potential reluctance to turn the unit on at maximum capacity to avoid additional electricity charges.

To read Comptroller Stringer’s letter to the City, click here.
https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/emergency-preparedness/emergencies-extreme-weather-heat.page

[1] https://www.weather.gov/media/okx/Climate/CentralPark/90DegreeDays.pdf

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