The federally-funded Home Energy Assistance Program meant to help low-income New Yorkers keep their homes warm ran out of money this week, the Daily News has learned — as the city remains mired in a prolonged spell of freezing temperatures. The lack of funds for HEAP — a pot of money meant to help pay for air conditioning in the summer and home heating in the winter — means the state program stopped accepting applications for assistance Tuesday, and will not reopen for the rest of the winter. Meanwhile, temperatures at the National Weather Service’s Central Park weather station have not gone above freezing all week, and are expected to remain below 32 degrees until Sunday. By law, applications for HEAP assistance open each year in early November, and remain open until the funds run out. Ice is pictured in the Hudson River Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in New York City. (Barry Williams / New York Daily News) This year, the program opened on Nov. 1 2024, meaning applications were being accepted for less than 12 weeks before funding lapsed. The state’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, which administers the program, did not immediately respond Wednesday when asked how much money had been allocated for the program this year. Bronx Councilwoman Diana Ayala, who chairs the City Council’s General Welfare Committee, said HEAP already running out of money is a sign lawmakers should consider increasing the program’s funding. “The fact that we’re running out of money is indicative of the high need,” she said. “That should trigger a conversation about an enhancement in the budget for this program specifically.” Individuals making less than $3,322 a month — or families of four with a monthly household income below $6,390 — are eligible for assistance under HEAP. The lack of funds means the state’s Home Energy Assistance Program — a pot of money meant to help low-income New Yorkers pay for air conditioning in the summer and home heating in the winter — stopped accepting applications for assistance Tuesday, and will not reopen this winter. (Shutterstock) The amount of assistance varies based on need — from $21 for those living in government-subsidized housing whose heat is included in their rent — to over $900 for those who pay directly for oil, kerosene, or propane heat. It was not immediately clear how many households received assistance this winter before funding ran out. The state’s emergency HEAP benefits — a separate fund meant for low-income New Yorkers who have run out of fuel or have had their heat cut off — remains open to applications.