Heitkamp Announces Federal Funding to Help North Dakotans Cool their Homes during Summer

WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 5, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today announced more than $35,000 in federal funding to help low-income families, seniors, and Native American tribes across North Dakota cool their homes during the coming summer months.

The funding, which includes more than $8,000 for Native American tribes across the state, helps low-income families afford to cool their homes in the summer and heat them in the winter. Today’s announcement follows Heitkamp repeatedly pressing federal officials to release funds to help families and seniors heat and cool their homes and pay their energy bills.

“We know the winter months in North Dakota can be dangerously cold for many families, but we can’t forget that high temperatures in the summer can also be challenging,” said Heitkamp. “These funds are critical for low-income folks in communities throughout our state and in Indian Country to help them afford to cool their homes during the warm summer months. Cooled homes are a necessity for many North Dakotans who live with certain medical conditions, and these funds are often the only way low-income individuals and families can get the air conditioning or cooling fans they need to stay safe. All eligible North Dakotans should apply to receive these funds.”

Last October, Heitkamp and a bipartisan group of Senators pressed U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell to release this funding as quickly and at the highest level possible. Less than two weeks later, HHS released more than $23 million in funding for North Dakota, and released more than $2.2 million in additional funding in January.

North Dakotans can learn more about home heating assistance eligibility and apply for assistance by clicking here. To ask questions or to receive help filling out an application, individuals not living on Indian reservations can contact their local County Social Service Office. Individuals living on Indian reservations can contact their local tribal offices.

The funds are made available through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP is a block grant program under which the federal government gives annual grants to states, territories, and Indian tribal organizations to operate home energy assistance programs for needy households.