Low-income New Yorkers could struggle to beat the heat due to Trump cuts, Schumer says

As temperatures and utility bills rise this summer, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer from New York is warning that thousands of low-income families in New York City and Long Island could struggle to stay cool due to Trump administration cuts to a federal energy assistance program.

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, also known as LIHEAP, helps households across the country pay for their cooling and heating costs — and avoid utility shutoffs — through funding passed on to states. In New York, more than 1.7 million benefits were approved in fiscal year 2023, according to Schumer’s office.

But in April, the Trump administration fired the program’s staff at the Department of Health and Human Services, putting its future in question. Schumer said the move jeopardized millions of dollars in funding for New York that had yet to be distributed.

“A ‘summer of swelter’ looks to be in store for New Yorkers and others around the country unless the Trump administration restores critical federal dollars and just-fired staff at the LIHEAP office that helps over 1 million households across NYC and Long Island alone keep the air conditioner going on hot summer days,” he said in a statement Sunday.

“Seniors, young children, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses,” he added. “Without LIHEAP assistance, many families may be forced to choose between paying for air conditioning and other necessities such as food and medications.”

The Democratic Senate minority leader said Trump’s budget package, currently moving through Congress, would, if passed, eliminate the program’s funding and reduce clean energy investments, which could lead to higher energy bills. The package is with the Senate after passing the House last month and could still be amended.

The White House and the Health and Human Services Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The administration has defended its various cuts this year as a way to boost government efficiency.

Schumer’s warnings come as New Yorkers’ energy costs continue to increase. New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander called attention earlier this week to a “triple whammy” of factors that could result in more heat-related deaths, citing those rising costs as well as the Trump administration’s LIHEAP cuts and hotter temperatures from climate change.

Meanwhile, utility Con Edison is seeking double-digit rate hikes for electric and gas customers. However, these have sparked broad criticism and are likely to be negotiated down during the state’s approval process.

Lander’s office found that 3.5 million New York City residents, or 42%, have fallen behind on utility payments in the last five years, and 23% have had their utilities shut off at some point.

“We lose more lives to heat than any other climate catastrophe,” he told Gothamist in an interview. “Hundreds of New Yorkers have already died from heat emergencies, from heat stroke, and if people can't afford their air conditioning, then many more will die.”