Weatherization Assistance Program

The NYS Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) is the largest residential energy conservation program in the country. NYS WAP assists income-eligible homeowners and some renters* in our state by reducing heating and cooling costs through energy-conservation measures, while also addressing health and safety issues in their homes.

NYS WAP services are prioritized to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool homes, supply hot water, and provide lighting. The aim is to reduce energy consumption while minimizing the impact of higher fuel costs on low-income families now and in the future.

The Weatherization Assistance Program is administered in New York State by New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), through the Office of Housing Preservation. The Program provides energy services to income-eligible individuals and families to improve the energy efficiency of their homes and to reduce their household expenditures for fuel. Since the inception of the Program in 1977, more than 744,000 housing units in New York State have been made more energy efficient due to the investment of Weatherization Program funds, provided by both the US Department of Energy (DOE) and Health and Human Services (HHS), which provides HEAP funds to the NY State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).”

Both privately owned single-family and multi-family buildings are assisted. The NYS WAP also helps reduce energy costs of affordable housing developed or supervised by HCR. Homeowners, affordable housing developers, property managers, and other housing and community development agencies are encouraged to contact their local NYS WAP provider for more information.

The Weatherization programs scope and mission are aligned with NY State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019 (CLCPA), (https://climate.ny.gov/) which targets a 40% reduction of greenhouse gases by 2030, and at least an 85% reduction by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. These ambitious State goals are critical for housing, as more than 30% of the State’s greenhouse gas emissions are from the buildings sector, with 60% of those emissions coming from fossil fuel burning heating appliances. Weatherization services focus on improving a home's building envelope, reducing overall energy load and utility cost burden, and in some cases the scopes of work help to make a home or unit of housing electric-ready or partially electric when some systems are replaced with electric appliances. The Weatherization program plays a critical role in reaching the States 2 Million Climate Friendly Homes goal by 2030, a key housing milestone to reach the CLCPA’s green-house gas emission reduction targets.

Program Funding Overview

The Weatherization Program manages multiple contracts within a program year to deliver energy efficiency services across the State to low-income families in single family and multi-family buildings. The following contract sources are described in more detailed under the Resources for Weatherization Providers Page:

  1. DOE: //www.energy.gov/
  1. HEAP: The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) can help eligible New Yorkers heat and cool their homes. If you are eligible, you may receive one regular HEAP benefit per program year and could also be eligible for emergency HEAP benefits if you are in danger of running out of fuel or having your utility service shut off. https://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/
  2. S.E.R.C.: On December 15, 2021, the Weatherization Assistance Program of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) announced the Sustainable Energy Resources for Consumers (SERC) Grant Application, which authorized local weatherization providers to expand the WAP for “materials, benefits, and renewable and domestic energy technologies not currently covered.”
  3. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) is a Stimulus program from DOE under the Inflation Reduction Act. New York State DHCR’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) will distribute $289,714,086 of BIL funds for the purpose of enhancing energy efficiency to provide relief from high energy burden through savings and improvements to the homes of low-income families in the most disadvantaged communities (DACs) in all 62 counties of NYS.
  1. ARPA: The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 allocated additional funding to states to support heat and energy conservation programs for low-income households, including the federally funded Weatherization Assistance Program.
  1. WRF: Weatherization Readiness Funds (WRF) are a supplemental allocation from DOE. The WRF is being used to address structural and/or health and safety repairs required in homes in order to prevent eligible WAP units from being deferred due to work scopes beyond WAP

Additional information on the program year and funding can be found in the most recent State Plan. https://hcr.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/08/2022-final-new-york-state-plan-081122.pdf

Annual Reporting:

Weatherization Assistance Program spent $68.8 million in Program Year 2021 (April 2021 – March 2022)

In the last Weatherization program year, HCR completed 7,485 units which impacted 1,919 single family, 4,544 multi-family, and 567 mobile home units across 62 counties.

The program served the following household types: 3936 units of housing for seniors; 2106 units for persons with disabilities; and 3285 households with children. The program is estimated to have saved 200,000 MMBTU through the energy efficiency measures that were completed in these homes; this is equivalent of more than 2,000 metric tons of Carbon Dioxide.

Coming Soon, Link to PY21 Annual Report

The sections below will help you: (1) Read about the NYS plan to implement the Wx Program; (2) Learn if you qualify and apply for services; find a local weatherization provider; (3) Locate Program Forms, Guidance & Information for WAP Providers.

* Renters in the 5 boroughs of NYC are not individually eligible for WAP services