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Bill would add cooling assistance and fan purchases to Massachusetts low-income energy program
Summary
A bill filed Jan. 17, 2025, would create a low-income cooling assistance program under the Department of Housing and Community Development to provide up to $500 for air-conditioning units or fans and dedicate at least 10% of LIHEAP funds to cooling needs, with eligibility and reporting requirements.
A bill filed Jan. 17, 2025, by Representative Homar Gómez and Adam Gomez would expand the state’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to create a low-income cooling assistance program administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development.
The measure would authorize the undersecretary of the Department of Housing and Community Development to operate a program, in accordance with the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. §§8621–8630), that covers purchase and installation costs for an air-conditioning unit, ceiling fans, or box fans and contributes to electric bills when used for cooling. The bill sets a per-household cap of $500 for unit and fan purchases and installations.
Under the proposal, a household would be eligible if its income does not exceed 60% of state median income and if the applicant is the homeowner or provides a landlord’s written statement permitting installation of a window air-conditioning unit; the bill specifies that landlords’ written consent is not required for box fans. The department would be required each fiscal year to dedicate at least 10% of funds allocated for LIHEAP to the cooling program, distribute funds to all geographic regions of the commonwealth, and give priority to “underserved communities/disproportionately impacted areas” based on income, housing infrastructure and density, and climate.
The bill also would require the undersecretary to submit an annual report to the Joint Committee on Housing and the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means summarizing program activity, including the number of applicants and accepted applications, a list of participating retailers and assisting entities, the total number of air-conditioning units and box fans distributed, and the program’s costs.
The filing lists Representatives Homar Gómez and Adam Gomez as presenters and identifies the measure as a joint petition placed before the Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy committee. The text as filed would add a new Section 24C to Chapter 23B of the Massachusetts General Laws and references the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act.
The bill must proceed through committee review, possible amendment, and votes in both chambers before becoming law; the text as filed sets program parameters but does not appropriate new funds beyond the existing LIHEAP allocation mechanism.
