Mayor Kim Driscoll today announced that the City of Salem has directed $500,000 of its federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to supplement its existing winter heating assistance program, to help more residents this winter. The funds supplement the existing Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to enable a greater amount of support for more Salem residents facing escalating home heating bills this winter.

To apply for heating assistance, residents should contact North Shore Community Action Programs (NSCAP), the City’s partner agency in administering the funding, at https://www.nscap.org/our-programs/home-energy-assistance/ or by calling 978-548-5706. Note that the income restrictions listed on the website linked here are for the conventional LIHEAP program and will not apply to Salem residents, who instead will benefit from the more expansive ARPA income thresholds. Call NSCAP at 978-548-5706 to verify income eligibility for this expanded benefit for Salem residents.

“Salem is committed to supporting our residents in the face of increasing utility rates,” said Mayor Kim Driscoll. “These funds, which may be expanded if demand warrants, are being allocated to our home heating assistance programs to help Salem residents meet these escalating costs. I encourage every Salem resident who may need assistance with heating bills this winter to call NSCAP to find out if they might be eligible and then, if they are, to get their application in quickly.”

NSCAP’s Executive Director, Laura Meisenhelter is very pleased that there will be additional help for Salem residents who have exhausted their LIHEAP. “With sky-rocketing heating costs this year, it is especially encouraging to help with the heating bills for those people who earn just a little too much to qualify for LIHEAP,” said Meisenhelter.

“Not only does this funding increase the amount we can provide for home heating assistance this winter,” added Dominick Pangallo, Chief of Staff for the City of Salem, “because ARPA funds can help residents who make slightly above the LIHEAP income restrictions, this also means we can now provide winter heating assistance to even more Salem residents this year than we normally could with just LIHEAP alone. Salem residents can also join our electricity program, Salem PowerChoice, to possibly secure additional utility savings on their electric bills. Visit www.salemma.gov/powerchoice to find out more about that program.”

About ARPA in Salem

ARPA provides funds to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and the negative economic affects that came with it. Salem has taken a thoughtful approach to utilizing this funding and has worked intentionally with stakeholders to identify how to best support response efforts, ensure an equitable recovery, and make transformative, positive change in the many areas of concern that impact the lives and livelihoods of Salem residents. 

The City has announced major allocations of ARPA funds toward:

- Critical City capital needs (www.salemma.gov/recovery/news/city-salem-directs-arpa-funds-capital-needs)

- Business and worker recovery measures (www.salemma.gov/recovery/news/city-salem-directs-arpa-funds-business-and-workforce-recovery)

- Transportation projects (www.salemma.gov/recovery/news/city-salem-directs-arpa-funds-transportation-needs)

- Food security efforts (https://www.salemma.gov/recovery/news/city-salem-directs-arpa-funds-food-security)

- Affordable housing (https://www.salemma.gov/recovery/news/city-salem-directs-over-9-million-arpa-funds-affordable-housing)

- Health and equity (https://www.salemma.gov/recovery/news/city-salem-directs-arpa-funds-health-equity-work)

Find out more about ARPA in Salem at www.salemma.gov/recovery.