NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio on Friday unveiled new a new "COVID-19 heat-wave plan" aimed towards protecting the city's most vulnerable residents as they remain at home this summer amid the coronavirus pandemic.
De Blasio announced that the city will be providing and installing new air conditioners for all low-income seniors who need them.
The city will purchase over 74,000 AC units, with 22,000 of those going to residents at NYCHA facilities, the mayor said.
Installations will start next week, according to de Blasio.
Eligible New Yorkers will be identified by NYCHA, the city's Department for the Aging (DFTA), Human Resources Administration (HRA) and Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD).
City caseworkers will conduct direct outreach to help identify those who need the AC units most.
The initiative will cost about $55 million, according to de Blasio, with $20 million of funding coming from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
Summer utility bills are typically about 20 to 30 percent higher in the summer months, and residents will likely see even higher bills this year as they remain at home all day running their AC's.
The mayor said 450,000 New Yorkers will receive a subsidy on their summer utility bills as a way to offer some relief.
The city is also petitioning the Public Service Commission to double their current commitment to subsidize bills, which would increase the customer benefit by $160 over the season.
It will also petition the state to allocate its share of federal emergency assistance from the CARES Act for summer relief efforts.
Mayor de Blasio also announced steps to prevent and respond to power outages and other ways to help get New Yorkers through the heat including ensuring cooling centers are available in hard-hit areas that take the need for social distancing and PPE into consideration.
