More Than 50,000 Low-Income Homeowners In NYC To Receive $115 Credit On Next Water Bill
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York City has a Christmas present for nearly 52,000 homeowners who are poor, elderly or disabled: a $115 credit on their next water bill.
On Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Emily Lloyd spotlighted the credit, which was included in the city Water Board's rate plan adopted earlier this year.
"The holidays can be expensive -- and this credit will provide some much-needed relief to low-income, senior, and disabled homeowners," de Blasio said.
The credit is part of the Home Water Assistance Program, which de Blasio's administration introduced last year.
"The Home Water Assistance Program is another example of how DEP is following through on the mayor's promise to help low-income customers, while still keeping water and sewer rates affordable for all New Yorkers," said Lloyd.
About 12,500 homeowners qualified for the credit last year. Now, the city is expanding it to include all homeowners who qualified for the Federal Home Energy Assistance Program or for property tax exemptions for senior citizens or the disabled.
The DEP works with the Human Resources Administration and Department of Finance to identify qualified homeowners.
Homeowners don't have to do anything to sign up for the credit, which will appear on the next water or sewer bill for anyone who qualified.
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