Lynn bracing for home heating crisis

LYNN – With heating oil reaching record prices, Lynn Economic Opportunity, Inc. (LEO) Executive Director John Mogielnicki said he is anticipating a crisis for low-income residents who can’t afford to heat their homes.In an attempt to find a solution, Mogielnicki said an Emergency Heating Summit designed to garner input from city officials, is scheduled for Dec. 18 at noon in Lynn Arts’ Black Box Theater, 25 Exchange St.”I don’t know how we’re going to do it, because right now we have just enough money to help out our poorest clients,” Mogielnicki said. “We’re looking at this as a federal responsibility, but they’re not stepping up.”Without enough money to heat their homes, Mogielnicki said numerous households would face freezing temperatures.”We are truly worried about the 140,000 households in the state that get fuel assistance, including the large number that are in Lynn,” he said. “So we’re in emergency planning mode right now and we’re basically dragging out the sand bags at this point.”Providing heating oil through the low-income energy assistance program (LIHEAP) since the late 1970s, Mogielnicki said an estimated $250,000 to $300,000 is needed to provide fuel for those clients who have exhausted all other benefits to receive heat.”Given the current benefit level per household, we expect that we’ll need a non-federal emergency fund in that range,” he said. “It may seem alarmist, but this is all due to the high price of oil.”To qualify for the LIHEAP program, Mogielnicki said a family of four would have to earn less than $41,300 a year, while a single resident would have to earn less than $20,400 to get partial assistance.For full assistance, a family of four must make less than $20,650, while a single resident would have to earn less than $10,210 a year.Mogielnicki said roughly 1,100 households in the city heat with oil and an estimated 10 percent would need assistance to make it through the cold winter.Without aid, the results could be dire.”We’re equally concerned with the risk of injuries or death because of inadequate heating systems from kerosene heaters, or un-inspected fireplaces or wood stoves,” he said. “Especially if they are using them in apartment buildings, because they could be a danger to other people as well.”Mogielnicki said some families could face homelessness if they are unable to heat their homes, since it is currently colder than it was at this time last year.”In the past, we’ve always been able to respond to clients who need emergency money for heat, and piece together money to get it turned on,” he said. “But this year, we’re looking at an emergency.”A variety of public officials have been invited to attend the summit, including Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr., fire, health and police departments, Lynn Community Health Center, community providers and staff from the Union Hospital emergency room.”We hope to get as many interested people as we can in the same room to get ideas,” he said. “We don’t really go around town asking for handouts, but heating a home is a human need just as much as food and water.”Lunch will be provided at the event.To attend, contact Theresa McMillin at 781-581-7220 ext. 219.