Spiking heating oil costs in Massachusetts due to the conflict in Iran, has put even more pressure on those who receive financial assistance to heat their homes.
The average price of a gallon of home heating oil in Massachusetts has skyrocketed by nearly two dollars since the start of the year, to $5.38 a gallon as of last week.
Community Action Pioneer Valley administers an assistance program for about 15,000 residents in Hampshire and Franklin Counties. Its executive director, Lev BenEzra, said the situation in the Middle East, along with an already long, cold winter, has drained funds for many.
"As many as three-in-four households that were receiving heating assistance had less than $100 left of that benefit and this was a couple weeks ago," BenEzra said.
Most minimum delivery levels are at least 100 gallons, according to BenEzra.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey’s administration announced earlier this month it was boosting heating assistance thresholds for assistance recipients. For example, those who heat with oil, kerosene or propane saw their benefit increase from $1,000 to $1,400.
BenEzra said while grateful for the boost, it will fall short in getting people through the rest of the heating season.
"Those additional funds are not enough to actually get them to that minimum delivery threshold, or to get what we think folks really need at this time, is at least another half a tank, which runs easily about $675 to get folks through these final cold weeks," BenEzra said.
BenEzra added there is hope for more help from the state. The House passed a supplemental budget last week containing $35 million to bolster heating assistance accounts. The state Senate is expected to take up the measure this week.
BenEzra added despite the funding crunch, help is still available who are having difficulty in keeping their homes warm.
Community Action Pioneer Valley said across Massachusetts, 36,000 homes have seen fuel tanks run dry.
