Senator Kristen Gonzalez and Assembly Member Anna Kelles Secure $2M in NYS Budget for GAP Fund

ALBANY, NY – With the passage of the 2025 Enacted New York State Budget Senator Kristen Gonzalez and Assembly Member Dr. Anna Kelles lauded the inclusion of $2 million for a pilot program for a green affordable pre-electrification pilot (GAP) program. The “GAP Fund” will assist owners and tenants in residential properties in curing structural and building code defects which render the properties ineligible for local, state, or federal climate change adaptation and resiliency project grants. Senator Gonzalez and Assembly Member Kelles introduced legislation, S3315/A2101, last year in order to initiate and implement such a program.

The $2 million allocation will fund green rehabilitation projects including but not limited to the repair of structural deficiencies, health hazards, or code violations which make a building or property ineligible or unsuitable for energy efficiency, electrification, weatherization, and insulation improvements necessary for compliance with building codes or participation in local, state, or federal programs. The grants will be made available to owners or tenants of a residential building who would be ineligible for, or have been denied, any local, state, or federal incentives, assistance, subsidies, grants, or loans for improvements or projects relating to energy savings, greenhouse gas reductions, climate change adaptation and resilience.

The funding will help the state transition to less expensive clean energy and advance the state’s climate goals.

Senator Kristen Gonzalez, sponsor of the GAP fund legislation, said, “I’m so excited to have secured this investment for our homeowners and tenants in our state budget along with Assembly Member Kelles. This victory proves that we can both advance our climate goals and do so in a way that is affordable and just for our working class constituents. It will allow tenants and homeowners to participate more equally in our green transition--fully weatherizing their homes, saving on energy costs, and helping drive down the entire state's carbon footprint. While it is not everything we advocated for, it is a very promising start and I look forward to our continued work advocating for an even greater investment in future budgets.”

“After years of advocacy I’m thrilled that this budget included startup dollars for the GAP fund” said Assemblymember Anna Kelles. “There are several great state programs like Empower+ that help low-income families improve the energy efficiency of their homes and transition to all-electric. However, the home must be shovel-ready for these projects. If the home needs, for example, a new roof or mold remediation, then the home is disqualified for the these critically important energy efficiency programs. The GAP fund would provide the funding for retrofits and ensure that the lowest income homeowners in our state are not disqualified from the very programs designed to help them. This funding will ensure that low-income families aren’t left behind in our push towards electrification while helping the state achieve our climate goals.”

"Too many New Yorkers struggle with high energy bills because their homes aren't ready for cost-saving energy efficiency and electrification programs. With the establishment of the GAP Fund, these households will finally get the help they need and a pathway into clean energy programs that will make their homes healthier, more affordable, and more renewable. Through the hard work of advocates and our legislative champions, this program will be created this year, and we look forward to expanding the program to reach every New Yorker who needs it in the coming years," said Jessica Azulay, Executive Director, Alliance for a Green Economy

“WE ACT is thankful that the state has acknowledged the structural barriers that prevent households from accessing weatherization  and energy efficiency programs through the inclusion of a GAP fund pilot program in this year’s budget. While the funding falls far short of the existing need, we look forward to working with the state on implementation, and on growing the program in years to come,” said Annie Carforo, Climate Justice Campaign Manager at WE ACT for Environmental Justice.