In October 2025, a Connecticut homeowner, Chelsea Hare, enrolled in HomeEnergy ConneCT, Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven’s one-on-one home energy counseling program, and she had a clear objective: “My primary goal is to ensure my home has a safe, reliable, and energy-efficient heating system.”
Chelsea and her family had just moved into their Waterbury home last May. Not long after settling in, they learned their aging oil tank was deteriorating and unsafe, meaning they had no heat. Instead of replacing the oil tank and saddling themselves with decades more of burning oil for heating, the family began exploring alternatives like switching to a gas furnace or installing a heat pump. Since Chelsea and her family had a vision to get solar, wanted more affordable bills long-term, and wanted to add central cooling, they decided on a heat pump.
When the System Becomes the Barrier
An energy audit in December helped move things forward, but it also revealed major barriers.
Knob-and-tube wiring in the home posed a serious fire risk and prevented the family from accessing insulation programs. Since the home had no working heat, this disqualified them from many programs designed to reduce energy use.
Through it all, our HomeEnergy ConneCT staff continued to work with the family to navigate a complex system of programs, contractors, and funding sources.
Traditional financing options weren’t accessible. Despite strong efforts, the household was denied loans from several lenders. Programs that offered low-interest financing weren’t an option, and other loan products didn’t cover the type of system their home needed.
At one point, the situation felt impossible to Chelsea, “I think, we may be at a crossroad. I hate to say it. We put in so much effort. But I don’t see any other avenue for financing.”
Filling the GAP
Luckily for the Hare family, NHS and Generation Power CT (formerly called Operation Fuel) had developed the Gas Assistance Program (GAP), managed by HomeEnergy ConneCT’s Lucy Ferlauto.
In partnership with Generation Power CT, GAP was able to pay for removing the knob and tube wiring, which will allow for the insulation of the home and installation of a working heating system to proceed. Attempting to replace the heating system through the utility programs was far from quick. Delays in coordination and communication with contractors left the family without heat not just for weeks, but for several months during the coldest part of the year. Eventually, GAP paid to install the heat pump system so that Chelsea did not take on unmanageable debt.
After more than a month of setbacks, uncertainty, and advocacy, the system was finally installed.
Chelsea beamed, “It was glorious! I couldn’t stop cleaning… it was such a relief to be in a warm home!”
Beyond warmth, the family now has a path toward lower energy bills, improved safety, and future clean energy upgrades like solar.
Why This Story Matters
Too many households face procedural barriers that delay urgent upgrades. Programs intended to help can sometimes exclude the very people who need them most, especially when eligibility requirements, financing structures, and timelines don’t align with real-life circumstances.
That’s where we step in to help customers remove barriers.
Without dedicated support and advocacy, Chelsea and her family may have gone without heat indefinitely. “Thank you so much for the insight, support, and advocacy! We really couldn’t have obtained this win without your help.”
Their journey is a reminder of why our program matters: ensuring that every homeowner has access to safe, efficient, and affordable energy solutions, because no one should have to navigate winter without heat.
