Low-income families in Washington can get free air conditioning, but time is running out

This summer could be a scorcher in Washington. Low-income families in the state have about a month left to get free air conditioning units.

Thanks to federal money funneled through community organizations, people living below a certain income can get help paying for their energy bills. And this year, they can also get a voucher to buy an air-conditioning unit for their home, choosing from a few eligible models on Amazon. That’s thanks to a pandemic-era bump in federal funding.

The income cutoff depends on family size. In King County, it’s $45,000 for a family of four.

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People can apply through community organizations, including the Byrd Barr Place in Seattle and HopeLink on the Eastside and in Shoreline.

The state commerce department expects most of the air conditioning funding to run out by the end of June, so interested families should apply soon.