BATON ROUGE - Mayor-President Sid Edwards announced a new initiative that aims to help low-income homeowners in need during the sweltering Louisiana summer heat. 

The Operation Stay Cool initiative will provide A/C unit repairs or replacements for eligible residents and will use federal crisis funding. The funds would include paying for electric and gas bills, as well as repairing HVAC systems. 

"The mayor and his team are working hard to provide those resources that he said he would provide during his campaign and we're showing that's exactly what we're going to do," Director of Human Development and Services Leander Zanders said. "I grew up in South Louisiana and was one of those kids who had a box fan to keep you cool so we understand that this could be a serious matter for vulnerable populations."

There will be an application process through the Office of Social Services to help determine eligibility. To qualify, applicants must be a resident of East Baton Rouge Parish and be at 60 percent of the state median income.

Anyone who qualifies can receive up to $1,000 and services will be available on a first come, first serve basis. The mayor-president's office released this guide to eligibility: 

"It's a live-saving initiative that puts action behind prevention," EMS Director Chris Landry said. "With the summer already here, actions like these are what help keep our most vulnerable populations and our neighbors stay safe."

The OSS has been allocated $300,000 for programs similar to this, officials said at the news conference. 

For more information, you can visit the OSS' website here.