presented by Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance

April 16th, 2021

Quote(s) of the Week

	“The Long Island Rail Road is doing a great job in sanitizing and keeping their riders safe, keeping their folks safe. I encourage people, as we reawaken the economy, as we get back to work, that they explore public transportation as a great safe and potentially much quicker options.” - Nassau County Executive Laura Curran
	“Roads are getting more and more congested and the Long Island Rail Road is running as the most reliable service we've ever had in our history. Last year was a record on time performance and we're continuing to address infrastructure issues so when people are ready to come back, when businesses reopen as they are right now, we'll be more than ready to accommodate them.” - LIRR President Philip Eng
	“PSEG Long Island knows that small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our communities and our local economy. Even before the pandemic transformed all of our lives, we were offering grants and discounts to encourage foot traffic in downtown commercial districts and bring businesses into empty storefronts. We evolved our programs to address the new realities our commercial customers are seeing, and the response has been enormous.” - John Keating, manager of Economic and Community Development at PSEG Long Island

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Roslyn Approves Developer Plan for Mixed-Use Project

Roslyn Village officials unanimously approved a developer’s plan, which had been under review since 2019, to construct a $35 million mixed-use project at 281-301 Warner Avenue, near the Long Island Rail Road. The location currently houses a strip of empty storefronts. The owner and developer, Roslyn-based JK Equities, plans to build one floor of retail, with 54 residential apartments above, consisting of 23 one-bedroom and 31 two-bedroom units on the three upper floors. The development will also contain 104 onsite parking spaces.

“It’s great to see when a local Village takes the lead on a new downtown and TOD development zoning designation,” states Eric Alexander, Director of Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance. “Here is an example of the Village of Roslyn advancing a true transit-oriented development project.”

The property, which was originally zoned for commercial use, was changed to transit-oriented, mixed-use in October 2020, after being scaled back from 72 apartments, due to objections from the community and Village officials. Permitted uses on the rezoned area include residential apartments; convenience and “specialty retail” establishments; service retail establishments like barbershops, beauty parlors, nail salons, dry cleaning pickup establishments, laundries, copy establishments, tailors, household and electronic repair establishments, health clubs, gyms, and travel agencies; food establishments excluding drive-in or drive-thru; banks, financial institutions, insurance agencies and real estate offices; and professional and medical offices.

“The measures taken by the Village of Roslyn to allow transit-oriented development and its recent 5 to 0 vote to approve this mixed-use project will help a struggling commercial property move forward and provide housing options for some in the community,” Mr. Alexander further states. “There were more supporters than opponents testifying at public meetings, including support from Vision Long Island.”

As reported by Newsday, Deputy Mayor Marshall Bernstein said the planned project would replace [the dilapidated eyesore there now] with "a beautifully designed building" and support local businesses that have struggled during the pandemic.

Construction on the development, designed by Mojo Stumer Associates, is slated to begin in the third quarter of this year, according to Long Island Business News.

You can read the Long Island Business News article on this project here.

You can read the Newsday article here.

PPP Lifeline Available for 1099 Recipients

COVID-19 has created the most daunting financial challenges for businesses in our lifetime. Asset Enhancement Solutions, LLC is reaching out to fellow members of the business community with important information, such as Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan eligibility.

Many people who are 1099 recipients are not aware they are eligible for a PPP Loan. Individuals that receive non-employee compensation via Form 1099-NEC (or 1099-MISC) and report this income on Schedule C of their Form 1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return are eligible.

Included in this category are Sole Proprietors, Independent Contractors, Self-Employed Individuals and Single-Member LLCs. All of these taxpayers are eligible for a PPP Loan even if they do not have employees that are paid salaries.

If Salaries are Not Paid to Employees, the amount of the PPP Loan is determined either by the amount on Line 7, Gross Income, or Line 31, Net profit or (loss) on your Schedule C. Use whichever line has the higher amount. Also, you may use either 2019 or 2020’s Schedule C—whichever is higher. If you have not submitted your taxes for 2020 yet, you can prepare a Schedule C on a stand-alone basis for purposes of applying for a PPP Loan.

The PPP Loan amount is calculated by dividing the amount on either Line 7 or Line 31 by 12, then multiplying this result by 2.5. (If your business is a restaurant or hospitality business with an SIC code of 72, and this is its 2nd PPP loan, multiple by 3.5 instead.) PPP Loans for this category of taxpayers have a Cap of $20,833, or $29,167 for businesses with SIC 72.

Contact Asset Enhancement Solutions, LLC at (516) 767-0100 or PPPsupportstaff@assetenhancement.com with any questions.

New York State’s $2.4B Rent Relief Program Allows Landlords to Apply Directly for Aid

New York State's $2.4 billion rent-relief program, part of the State's budget for fiscal year 2022, will allow landlords to apply directly for funding and require monthly progress reports on how many households applied for and received assistance, two measures meant to improve a prior rent relief effort that was widely panned as inadequate, Crain’s New York Business reports. The program will be administered by the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and New Yorkers should be able to apply for the funds starting in May.

The program will be funded with $2.3 billion in federal money and $100 million in state money. Landlords and tenants alike are eligible for relief, regardless of their immigration status. It will focus on helping households earning less than 80% of the area median income that have fallen behind on rent and are at risk of homelessness. The program will prioritize unemployed renters and vulnerable populations such as domestic violence survivors and communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Applicants will be eligible for relief on their utility bills, Crain’s notes.

"We are very pleased to see that undocumented New Yorkers will have explicit access to the benefits afforded by the Rent Relief Program, and that tenants who receive the benefits will gain a year of tenant protections. "This has been an extremely hard year for our clients who have experienced both a health crisis and a financial crisis," the Legal Aid Society explains in a statement.

The $100 million in state funding aims to supplement the rent-relief program. It will mainly target households earning no more than 30% of the area median income and applicants who are already homeless or in imminent danger of losing their home.

Evictions will not be allowed to take place for tenants who apply for the rent-relief program until the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance determines their eligibility, and landlords who accept money from the program will not be allowed to use the missing rent covered by the program as the basis for an eviction. The program will pay no more than a year’s worth of rental arrears and three months of prospective rent, and the money will go directly to the landlord, Crain’s details.

You can read the full text of the bill here.

Check out the Crain’s New York Business article on this bill here.

You can find the complete Legal Aid Society statement here.

LIRR President Eng and Nassau Executive Curran talk Future of LIRR

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and Long Island Rail Road President Phil Eng appeared live on LI News Radio with Jay Oliver on April 14th to encourage riders to return to the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR).

Presently, the Long Island Rail Road is carrying approximately 28% of the pre-pandemic ridership, the highest since the pandemic started. Mr. Eng asserted, the LIRR is still the best most convenient way to travel. “Roads are getting more and more congested and the Long Island Rail Road is running as the most reliable service we've ever had in our history. Last year was a record on time performance and we're continuing to address infrastructure issues so when people are ready to come back, when businesses reopen as they are right now, we'll be more than ready to accommodate them,” Mr. Eng stated.

Mr. Eng advised that LIRR trains and stations are sanitized every day. He noted the LIRR Train Time App provides world-class information with regard to how much space is available on cars in real time and the amount of infrastructure being done provides a reliable, safe commute for riders.

Discussing the future of the LIRR in light of a remote workforce, Mr. Eng acknowledged that ridership, particularly the five day a week commute, will change and the LIRR will accommodate that change. “The projects that we are having, the Third Track, the East Side Access, the Double Track that we finished in the Ronkonkoma branch, all of that will allow us to adjust train service, reverse commute, inter-island commuting. The notion is that these riders will use the Long Island Rail Road. I'm confident of that. I'm confident the Long Island Rail Road will not only see ridership come back, but also be here for the long term,” Mr. Eng declared.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran reassured listeners that the LIRR is a great option in that roads are packed again. “Some are saying it's even worse than it was pre-pandemic,” County Executive Curran noted. Referring to the 1918 Spanish Flu, Ms. Curran stated, “I'm confident that the Long Island Rail Road is going to come roaring back. In 1918, ridership on public transit dropped, but in 1919 public transit in and around New York City saw 100 million more rides than the year before.”

“The Long Island Rail Road is doing a great job in sanitizing and keeping their riders safe, keeping their folks safe,” Ms. Curran stated. “I encourage people, as we reawaken the economy, as we get back to work, that they explore public transportation as a great safe and potentially much quicker options.”

PSEG LI is Helping the Local Economy Weather COVID

PSEG Long Island is proud to announce funding for the Outdoor Spaces program has been renewed for a limited time. More than $2 million in grants and discounts were provided last year to help more than 1,000 local businesses and organizations meet the ever-evolving challenges of COVID-19 and continue to thrive.

“PSEG Long Island knows that small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our communities and our local economy,” said John Keating, manager of Economic and Community Development at PSEG Long Island. “Even before the pandemic transformed all of our lives, we were offering grants and discounts to encourage foot traffic in downtown commercial districts and bring businesses into empty storefronts. We evolved our programs to address the new realities our commercial customers are seeing, and the response has been enormous.”

PSEG continues to offer Main Street Revitalization grants and Vacant Storefront discounts to businesses. In 2020, the company also began offering “Outdoor Spaces” grants to local chambers of commerce to help transform sidewalk areas and plazas with the seating, lighting and heating needed to keep customers dining and shopping locally. Limited funding for this grant program will be renewed for 2021 on a first come, first served basis. The program will offer funding of up to $5,000 to a Chamber of Commerce or Business Improvement District. Applications will be accepted until June 1, 2021.

Here is a breakdown of PSEG Long Island’s 2020 support of local businesses:

Small Business First

•             Supplemented PSEG Long Island’s already significant energy efficiency rebates with $1.8 million in PSEG Long Island Economic Development funding, allowing most projects to be done with no customer cost.
•             More than 1,000 participating small businesses, including auto body shops, seafood stores, delis, restaurants, barbershops, clothing stores, doctor’s offices, florists, beauty salons and more.

Outdoor Spaces

•             PSEG Long Island approved 29 applications, representing a total of more than $125,000.
•             These have been awarded to chambers of commerce and business improvement districts in municipalities all across the service area, including Wantagh, Port Jefferson, Lindenhurst, Kings Park, Huntington, Amityville, Babylon, Oyster Bay, Glen Cove, Port Washington, Sag Harbor, Nesconset, Smithtown, Syosset-Woodbury, Gordon Heights, Westhampton Beach, Massapequa Park and more.

Main Street Revitalization

•             More than $254,000 was provided to businesses and organizations through standard Main Street Revitalization grants in 2020, supporting upgrades and projects at restaurants, arts centers, breweries and more.
•             These projects are estimated to create close to 200 permanent jobs in the community and bring more vitality to business districts.

To learn more about all the programs PSEG Long Island offers to support local businesses, please visit this site.

Nassau Comptroller Releases Report on Importance of Infrastructure

On Tuesday, April 13th, the Office of the Nassau County Comptroller’s Policy and Research Unit released the first installment of its “What’s the Issue” series. The goal of this series is to break down pressing big-picture issues so the County can understand how they directly impact communities.

The inaugural report centers around the urgent need for infrastructure investment in Nassau County. The report shines a light on many of Nassau’s infrastructure needs and goes in-depth on these issues and what actions can be taken with federal assistance through the American Jobs Plan.

According to the report, the Coronavirus pandemic is placing enormous budgetary pressure on state and local governments, threatening deep and potentially lasting cuts to infrastructure investment. There is a need for immediate commitment of federal aid directly to local governments. National economic recovery depends on strong federal support for cities, towns, and villages.

President Biden's administration announced its infrastructure plan in April of 2021. It calls for a $2 trillion investment, including $174 billion in spending to boost the electric vehicle market and $115 billion to repair and rebuild bridges, highways and roads.

New York's infrastructure recently received an overall "C-" grade from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). The State's roads and bridges are among the categories most in need of repair, receiving grades of "D-" and "D+" respectively due to their state of deterioration and inadequate funding to improve conditions’. New York's wastewater infrastructure received an overall "D" grade from ASCE.

On Long Island, infrastructure challenges require improvements and investments in projects that can provide additional capacity to heavily traveled transportation corridors and vitalize the efficiency of the region’s transportation system. The Coronavirus pandemic has created an urgency to invest in much-needed infrastructure. Now is the time, the report urges, for the region to seize the moment with ideas that meet the following criteria:

•             Shovel-ready and worthy projects that will grow our economy
•             Investments that provide taxpayers a return on their money
•             Efficiencies that lessen the operating costs in our budgets

This past December, Nassau County called for a $583 million federal infrastructure stimulus to advance twelve priority projects. These projects would help fuel the economy directly by creating jobs and recovery, and supporting Long Island's long-term economic efficiency and competitiveness. These projects include:

•             Family & Matrimonial Court Phase Two • $102,925,000 – 478 FT Construction Jobs
•             Bayville Bridge Rehabilitation Program • $13,706,806 – 110 FT Construction Jobs
•             Bay Park Conveyance Project • $394,028,000 – 2,293 FT Construction Jobs
•             Baldwin Complete Streets • $3,000,000 – 45 FT Construction Jobs
•             Austin Boulevard Road Improvement, Island Park • $8,978,689 – 81 FT Construction Jobs
•             Police Academy Tactical Village • $6,000,000 – 27 FT Construction Jobs
•             Nassau Hub Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Phase 1 • $2,875,000 – 13 FT Construction Jobs
•             Manorhaven Boulevard, Manorhaven Road Improvements • $3,853,000 – 19 FT Construction Jobs
•             West Broadway Road Improvements • $15,500,000 – 72 FT Construction Jobs $2,680,000 – 12 FT Construction Jobs
•             Centennial Park Improvements • $2,680,000 12 FTE construction jobs.
•             Creek Electrical Distribution Project • $9,480,051 – 50 FT Construction Jobs
•             Park Street/Beech Street Drainage Improvements • $20,000,000 – 116 FT Construction Jobs
The report also urges that now is also the time for partners at the federal level to act in a way that will facilitate both short-term recovery and long-term growth through innovative policies, such as:
•             Invest and Expand Public Transportation
•             Support Green Infrastructure for Sustainability Transitions
•             Advance Clean Transportation and Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure to Combat Climate Change

The report concludes, now is the time to close the infrastructure gap.

The full report can be viewed here.

Long Island Main Street News, Under Production, makes Extended Interviews with Local Leaders Available

Vision Long Island has been in the process of interviewing some of our community partners: local civics, small business/chamber friends, municipal officials and local food pantry and religious leaders. 

As part of these efforts, we have reached over half of the communities we work in and are starting now to connect to some of our friends not rooted in any one community from development, design and infrastructure professionals and environmental leaders as well.   These interviews will be pieced together into a future show titled "Long Island Main Street News," but, in the meantime, you can view an extended version of these interviews here.

Special thanks to our guests for sharing their experiences, to our friends at Pink Tie for providing access to their studio, and to Rob Comforto from Videomasters for the filming and production.

We were back with another edition of LI Main Street News interviewing Renaissance Downtown CEO Don Monti.

Great to hear from Mr. Monti who covered the market for downtown redevelopment and the importance of community participation in any plan that gets advanced.

Check it out here.

The latest edition of LI Main Street News connects us to Stanley Lomangino from Maggio Environmental.

Mr. Lomangino shared the latest news on the solid waste industry on Long Island and helped us understand where our garbage actually ends up.   He shared the current challenges facing the industry and also job opportunities as well.

Check it out here.

Keep an eye on Vision Long Island's Facebook page here, where we'll be premiering a new Main Street News Interview daily! Simply follow us if you have not already and you should get alerts before a new video debuts.

The Road Ahead: Long Island and the Outlook for our Economy

On April 21, 2021 at 9:00 AM, join People’s United Advisors for a live conversation focused on the local Long Island economy, business, investments, and the implications of new legislation. Senior leaders from Peoples United Advisors will share insights and discuss client implications.

The agenda includes:

• Opening Remarks: William Spencer, Senior Vice President and Senior Wealth Advisor
• Implications for Investors and Long Island: John Traynor, Chief Investment Officer and John Mast, Senior Vice President and Commercial Market President, New York

A recording will be made available after the call.

You can register here.

NYMTC Presents Brown Bag Lunch Virtual Presentation

On Wednesday, April 28, from 12 pm to 1:30 pm, NYMTC will be presenting its brown bag lunch virtual presentation that with cover Westchester, Suffolk, and Nassau Suburban Mobility Studies.  Speakers will include Naomi Klein, Director of Planning for Westchester County; Ankita Rathi, Planning Consultant at Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning, AICP, ENV SP; Sean E. Sallie, Deputy Commissioner, Nassau County Department of Public Works, AIC.

Please join NYMTC for three presentations on suburban mobility studies occurring in Westchester, Suffolk, and Nassau counties:

• Naomi Klein, Director of Planning for Westchester Planning will discuss the County’s Mobility and Bus Redesign, which is looking to identify strategies to better meet the mobility needs of its residents, given trends of declining bus ridership, the increase in use of transportation network companies, changing demographics and other trends facing the region.
• Ankita Rathi, Planning Consultant at Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning, AICP, ENV SP will discuss the recommendations of the Suffolk County Mobility Study completed in June 2018, and how they are being advanced through the County’s Reimagine Transit initiative and the Microtransit Pilot project in Southampton.
• Sean Sallie, Deputy Commissioner of Nassau County Department of Public Works, AICP will discuss the dynamic changes in mobility demands, preferences and services over the past few years evaluated in the upcoming Nassau County Shared-Mobility Management Plan.  

You can join this presentation virtually at this link.

INNkeepers’ Ball to Take Place on May 12th

The Annual INNkeepers’ Ball is scheduled for Wednesday, May 12.  This year, they will be honoring Elizabeth McCaul & Frank Ingrassia. The Honorary Chairs for this event are Janet & Frank J. DellaFera.

For the safety of those attending, this event will be an outdoor, tented cocktail reception at the Nassau Country Club in Glen Cove starting at 6pm on May 12. Dress is casual business attire. Following safety protocols, attendance will be limited to 200.

For those unable to attend in person, there will be a virtual ball at 7pm on May 12. This can be accessed on this page.

For questions, contact Nora White, Director of Events at nwhite@the-inn.org or 516-486-8506 x108 or Rob Kammerer at 516-732-6009.

Sponsorships and journal ads are available here.

You can find more information on this event here.

15th Annual Latina Hat Luncheon - Wednesday, June 9th, 2021

Founded in 1988, the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce was established to serve the needs of the Long Island minority owned small business community. Through an array of networking events, members have an opportunity to make contacts necessary to help their businesses thrive. One such event, the Latina Hat Luncheon, is one of its best attended events, where attendees can be honored based on their work for the community and professional achievements.

Last year, the LIHCC, along with other non-profit organizations, were forced to cancel all in-person events due to COVID-19. This caused many individuals, business, and nonprofit organizations, including the LIHCC, to suffer deep financial losses.

The LIHCC has continued to fulfill its mission to service the minority business community by offering informational webinars related to COVID-19 updates, such as PPP loan information and where to get personal protective equipment (PPE). The Chamber is also continuing its yearly toy drive to benefit the victims of the 2020 Hurricanes in Honduras.

With the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and restrictions being eased, the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is moving ahead with planning the Latina Hat Luncheon. The Chamber is optimistic that by June 2021, it will be able to host this luncheon with limited in person capacity.

The LIHCC's biggest priority is the safety and well-being of its members, sponsors, and staff. The event will follow the guidelines provided by the CDC, federal, and local authorities.

The 15th Annual Latina Hat Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, June 9th, 2021. Contact their office at (516) 333-0105 or email at admin@lihcc.org for tickets and sponsorship packages.

Applications Are Now Open for Suffolk Legislature’s 2021 Page Program

Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer Rob Calarco has announced that applications are being accepted for the Suffolk Legislature’s 2021 Page Program.

Approaching its seventh year, the legislature’s Page Program is an immersive summer internship program that gives college students the opportunity to learn about county government and public service. The 2021 program will run for 12 weeks, beginning with an orientation on May 21 and culminating in a graduation ceremony on Aug. 6.

Nearly 30 students participated in last year’s program, which went fully remote as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s program will be remote as well, offering students the ability to participate virtually via Zoom.

Participants will connect with legislators, elected officials, and policymakers from throughout Suffolk County, participate in an online mock legislature, and attend weekly virtual workshops on leadership and personal development. Students will also be tasked with developing service projects that address one of the many issues presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Page Program was created by the Suffolk County Legislature Office of the Presiding Officer in 2015 to provide students with a rewarding and educational experience in local government. Several former Pages return to serve as “Senior Pages” who help organize activities and guide the new class.

Applications due May 7. Download the Page Program application here.

You can find details on the program here.

Applying for the Second Round of PPP Loans for Small Businesses

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been revived, with $280 billion available for a second round, for small businesses still struggling to make ends meet. Monday, January 11th, was the first day to apply for this new, potentially forgivable, federal loan.

What you need to know about PPP Loans:
PPP loans are forgivable loans, meaning the money doesn’t need to be repaid if it meets the criteria laid out by the Small Business Administration. They have an interest rate of one percent and the current batch will mature in five years. The loans require no collateral and come without fees. Borrowers must spend at least 60% of the loans on payroll, with the other 40% going to other eligible operating expenses. Forgiven PPP loans are not considered income for federal tax purposes.

Differences in Round 2:
Targeted funds are being made available for the most vulnerable businesses; restaurants can get bigger loans; the forgiveness process is simpler; the tax break for PPP loan recipients have gotten bigger; and there is an expanded use of funds.

Eligibility for PPP funding:
For round 2 of the PPP funding, both first-time and second-time qualified borrowers are eligible to apply. First-time borrowers can apply for loans up to $10 million.

PPP applicants who are seeking funding in addition to what they received earlier in the year (also known as Second Draw Loans) are eligible for loans up to $2 million provided they meet the following requirements:
-          Employ fewer than 300 people (down from 500);
-          Have used or will use the full loan amount granted to them in their first round of PPP funding;
-          Can show a 25% gross revenue decline in any 2020 quarter compared with the same quarter in 2019 (if a business was out of operation for a portion of 2019, they can use different quarters to compare gross receipts.)

How and when to apply:

SBA reopened the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for First Draw PPP Loans the week of January 11, 2021. SBA will began accepting applications for Second Draw PPP Loans on January 13, 2021.

To promote access for smaller lenders and their customers, SBA will initially only accept Second Draw PPP Loan applications from participating community financial institutions (CFIs), which include Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), Certified Development Companies (CDCs), and Microloan Intermediaries. Paycheck Protection Program lending will reopen to all participating lenders shortly thereafter. At least $25 billion is being set aside for Second Draw PPP Loans to eligible borrowers with a maximum of 10 employees or for loans of $250,000 or less to eligible borrowers in low- or moderate-income neighborhoods.

NEW DEADLINE EXTENSION: SBA HAS ANNOUNCED THAT APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNITIL MAY 31st!

How much can a business borrow?
Loans are capped at 2.5 times an applicant’s average monthly payroll costs in the one year prior to the loan being issued (3.5 times for restaurants and other eligible hospitality businesses).
Loans are limited to a maximum of $10 million for first time PPP borrowers and $2 million for second time borrowers.

What can the money be used for?
The loan proceeds can be used to cover a business’s payroll and certain other expenses, including operations expenditures, property damage costs, supplier costs, and worker protection expenditures.

What about loan forgiveness?
If a business uses at least 60% of the loan on payroll expenses and maintains its employment levels during the covered period of the loan, it can apply to have the loan forgiven. Otherwise, the loans carry a 1% interest rate and a maturity of five years.

For further information, and to apply, click here.

PPP Webinars & Workshops Offered by Asset Enhancement Solutions

To assist members of Associations, Chambers of Commerce, etc., Asset Enhancement Solutions is offering a complimentary 2 session webinar on how to apply for a PPP Loan.

Session #1   
Everything you want to know about a PPP Loan, but are afraid to ask. Participants are educated about PPP Loans and advised on the exact information and documentation they need to collect in order to apply online during the 2nd webinar, which is an Application Workshop.

Session #2 
Workshop on Zoom where applicants will be assisted in completing a PPP Loan application online, as applicants watch professionals complete the same application. Applicants will be able to obtain assistance during the application workshop.

Many are still unaware they may be eligible for a PPP Loan, which may be up to 100% forgiven.

For more information, contact Neil Seiden at (516) 767-0100 or neil.seiden@assetenhancement.com
www.assetenhancement.com

NEW DEADLINE EXTENSION: SBA HAS ANNOUNCED THAT APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNITIL MAY 31st!

Nassau County Reopens Restaurant Recovery Grant Program

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran is pleased to reopen the portal below to accept more applications for the Restaurant Recovery Grant Program (RRGP).

The program is intended to support full-service restaurants – the industry hit hardest by the pandemic – during the winter months when outdoor dining is limited and as restaurants adjust to New York State’s COVID-19 safety restrictions and new mandates. Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) are encouraged to apply.

Nassau County is using funding made available through the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to provide grants to restaurants. Grant funds are valued at either $5,000 or $10,000 depending on the number of employees.

If you have not already begun the application process and would like to APPLY, click here: https://zoomgrants.tools/zgf/nassaurestaurantrecovery

Eligible businesses that have been APPROVED to receive Restaurant Recovery Grant Program (RRGP) funding are shown in the list at this link. These businesses will receive a direct email from the Restaurant Recovery team this week, requesting confirmation of bank details so that the grant can be disbursed. Please watch for the email from nassaurestaurants@ndconline.org.

Restaurants that have applied to the RRGP but do NOT see their business on the list at the above link must get in touch with the Restaurant Recovery team immediately to complete their applications at nassaurestaurants@ndconline.org and 1-646-825-9617.

For any questions, please contact the Restaurant Recovery team at nassaurestaurants@ndconline.org and 1-646-825-9617.

Questions?

Please email any RRGP questions to the Restaurant Recovery team at mailto:nassaurestaurants@ndconline.org.

Check back to this webpage for any RRGP updates!

Program Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Businesses

• Full-Service Restaurants (NAICS code 722511) engaged in providing food services and meals prepared on-premises to patrons who traditionally order and are served while seated (i.e., waiter/waitress service)
• Restaurant Establishment must have a current and valid Nassau County Department of Health Food Service Permit

General Eligibility

• Located in Nassau County
• In operation on or before March 1, 2019
• Must have 50 or fewer Full-Time equivalent (FTE) employees
              o Maximum $5,000 grant – 0 (sole proprietor)-10 employees
              o Maximum $10,000 grant – 11-50 employees
• Must agree to create or retain at least one low/moderate-income job at full-time status
• Must certify and demonstrate that they have experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19

Eligible Expenses

• Grant funds to cover working capital and operating expenses including:
            o payroll, rent, utilities, purchase of PPE and sanitation supplies; lease or purchase of equipment like kitchen equipment or delivery vehicles; or COVID-19 related business improvements like patio heaters or contactless technology.

Ineligible Businesses

• Non-profit organizations
• Businesses with greater than 50 employees
• Businesses in violation of New York State Executive orders relating to the COVID-19 pandemic or other State, County or local ordinances
               o e.g., EO 202.74 effective Friday, November 13 at 10 PM
                               ▪ SLA FAQ: https://sla.ny.gov/Guidance-COVID-Related-Closing-Times

Keep an eye on the restaurant recovery page on Nassau County’s website for more information and to apply once the grant program becomes available.

Small Business Assistance Grant Program – Second Round

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone will join with local officials and business owners on Friday, April 9th, to announce that more than 65 small businesses located across the County have received a total of nearly $500,000 in grant funding through the County’s COVID-19 Small Business Assistance Grant Program. Awardees, which include both Javier’s Café and Katie’s of Smithtown, also include various gyms, salons, restaurants, and bars across Suffolk.

The County Executive will also announce the opening of the pre-application period for the second round of available funding, with the goal of providing over $500,000 in additional grants by the end of May to assist struggling small businesses that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic.

The Small Business Assistance Grant Program pre-application will open on April 9th at 9am and will be open through April 23rd.

Small Business Assistance Grant Program funds are a one-time payment granted to eligible applicants in an amount up to $5,000 for businesses with up to 10 full-time equivalent employees, and $10,000 for businesses with 11-50 full-time equivalent employees. Eligible businesses are: gyms, hair salons/barbers, nail salons, restaurants and bars/taverns.

You can find the guidelines here.

You can find the application here.

Suffolk County Water Quality Improvement Division Calls For Applications

The Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning has issued a Call for Applications for the ¼% sales tax Suffolk County Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program (WQPRP) funding. 

The latest application and the instructions can be found on the Water Quality Improvement Division’s website here.

Applications are open to all Suffolk County departments, non-profit organizations, and to all local municipalities. All non-County projects will require a match of at least 50% of the total project cost which is equivalent to at least 100% of the WQPRP funding being requested.

Any potential applicants for this round of Suffolk County Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program funding have the opportunity to attend a remote Proposer’s Conference at 10 AM on April 21, 2021. Please be prepared with all questions/comments on the application at that time.

Key Dates: Application Available Online - April 7, 2021; Optional Proposers Conference - April 21, 2021 @ 10:00 AM; Applications Due: May 28, 2021 by 4PM.

Award Amounts: Minimum $50,000/Maximum $250,000

Proposer’s Conference
Wednesday, April 21, 2021 @ 10 AM
Remote Meeting - Zoom Information
The link to the meeting information is as follows:
https://suffolkny.zoom.us/j/81099014168?pwd=ekQ3cnRLZHpyOXlrY2pTTVlnU2NhQT09
Meeting ID: 810 9901 4168
Passcode: 292740

If you have any questions about participating in the proposer’s conference please contact WQPRP@suffolkcountyny.gov.

New York State Accepting Applications for NY Forward Loan Fund

New York State has opened pre-applications for the New York Forward Loan Fund. Loans from this fund are available to small businesses, nonprofits, and small landlords in New York State. New York Forward loans must be fully repaid over a 5-year term with fixed annual interest rates of 3 percent for small businesses and landlords.

Small businesses may apply for the lesser of $100,000 or up to 100% of the average monthly revenues in any 3-month period from 2019 or the first quarter of 2020. This loan can be paid back over five years with first year being interest only.  However, if small businesses have received either a PPP loan or an EIDL loan from SBA, they would not be eligible to apply. NYS has set a goal of 18% of total funds under this Program for Long Island

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as industries and regions reopen however, priority for New York Forward Loans will be given to industries and regions that have been reopened. Resources are available to assist in preparing applications for small businesses, landlords and nonprofits in industries and regions that have not yet reopened.

To view more details, including eligibility requirements and how to apply, click here:

If you need technical assistance through this process, please contact an Entrepreneurial Assistance Center near you and inform the counselor that you need help for the NY Forward Loan application.  You can find your closest contact center here.

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