presented by Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance June 4th, 2021
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Quote(s) of the Week
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PPP Program Runs Dry but Long Island Businesses Still in Need of Help
After providing a financial lifeline to some small businesses, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) stopped accepting applications on Monday, May 31st, leaving an entire industry without a source of direct federal aid for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. With $291 billion in loan guarantees nearly gone, local businesses and advocates are speaking out, calling for Congress and President Joe Biden to approve the additional loan guarantees necessary to continue the PPP. "The PPP needs to be extended," Eric Alexander, founder of the Long Island Main Street Alliance, an advocacy group for 45 downtowns that are undergoing redevelopment, recently told Newsday’s James Madore. "There are still a lot of people who don’t know about the program because of language barriers or they’re not plugged into the networks for small businesses, such as chambers of commerce. There’s a whole swath of businesses that are quasi off-the-grid, but they are open every day." Mr. Alexander stated, “The bottom will drop out for some businesses if PPP loans are no longer available and they have to pay back rent for the months that they were closed last year to slow the coronavirus’ spread.” A state eviction moratorium that protects many small businesses is set to expire in New York on August 31st. Neil Seiden, president of the financial advisory firm Asset Enhancement Solutions, told Newsday, “Many small business owners are still unaware of the PPP, saying some of the people who are asking for his help are independent contractors and sole proprietors without employees who didn’t know they were eligible.” Small business owner Orville X. Davis, CEO and co-founder of Scrap-It! Junk Removal in East Massapequa, said he was planning to apply for a second PPP loan. "I felt like I had the air ripped out of me. You think the government is going to take care of it, to help us to survive…Small businesses don’t have rainy day funds like big corporations do," Newsday reports. To date, New York’s Senator Chuck Schumer and the White House have expressed interest in affording small businesses additional help, but no detailed information has been forthcoming. You can read Newsday’s article here, which includes a list of financial assistance programs still available for struggling small businesses, including the Economic Injury Disaster Loan, 7(a) Loan, NYS COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program, Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program, NYS Restaurant Resiliency Grant Program, and NYS Restaurant Return-to-Work Tax Credits. NY COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) Available for New Yorkers
Nationwide, more than 11 million Americans are behind on rent and many will likely face eviction when the national COVID-19 Forbearance and Foreclosure Protections for homeowners expire on June 30th. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, roughly 15% of adult renters are not current on their housing payments. Peter Hepburn, an assistant professor of Sociology at Rutgers University-Newark and research fellow at The Eviction Lab, tells CNBC, “Although the policy has been far from perfect at keeping renters housed, it’s reduced the normal number of eviction filings over the same time period by at least a half.” Housing advocates assert the ban being lifted at this time will be detrimental for property owners and tenants alike, as states are still scrambling to distribute the $45 billion in rental assistance allocated by Congress to address this very crisis. According to housing advocates, the most vulnerable individuals include people of color, those with low incomes and older Americans. “We need to let this moratorium stay in place until we spend all this money,” lawyer Mark Melton tells CNBC. “If you bail out the renter that means you bailed out the landlord.” In New York State, applications for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program opened on June 1st. The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) provides economic relief to help low and moderate-income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance and utility arrears assistance. New York residents are eligible for ERAP if they meet all of the following criteria: • Household gross income is at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). These income limits differ by county and household size. A household may qualify based on current income or calendar year 2020 income that is at or below 80 percent AMI. For the first 30 days of the program, priority will be given to households in the following order: • Households below 50% of the AMI where a household member is in a priority group, which includes those currently unemployed and have been for 90 days, tenants of mobile homes with arrears, members of vulnerable populations including but not limited to domestic violence survivors, human trafficking survivors and veterans, households in communities disproportionately affected by Covid-19 as determined by OTDA, and households who reside in buildings with 20 or fewer units owned by a small landlord. After the first 30 days, applications for all eligible households will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, as long as funds remain available. There are no immigration status requirements to qualify for this program. A hotline is available 7 days a week from 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM to assist folks with questions: 1-844-NY1RENT. You can find more information and apply here. You can read the CNBC article here. |
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Town of Hempstead Launches Emergency Rental Assistance Program
This past May, Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin announced the allocation of more than $22 million dollars of federal funds to launch an Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Collaborating with the Long Island Housing Partnership (LIHP), this program is specifically designed to help more than 1,500 residents within the Town facing housing insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Supervisor Clavin, along with the entire Hempstead Town Board, has just announced that this program has formally launched and intake forms are now available through the Long Island Housing Partnership (LIHP). The program will assist with current and prospective rent, arrears for utilities & home energy costs, and other expenses related to housing, such as rental security deposits, to ensure housing stability. Assistance under this program could be provided for up to 12 months of payments, with an additional 3 months, if necessary, to ensure housing stability, and will cover arrears and costs accrued on or after March 13, 2020. “This is one of various initiatives that has been made possible thanks to the advocacy of Senator Schumer in securing the extension of last year’s funding,” said Supervisor Clavin. “Since the pandemic started, we have seen an increase in both home and food insecurity in our town. Initiatives with the INN, Island Harvest, Long Island Cares and now The Long Island Housing Partnership, Inc. are essential to help residents and families in the community face the unexpected challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.” Residents that meet the below criteria can access the Interest and Intake forms, as well as Program Guidelines, additional resources, information and frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) in both English and Spanish: English form: https://www.lihp.org/herapintake.html Qualifying Criteria - eligible residents must be able to answer yes to the following questions: • Do you live in the Town of Hempstead as your primary residence? It is important for residents to know that this assistance program will work solely on a first-come, first-served basis. “If you or someone you know is eligible for rental assistance, please reach out to the Long Island Housing Partnership to learn more about the Town of Hempstead’s Emergency Rental Assistance program,” Supervisor Clavin recommends. Melville Chamber Hosts Webinar on Biking and Walkability
Recently, the Melville Chamber of Commerce hosted a webinar on how "Good Biking and Walking Leads to Good Business." Mindy Germain of Transit Solutions and Lainey Benson from 511NY Rideshare moderated the discussion which also featured Vision Long Island's Placemaking Director, Elissa Kyle, Suffolk County Department of Public Works’ Chief Deputy Commissioner, Darnell Tyson, and Village of Babylon Trustee, Robyn Silvestri. Elissa Kyle gave highlights from this year's Complete Streets Summit including many of the downtowns that closed streets to traffic to allow outdoor dining or converted parking planes into "parklets." She also discussed the concept of "Walk Appeal" and how to design streets in a ways that makes them not just "walkable" but a place that is enjoyable to be in and will entice potential shoppers to linger and spend both time and money. Darnell Tyson gave updates on some of the projects that Suffolk County is working on to improve mobility in the County including the North Shore Rail-Trail, the countywide bike share program, the Hike-Bike Master Plan and one of the projects that came out of the master plan that is currently being moved forward in Port Jefferson Station. He also highlighted the recently approved “Three foot law” that required drivers in Suffolk County to allow at least three feet when passing cyclists or other vulnerable users. Robyn Silvestri highlighted the work that the Village of Babylon is doing to improve bicycle safety through a Bicycle Advisory Committee as well as their bike share sites, designated bike routes and other bicycle activities that the Village has hosted such as bike safety check up, bike safety day and a bike parade. They also had a bike rodeo, a community ride through Belmont Lake State Park and are planning a bike club to teach children how to maintain their bikes. You can view the full video of the event here. |
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Upcoming PPP & EIDL Workshops
The SBA will be offering several PPP & EIDL Workshops in the upcoming weeks Lead by SBA’s Economic Development Specialist Elaine Powell-Belnavis, these workshops will cover the following: • Latest updates of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and PPP Forgiveness. You can register for each of the workshops at the below links: Thurs. June 10, 2021 at 9:30am (SBA and York College SBDC) Thurs. June 17, 2021 at 9:30am (SBA and LaGuardia Community College SBDC) Tue. June 22, 2021 at 7:00pm (SBA and Finkelstein Memorial Library) Wed. June 23, 2021 at 11am (SBA and Queens Chamber of Commerce) Thurs. July 1, 2021 at 9:30am (SBA and Tech Incubator at Queens College) Thurs. July 15, 2021 at 9:30am (SBA and York College SBDC) Tue. July 20, 2021 at 7:00pm (SBA and Finkelstein Memorial Library) 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 at 11 am. Contact their office at (516) 333-0105 or email at admin@lihcc.org for tickets and sponsorship packages. LIBN Corporate Citizenship Awards to be Held Virtually on June 10th
Through its Corporate Citizenship Awards, Long Island Business News celebrates companies and individuals who prove that by being a good corporate citizen, we contribute to the economic and social well-being of employees, businesses and the community. Past and present honorees consistently prove that true community stewardship evolves through building strong partnerships with nonprofit organizations and others that strive to meet the critical needs of our community. The LIBN Corporate Citizenship Awards will be held virtually on Thursday, June 10th, 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Congratulations to the 2021 Honorees: COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD HELPING HANDS AWARD CORPORATE TEAM OF THE YEAR NONPROFITS OF THE YEAR PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE – FOR
PROFIT LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE– NONPROFIT CORPORATE CITIZENS OF THE
YEAR – LARGE BUSINESS CORPORATE CITIZENS OF THE
YEAR – MID-SIZED BUSINESS CORPORATE CITIZENS OF THE
YEAR – SMALL BUSINESS CORPORATE SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR You can register for this event here. MAP Forum Hosts 2021 Spring Meeting
The Metropolitan Area Planning (MAP) Forum’s 2021 Spring Meeting, hosted by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, will be held virtually on Thursday June 10, 2021, 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The MAP Forum is a consortium of metropolitan planning organizations and councils of government in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania that have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the coordination of planning activities in the multi-state metropolitan region. The keynote speaker this year will be Dr. Patricia Hendren, Executive Director, The Eastern Transportation Coalition. Regional Issues to be discussed will include Development, Mobility and Preparing for the Post-Pandemic Economy in Pennsylvania: • Housing and industrial development, multi-regional freight mobility and a more multimodal transportation system - Becky Bradley Initiative items will include: • Data & Analytics Initiative – Deb Nelson, New York Metropolitan Transportation Council To register, please RSVP via Eventbrite here. The MAP Forum complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and federal Limited English Proficiency guidelines. If you need special accommodations to participate in this meeting, or translation services, please contact andrea.miles-cole@dot.ny.gov no later than 72 hours prior to the meeting. |
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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) General Eligibility • Located in Nassau County Eligible Expenses • Grant funds to cover working capital and operating expenses including: Ineligible Businesses • Non-profit organizations 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. 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. Outdoor Spaces • PSEG Long Island approved 29 applications, representing a total of more than $125,000. 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. To learn more about all the programs PSEG Long Island offers to support local businesses, please visit this site. SBA Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Applications
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has a splash page for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) application portal in anticipation of opening applications for the much-anticipated critical economic relief program on Thursday, April 8, 2021. “Help is here for venue operators hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The SBA has worked diligently to build the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program from the ground up to assist and address the diverse eligibility requirements of each type of applicant and we will open for applications on April 8th.” SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman said. “This vital economic aid will provide a much-needed lifeline for live venues, museums, movie theatres and many more.” Prior to the official SVOG application opening, the SBA will host a national informational webinar to highlight the application process for potential eligible entities from 2:30 to 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 30, 2021. The SVOG program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act, which appropriated $15 billion for it. The American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021, appropriated an additional $1.25 billion, bringing the program funding to a total of $16.25 billion, with more than $16 billion allocated for grants. To ensure eligible venues do not miss a window to receive assistance through the Paycheck Protection Program, the American Rescue Plan Act also amended the SVOG program so entities that apply for a PPP loan after Dec. 27, 2020, can also apply for an SVOG, with the eligible entity’s SVOG to be reduced by the PPP loan amount. The PPP loan applications have been updated to reflect this. For more information, click here for the dedicated SBA SVOG portal: https://www.svograntportal.sba.gov/s/ EBB Program Available for People Seeking Affordable Internet
U.S Representative Kathleen Rice (NY-04) urges eligible constituents and Long Islanders to enroll in the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program to receive a discount on their monthly internet bill. Representative Rice, describing the EBB program as groundbreaking, details that the new program was established by Congress to help economically vulnerable Americans afford their monthly internet bill during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible households can receive a discount of $50 off the monthly cost of home internet service, and a one-time discount of $100 to purchase a new laptop, tablet, or desktop computer. Representative Rice supported the creation of the $3.2 billion program as part of the final omnibus appropriations bill passed in December 2020, and the program has recently begun accepting applications. Long Islanders are urged to visit the FCC’s new enrollment office to see if they qualify. You can read more at the FCC website here. You can find more information here. $150 Million to be Distributed to Local Communities through Outdoor Recreation Grant Program
On May 10, 2021, the Department of the Interior announced the National Park Service will distribute $150 million to communities through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) grant program to help states and local communities create close-to-home outdoor recreation experiences. This program, established in 2014, enables urban?communities to?create new outdoor recreation spaces, reinvigorate existing parks, and form connections between people and the outdoors?in economically underserved communities. The announcement comes on the heels of the Biden-Harris administration’s newly launched “America the Beautiful” initiative to support locally led, voluntary conservation and restoration efforts that address the nature and climate crises, improve equitable access to the outdoors, and strengthen the economy. Providing safe outdoor spaces for communities that are park-deprived is one of six areas of focus identified in the report. During this grant cycle, open May 10 through September 24, 2021, the National Park Service will be awarding between $300,000 and $5 million to state and local governments. State agencies must be the lead applicant for this grant opportunity, but they may apply for funds on behalf of a local government. This grant program provides funding to renovate existing parks or create new outdoor recreation space in underserved communities. You can read the Department of the Interior’s full press release here. You can view past examples of projects here. 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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A tireless energy and entrepreneurial spirit is what drives The Engel Burman Group, and has for over 50 years. Building on a solid foundation that includes some of the area’s most known and respected development brands — notably, The Bristal Assisted Living & The Seasons Active Adult Communities — The Engel Burman Group continues to extend its reach, expanding even further on a national scale. Over the last several years, Engel Burman has been broadening its scope, seeing rapid growth and portfolio diversity; developing new and innovative projects, with more on the horizon. Whether it’s developing, building and managing next-generation housing for first-time homebuyers, creating exceptional yet affordable living solutions for independent active adults, or trailblazing ongoing innovation in senior care and senior living, The Engel Burman Group continues to anticipate, adapt and advance — challenging, rethinking and redefining what’s possible. |
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