presented by Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance September 24th, 2021
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Quotes of the Week
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LGBT Network Opens State-of-the-Art Senior Center in Bay Shore
Vision Board and staff were out at the ribbon cutting of an LGBT community center and affordable senior housing in the heart of downtown Bay Shore. This project, developed by D&F Development, has previously received a Smart Growth Award and Vision Long Island was thrilled to see its completion! There was a great turnout at the ribbon cutting, with elected officials from across Long Island in attendance. "We wish to thank NYS Homes & Community Renewal, Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning, town of Islip, town of Islip Industrial Development Agency, POKO Partners, LLC, Xenolith Partners, LLC, the Long Island Housing Partnership and of course, the LGBT Network,” said Peter G. Florey, Principal of The D & F Development Group, “who provided essential funding and support to make this first of its kind housing possible. Without this support, this incredibly important development would not have been possible." The new building includes 75 apartments affordable to households earning between 30 and 80 percent of the Area Median Income. Twelve apartments are reserved for households in need of supportive services provided by the LGBT Network. The property also features an 8,000 square foot state-of-the-art senior center operated by the LGBT Network on the building's ground floor, which offers services and programming related to health and wellness, food and nutrition, and the arts.
"We are proud and honored to open the nation's first suburban LGBT/LGBT-friendly affordable housing & our 3rd LGBT Community Center on Long Island,” said Dr. David Kilmnick, President/CEO of the LGBT Network. “The support we have received from the groundbreaking several years ago to this moment is a testament to how far our community has come and how we continue to work collaboratively and collectively to embrace the LGBT community in our region. While we still have a long way to go, the new housing and LGBT Center along with the health, human services and advocacy programs that will be provided will ensure that our LGBT elders age gracefully without fear of discrimination and will proudly display, embrace, value and celebrate their lives.” The development is conveniently located near retail shops, transportation, recreation, and medical services. Each apartment has Energy Star appliances and central air conditioning. The building has a laundry room, a community room, an intercom system and security cameras. Eleven apartments are accessible for persons with mobility or hearing impairments. "I'm pleased to welcome the first LBGT-Friendly affordable senior apartment complex to the Hamlet of Bay Shore,” announced Senator Phil Boyle. “In addition to providing affordable housing, the state of the art senior citizen center, run by the LGBT Network will be extremely beneficial to the residents. I thank the State Housing and Community Renewal Agency for providing $3.2 million in funding that helped to make this historic housing project viable." Kudos to the LGBT Network for their leadership putting this center together with D&F Development. You can read more about this at CBS NY. Huntington Renames Street as “Dolores Dee Thompson Way”
On Thursday, September 23rd, the Town of Huntington renamed East Second Street, at the intersection of New York Avenue, in Huntington Station as Dolores “Dee” Thompson Way. This dedication is a tribute to 92-year-old activist and civil rights leader Dolores Thompson for her many years of service to the Huntington community. Town of Huntington Councilman Eugene Cook, who sponsored this resolution last June, called this dedication a fitting honor. “I was so delighted to see such a huge turnout at yesterday’s unveiling, and happy to hear all the stories of how [Ms. Thompson] has impacted so many lives in a positive way. Dee Thompson truly is an icon to the Huntington Community.” The intersection of East Second Street and New York Avenue is where Ms. Thompson founded the Huntington Station Enrichment Center, a community facility for residents providing training in computer skills, entrepreneurship, English as a second language, job placement, youth and senior services. Ms. Thompson, who serves as chairperson of the Dolan Family Health Center Advisory Board, is a long-time member of Leadership Huntington’s Presidents Council, and a corporate trustee of the Huntington Hospital Board of Directors. She also serves her church, Bethel AME Church as president of the Usher Board for more than ten years, trustee for six years and president of the Presidents Council for many years. She was the chief organizer of the Huntington Awareness Day parade and Unity Day and Community Conversations focused on straight talk with residents and elected and public servants. Former Huntington Town Council member, and Ms. Thompson’s daughter, Tracey Edwards noted, “Everyone knows that I kid around about my mother all the time but not this time. There is no one more dedicated to and outspoken about Huntington Station than my mom. She will be 93 in January and as beautiful and spunky as ever. She deserves this honor. Thank you for giving her flowers while she can still smell them.” In addition to this special street named in her honor, Assemblyman Steve Stern declared September 23rd Dolores Thompson Day in New York. “She is overwhelmed with joy and our family is eternally grateful,” Ms. Edwards stated. Vision Long Island would like to congratulate Ms. Thompson for this well-deserved recognition. Her dedication to the Huntington community is unmatched and she cannot be thanked enough. You can read the Huntington Now article here. Mayor Scott Strauss Delivers Mineola State of the Village
Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss offered his State of the Village speech on Tuesday, September 21st, at a meeting of the village’s Chamber of Commerce at the Morgan Parc apartment complex. The following are some highlights of the mayor’s speech, reported by Island Now: • The village has been able to make substantial improvements, while keeping tax increases to a minimum. In summary, Island Now reports, the mayor stated, “We’re all New Yorkers, we’ll get through this. We can get through anything.” You can read the Island Now article here. Sewers Finally Coming to Mastic/Shirley
Suffolk County Legislator James Mazzarella, third legislative district, has recently provided an update on the Mastic-Shirley Forge River sewer project. In January of 2019, residents of Mastic and Shirley went to the polls and overwhelmingly approved a referendum creating the Forge River Watershed Sewer District. The initial two phases include the Montauk Highway business corridor and the Forge River Watershed areas within the Hamlet of Mastic. While there were some delays, much like other projects throughout the county due to COVID-19, the County is in the final phases of moving the project forward. The bidding process has taken place, and additional funding has been secured through the American Rescue Plan. The Suffolk County Legislature is now processing and approving a series of pro-forma resolutions to appropriate the funding for the project. According to the current schedule, it is anticipated that the community will come together at the end of this year for a ground-breaking ceremony for this historic project. You can learn more about the sewer project here. |
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Hampton Jitney Considers Reviving Shuttle Ferry Between Greenport and Sag Harbor
The Hampton Jitney hopes to relaunch the Peconic Jitney, a passenger-only ferry service connecting Sag Harbor and Greenport, the company’s president Geoff Lynch told the Greenport Village Board at a recent work session. During the meeting Mr. Lynch stated, “Our objective on this proposed passenger ferry is to directly connect these two villages and potentially reduce traffic congestion on local roadways, not further tax the limited parking in both villages, and increase foot traffic and tourism to both these towns in a sustainable manner,” The Suffolk Times reports. The Peconic Jitney, which ran on a pilot basis during the summer of 2012, could be up and running as early as next spring, starting around Memorial Day weekend and ending around Columbus Day weekend, with the route running on either the western or eastern shoreline of Shelter Island, depending on weather conditions. The Peconic Jitney is requesting a five-year franchise license from Suffolk County and hopes to establish access sites on municipal property in both villages, pending local authorization. According to Mr. Lynch, the volume of tourists and residents has “surged quite a bit over the past decade,” creating a larger customer base than in 2012, when the ferry program only served 123 passengers over the course of a 100-day pilot. “Peconic Jitney intends to build upon the lessons learned from the 2012 pilot program to provide this service,” Mr. Lynch added. According to the article, Mr. Lynch indicated a vendor partnership with waterfront restaurant Claudio’s has enabled them to look at the ferry service long term, with Claudio’s selling concessions on the ferry and providing Crabby Jerry’s pier as a potential access site. The Suffolk Times notes that some concerns were raised. Trustee Julia Robins questioned issues regarding parking, pointing out that the village is already dealing with a pretty tight parking situation and Trustee Mary Bess Phillips asked to see a detailed business plan for the service that includes lease amount, potential benefits for the village and what services would be required from the village. Mr. Lynch concluded that this proposal is still in its initial stage and his presence at the work session was to reintroduce the idea of the ferry service and gauge the Board’s appetite for it. You can read The Suffolk Times article here. |
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National Grid Employees Give Back to Local Communities Through Project C
More than 1,000 National Grid employees gave back to their local communities on September 17th to celebrate a Day of Service across the company’s 26,000-square-mile New York service area. Company employees reaffirmed their spirit of altruism across the state by volunteering at food banks, Habitat for Humanity and Meals on Wheels, as well as stocking student backpacks and food warehouses, supplying PPE, cleaning up neighborhoods and parks, providing STEM education, offering energy affordability solutions, and much more. The initiative is part of Project C, which National Grid describes as its community commitment to clean energy and sustainability; workforce development; neighborhood investment and community engagement; and environmental justice and social equity. Project C is part of National Grid’s Responsible Business Charter under which the company has committed to achieve 500,000 volunteer hours over the next ten years company wide, with 20,000 volunteer hours in New York on an annual basis This initiative, funded by National Grid shareholders, provides a number of key offerings for customers and communities, including: • The Neighborhood Investment Program, whose intention is to revitalize local communities by supporting and fostering energy, education and community development projects. Through this program, grants will be provided to nonprofits, faith-based organizations, cultural institutions and recreational programs. You can find more information about Project C here. |
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Upcoming Fall Events in Farmingdale Village
With fall officially here, Farmingdale Village announces several upcoming community events: • Shakespeare on the Green, October 2nd and 3rd, Eastline Theatre Company presents: William Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet” with 2:30 PM performances at the Gazebo, On the Village Green You can find more details here and here Public Meetings on Congestion Currently Being Held
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), New York State Department of Transportation (NYS DOT) and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) are reminding the public that on Thursday, September 23rd, the agencies will begin holding 13 public meetings on the proposed congestion pricing program, formally known as Central Business District Tolling. These virtual meetings allow the public to learn more about the initiative and offer comments. Ten of the 13 meetings will allow members of the public throughout the 28 county Study Area in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to learn about the program and environmental review process and provide comments. The additional three meetings will provide a special focus on individuals and stakeholder groups in identified Environmental Justice communities, who will have opportunities to receive information about the proposed program and its potential impacts – positive or negative – on minority or low-income populations. Ten Regional Public Meetings will be held September 23 Through October 6th. The 10 general interest public meetings will focus on different geographic areas within the region, but anyone from any area can participate in any meeting. The meetings will be held virtually at these dates and times: • Wednesday, Sept. 29, 10 a.m. to noon: Northern New York City Suburbs Three Environmental Justice Outreach Meetings will be held October 7th, 12th & 13th. Environmental Justice community members will be able to learn about or comment on the proposed program and Environmental Assessment process. Members of Environmental Justice communities will learn about the Environmental Justice Technical Advisory Group that is being created as part of the effort and how they can join an Environmental Justice Stakeholder Working Group or suggest someone else. Three virtual meetings will be held, focused on environmental justice communities located respectively in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, though anyone may participate in or sign up to attend any or all of these: • Thursday, Oct. 7, 6-8 p.m.: New York Registering to speak or requesting language services can be done online or by phone. Those who wish to register to speak at any of the meetings can do so by visiting the Central Business District Tolling Program’s web portal at new.mta.info/project/CBDTP or by calling (646) 252-6777. The second option, (646) 252-6777, allows the public to hear a brief description of the project, to sign up to speak at the public meetings, or request in advance language or American Sign Language services, or request language at least five days in advance of each meeting. Feedback gathered in the public meetings will be part of the Environmental Assessment required by the United State Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) that will be published for public review. Following the release of the Environmental Assessment, there will be additional public meetings for comment specifically on the document. The Central Business District Tolling Program was authorized by the State of New York in April 2019 and modeled on urban congestion pricing programs around the world to reduce traffic congestion and raise needed revenue to improve public transportation. Other cities across the world that have similar programs have also experienced improved air quality. If approved by FHWA, the CBDTP would be the first such program in the United States. Longwood County Fair Returns
The Longwood Country Fair at the Historic Longwood Estate is returning to Brookhaven on Saturday, September 25 and Sunday, September 26, 2021, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Longwood Road and Ridge Road, Ridge. Festivities will include historical re-enactments and demonstrations, food, Ed Travers Band, craft vendors, children's activities, Tesla Museum, pet shows, vintage apron show, house tours and much more. Admission is $5.00 per person (children 12 and under are free and will receive a passport to the past). Parking is free. Complimentary shuttle available from Longwood Jr. High School, and the event is pet friendly (must be leashed). The Longwood Estate was passed down through the generations dating back prior to 1817. In 1973, developer Wilbur Breslin and Herbert Carmel purchased the property for commercial and industrial development. Brookhaven Town officials and area residents strongly opposed the plan and in 1974, Breslin and Carmel donated the manor house and 35 acres of land to the Town of Brookhaven. During its two-hundred-year history, the house knew fallow periods-and a notable 60-year Golden Age of love, family, and bustling activity. The estate now is the host to various activities for the residents to enjoy. Call the Longwood Estate at 631-924-1820 for more information. Westbury Street Fair is Back!
The Westbury Improvement District’s annual Westbury Street Fair is coming back to Post Avenue in the Village of Westbury. The fair will be held on Saturday September 25th, from 10 AM to 5 PM at 250 Post Avenue. It will be fun for the entire family. There will be many vendors, a food court, live music, events, a play area with a bounce house for kids, and more. The fair is a great way to spend an early fall day while enjoying all that Post Avenue has to offer. There is plenty of local parking and for those traveling in by Long Island Railroad, the south side of the fair starts right by the Westbury train station on Post Avenue. Rain date is Sunday, September 26th. Public Information Session for the Bay Park Conveyance Project
The NYS-DEC and the Nassau County Department of Public Works are hosting a virtual public information session for the Bay Park Conveyance Project on Thursday, October 7, 2021, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM via Zoom. Western Bays Constructors, the Design-Build contractor, will provide information on upcoming construction activities and be available to answer questions. The Bay Park Conveyance Project’s goal is to reduce nitrogen in the Western Bays of Long Island by conveying treated effluent from the South Shore Water Reclamation Facility (previously known as the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant) to the Cedar Creek Water Pollution Control Plant’s ocean outfall pipe. With treated effluent no longer discharged into the Western Bays, nearby communities will experience the benefits of improved water quality in the Western Bays, enhanced quality of life, revitalized shellfish habitat and restored vital marshlands that protect communities from wave action and coastal surge. You can find more Project details and meeting information here. HIA-LI's 33rd Annual Trade Show & Conference
On Thursday, October 14, 2021, the HIA-LI is hosting its 33rd Annual HIA-LI Trade Show & Conference live at the Hilton Long Island in Melville. Industries on Long Island will be represented, including Energy/Environmental, Technology, Manufacturing, Finance, Hospitality, Health Care, Media/Advertising, Education, Government & Workforce Development. The theme of one of this years’ seminars is Why Supporting Non-Profits Is Good For Your Profit. Moderated by Eric Alexander, Director of Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance, panelists include Lee Silberman CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Long Island, Paule Pachter CEO of Long Island Cares, and Rich Humann President/CEO of H2M. Discussion will include why Corporate Social Responsibility is more than just companies giving money to nonprofits because it is the “right thing to do” and it is more than nonprofits just having their hands out. Properly formulated partnerships between for profit and not for profit companies leads to higher employee satisfaction and retention, as well as the betterment of the communities in which we live. Details: You can find more information and register here. AARP NY to Host Discussion on Challenges Facing Rural New Yorkers
AARP New York, the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York and the New York State Office for the Aging are hosting a far-reaching virtual discussion on the challenges facing rural New Yorkers. New reports will unveil policy recommendations to address the needs rural New Yorkers face in accessing Health Services, Caregiving Support, High-Speed Internet and Telehealth. Experts, policymakers and academic researchers will share stories about rural New York inequities and what can be done to help. Featured speakers include: • Brian Alexander, the author of The Hospital: Life, Death, and Dollars in a Small American Town (2021), has written for many magazines and newspapers, including The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Science, Outside and Esquire. Details: You can register here. |
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Empire State Development (ESD) Capital Grant Funding is Still Available
The Empire State Development (ESD) Capital Grant Funding is still available through its Consolidated Funding Application. The funding, which helps drive regional and local economic development across New York State, is available for capital-based economic development projects intended to create or retain jobs; prevent, reduce or eliminate unemployment and underemployment; and/or increase business or economic activity in a community or region. The next batch of applications will be reviewed on October 1, 2021. To learn about the program guidelines, how to apply, and have your questions answered, join the Empire State Development Long Island Regional Office for its virtual office hours every Wednesday from 10 AM to 11 AM via Zoom. Email the ESD Long Island office at LIREDC@esd.ny.gov for the Zoom link. PSEG Long Island Adds $50,000 in Grants to Boost Local Economy
On September 13, 2021, in celebration of Small Business Week, PSEG Long Island announced an additional $50,000 has been allocated to its Main Street Chamber of Commerce program for the remainder of 2021 to help small businesses and Long Island’s local economy thrive. “We have created programs to help businesses across Long Island and the Rockaways attract customers and keep them shopping locally,” states John Keating, manager of Economic and Community Development at PSEG Long Island. “These programs provide funding for the enhancements that might not otherwise be in the budget, putting businesses in a position to succeed in these unprecedented times and into the future.” In 2020, the company began offering grants to local chambers of commerce and business improvement districts (BID) to help transform sidewalk areas and plazas with the seating, lighting, planters and protective barriers needed to keep customers safely dining and shopping locally amid new public health measures. The funding for this grant program was renewed for 2021 on a first come, first served basis. The program offers up to $5,000 to a chamber of commerce or BID. Applications will be accepted until Dec. 31, 2021. In honor of Small Business Week 2021, PSEG Long Island has added $50,000 in funding to this grant program. In addition to its Chambers of Commerce program, PSEG Long Island offers a “Beautification” grant to local chambers of commerce for decorative items such as hanging planters, flowerbeds, murals and welcome signs. This program offers funding of up to $2,000 to a chamber of commerce or business improvement district. Applications will be accepted until Dec. 31, 2021. To date, more than $2 million in grants and discounts have been provided to help thousands of local businesses and organizations continue to thrive and meet the ever-evolving challenges of COVID-19. You can find more information about all the programs PSEG Long Island offers to support local businesses here. Boost Nassau Main Street Recovery Grant Program
Nassau County’s Boost Nassau Main Street Recovery Grant Program supports small businesses located within the County that experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19 and that are in need of financial assistance to continue to operate or to be able to reopen as allowed by law during the crisis. Grants of $10,000 per business will be awarded for eligible businesses with 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees. Per Internal Revenue Service guidance, these grants are taxable. The information below provides an overview of the Grant Program. Definition of eligible business: Reduction in revenues, increases in percent of expenses, costs related to COVID compliance, staffing difficulties, etc. Type of assistance: Grant General ineligibility: Only one (1) application per Tax-ID, regardless of how many sites applicant has in Nassau County. You can apply here. SBA Announces Enhancements to the COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan
Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), recently announced major enhancements to the COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, a federal disaster relief loan designed to better serve and support our small business communities still reeling from the pandemic, especially hard-hit sectors such as restaurants, gyms, and hotels. The SBA is ready to receive new applications immediately from small businesses looking to take advantage of these new policy changes. “The SBA’s COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan program offers a lifeline to millions of small businesses who are still being impacted by the pandemic,” SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman said. “We’ve retooled this critical program – increasing the borrowing limit to $2 million, offering 24 months of deferment, and expanding flexibility to allow borrowers to pay down higher-interest business debt. We have also ramped up our outreach efforts to ensure we’re connecting with our smallest businesses as well as those from low-income communities who may also be eligible for the companion COVID EIDL Targeted Advance and Supplemental Advance grants totaling up to $15,000.” Key changes being announced by the SBA include: How to apply: Eligible small businesses, nonprofits, and agricultural businesses in all U.S. states and territories can apply. Visit www.sba.gov/eidl to learn more about eligibility and application requirements. The last day that applications may be received is December 31, 2021. All applicants should file their applications as soon as possible. For additional information on COVID EIDL and other recovery programs please visit www.sba.gov/relief. Small business owners may call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard of hearing) or email DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov for additional assistance. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST. Multilingual representatives are available. Small business owners may also contact SBA’s Resource Partners here. Nassau County Re-Opens HOME Investment Program
The Nassau County Office of Community Development has announced the re-opening of its HOME Investment Partnerships Program Funding Application. The HOME Investment Partnerships Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to states and localities in order to fund a wide range of activities that build, buy, and/or rehabilitate homes to provide decent and affordable housing, particularly housing for low- and moderate-income households for rent or homeownership. In general, under this program HUD allocates funds by formula among eligible state and local governments to strengthen public-private partnerships and to expand the supply of decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing, with primary attention to rental housing, for very low-income and low-income families. The HOME program was designed and implemented in order to increase the amount of affordable housing in the United States for its citizens. It was designed with four main objectives in mind: • Expanding the supply of decent and affordable housing in the U.S. The Nassau County Office of Community Development will be accepting applications through October 30th. Updated information on program requirements, current rent and income limits, affirmative marketing requirements, and highlighted recently completed projects is available here. Restart NY Regrant Program Now Open
Restart NY Regrant Program is a new grant awards program. Grants ranging from $1000-$3000 are available for Long Island organizations or individuals for funding of in-person (live) arts events. These funds are discrete from the Statewide Community Regrant (SCR, formerly DEC). Those who have previously received a DEC grant are eligible to receive Restart NY funding. Attendance to one of the following free workshops is mandatory in order to apply for a Restart NY Regrant. All workshops will be presented through ZOOM. Additional information and the login link will be provided after you register for the workshop. The free workshops are: You can register for a workshop here. General Guidelines for applying: Funding decisions are made by a series of panels comprised of local artists, community leaders and individuals from throughout the region. All award recommendations are required to be voted on by the Board of Directors of the Huntington Arts Council, Inc. If you have any questions, please email grants4arts@huntingtonarts.org. SBA Webinars
The U.S. Small Business Administration is hosting the following informational virtual webinars to help small businesses during these difficult times. The webinars will be conducted by Man-Li Lin, Economic Development Specialist, District International Trade Officer, SBA New York District Office. Monday, Oct. 4, 2021 at 2pm (SBA and Manhattan Chamber of Commerce) Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021 at 2pm (SBA and Accompany Capital) Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021 at 9:30am (SBA and Tech Incubator at Queens College) Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021 at 11:00am (SBA and AARP) Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021 at 9:30am (SBA and Queens Economic Development Corp) Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021 at 11:00am (SBA and AARP) Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021 at 7pm (SBA and Finkelstein Memorial Library) Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021 at 2:30pm (SBA and Tech Incubator at Queens College) Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021 at 9:30am (SBA and LaGuardia Community College SBDC) Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021 at 11:00am (SBA and AARP) Monday, Oct. 25, 2021 at 2pm (SBA and Manhattan Chamber of Commerce) Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021 at 11:00am (SBA and AARP) Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021 at 9:30am (SBA and York College SBDC) Thursday, Nov. 4 2021 at 11:00am (SBA and AARP) The NYS Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) Open
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. Seven communities that received funding for emergency rental assistance directly from the federal government opted to administer their own programs. Residents of the Towns of Hempstead, Islip and Oyster Bay must apply with their local programs for emergency rental assistance and are ineligible for assistance from the state-administered Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Town of Hempstead: https://www.lihp.org/herapintake.html Eligibility: 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. There are no immigration status requirements to qualify for the program. Households eligible for rental arrears may also be eligible for help paying utility arrears at the same rental unit. Priority Applications: For the first 30 days of the program, priority will be given to households in the following order: 1.Households with income at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) that also include a household member who: • Is currently unemployed for at least 90 days; or 2. Households with income at or below 50 percent AMI 3. Households with income at or below 80 percent AMI that also include a household member who: • Is currently unemployed for at least 90 days; or 4. Households with income at or below 80 percent AMI 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. Benefits: Households approved for ERAP may receive: • Up to 12 months of rental arrears payments for rents accrued on or after March 13, 2020. Payments will be made directly to the landlord/property owner and utility company on behalf of the tenant. Tenant applicants will be notified of the amounts paid on their behalf. If a landlord is difficult to locate or does not otherwise provide information needed to complete the application, funds will be held for up to 180 days to allow sufficient time to locate the landlord and collect required information as well as to provide tenant protections and maximize landlord participation. Please note: Once the application is started, all questions must be answered and the application signed and saved to submit the application. There currently is no way to save a partially completed application. Applicants are encouraged to gather all the information needed before starting an application including income of household members and rental amounts. NYS Coronavirus Relief Grant Program for Small Businesses
The NYS Legislature has approved $800 million in grants for small businesses across New York. Applications are now open for anyone who is eligible to apply. The following is from New York State’s website: The New York State COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program was created to provide flexible grant assistance to currently viable small businesses, micro-businesses and for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations in the State of New York who have experienced economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Grant awards will be calculated based on a business’s annual gross receipts for 2019 (see below for more information). Grant amounts and calculations are subject to change by Empire State Development. Annual gross receipts: $25,000 – $49,999.99: Award is $5,000 / business Eligible Businesses Include: Small businesses, Micro-businesses, and For-profit independent arts and cultural organizations (collectively, “Eligible Applicants”) must be currently viable and have begun operation on or before March 1, 2019, and continue to be in operation as of the date of application (maybe shuttered due to COVID restrictions). See the FAQ section below for definitions of business categories above. Eligible Applicants will be required to show loss of gross receipts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or compliance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols which resulted in business modifications, interruptions, or closures. Small businesses and Micro-businesses must: 1. Have 2019 or 2020 Gross Receipts of between $25,000 and $500,000 per annum More information on the grants as well as a guide on how to apply is available here. |
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"I'm pleased to welcome the first LBGT-Friendly affordable senior apartment complex to the Hamlet of Bay Shore. In addition to providing affordable housing, the state of the art senior citizen center, run by the LGBT Network will be extremely beneficial to the residents. I thank the State Housing and Community Renewal Agency for providing $3.2 million in funding that helped to make this historic housing project viable." - New York State Senator Phil Boyle
"We wish to thank NYS Homes & Community Renewal, Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning, town of Islip, town of Islip Industrial Development Agency, POKO Partners, LLC, Xenolith Partners, LLC, the Long Island Housing Partnership and of course, the LGBT Network, who provided essential funding and support to make this first of its kind housing possible. Without this support, this incredibly important development would not have been possible." - Peter G. Florey, Principal of The D & F Development Group
"We are proud and honored to open the nation's first suburban LGBT/LGBT-friendly affordable housing & our 3rd LGBT Community Center on Long Island. The support we have received from the groundbreaking several years ago to this moment is a testament to how far our community has come and how we continue to work collaboratively and collectively to embrace the LGBT community in our region. While we still have a long way to go, the new housing and LGBT Center along with the health, human services and advocacy programs that will be provided will ensure that our LGBT elders age gracefully without fear of discrimination and will proudly display, embrace, value and celebrate their lives.” - Dr. David Kilmnick, President/CEO of the LGBT Network
