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

October 22nd, 2020

Quote of the Day

“The health and economic impacts of this pandemic have been devastating, and we are continuing to do everything we can to support people who are suffering.” - New York State Andrew Cuomo

"As Long Islanders living under the long shadow of New York City’s cultural destinations it is easy to lose sight of the enormous contributions the Island’s various museums provide a population of 2.7 million people. Their presence helps strengthen our society, provide families opportunities for shared experiences, and shape our individual appreciation of the world around us. All of this is at risk because, at the end of the day, these institutions require dollars to operate, regardless of their size." - Scott Burman, vice chairman of the board of The L.I. Children’s Museum, principal at Engel Burman, and president, EB Construction

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Bus Service Should Not be Cut Without Alternatives

Vision provided testimony earlier this week in opposition to the proposed cuts to Suffolk County Bus Service as the Suffolk County Public Hearing on the proposed Operating Budget. Transit service for working people without cars matters and steps must be taken to minimize the impact of this important service. We find money for all forms of transportation projects but the ones that hit the neediest folks are the first ones on the chopping block.

Here is our statement:

Vision Long Island opposes the proposed reductions to bus funding and services as proposed in the Suffolk County Operating Budget.

On July 10th, 2020, Suffolk and Nassau County Executives unveiled the results of a comprehensive study analyzing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Long Island’s economy.  The study, prepared by the consulting firm HR&A Advisors, with support from the Nassau County ISA and Suffolk County IDA, reveals that Long Island is losing jobs at a faster rate than other suburban countries in the state.  The analysis shows ta disproportionate share of the job loss falling on low-paying jobs, workers with local levels of education, and Hispanic/Latino workers.

Fast forward three months and we find Suffolk County moving to cut half of its County’s bus services, with at least 19 routes being discontinued, affecting nearly 2,300 riders a day.  The justification from Suffolk County government has been because Washington has failed to act, we are now in a position where cuts to public transit are necessary.  While Washington is failing to do what is needed, the County cannot abandon its most vulnerable residents.  This is counterproductive to the ultimate goal of attaining economic stability and growth in our towns and villages.

Bus cuts damage efforts to promote economic development in downtowns, disproportionately affect folks who live in less affluent areas, and community residents with disabilities.  This specific cut will achieve the total opposite of what good government should be doing during this unprecedented time, which is to support workers and local businesses.  Local government should refrain from extreme reactions when it comes to funding critical services.

In recent years, the Country has been correctly and successfully encouraging connectivity on Long Island by promoting transit service and economic development with downtowns and employment centers.  This has been an important component in the successful revitalization of many downtowns and we have supported these efforts.  The County ought not to be abandoning this undertaking, it is needed now, more than ever.  Folks do not ride the bus for fun, they ride for work, and a lot more people will lose their jobs when they lose their bus service.

Bus services without alternatives should not be cut.

NYS Extends Moratorium on COVID-Related Commercial Evictions

Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order this past Tuesday that extended a moratorium on COVID-related commercial evictions to January 1st, 2021.

This order seeks to protect commercial tenants and mortgagors who are suffering under the ongoing economic restrictions resulting from the pandemic.  Restaurants and retailers in particular have been hit hard as people are continuing to social distance and deal with reduced capacities.  The extension will give owners a chance to catch up on rent or mortgage, or possibly renegotiate lease terms to avoid foreclosure.

“The health and economic impacts of this pandemic have been devastating, and we are continuing to do everything we can to support people who are suffering,” Cuomo said in a statement.

This extension now lines up the commercial moratorium with the residential one that had previously been extended to January 1st.  The governor has also previously provided protections from residential renters for late payment of rent, and allowing for tenants to use their security deposit for pay rent.

You can read more at Long Island Business News.

Halloween Guidance Posted on NYS Website

New York State has posted guidelines for having a safe and fun Halloween this season.

While there are ongoing concerns due to the pandemic, there is no reason that people cannot enjoy a safe Halloween holiday this year.  New York State has released a number of guidelines on having socially distanced fun and activities.

Some suggestions include organizing a virtual Halloween costume party, a neighborhood car parade, a neighborhood scavenger hunt, or a house decorating contest.  There are plenty of other ideas as well as a do’s and don’ts section.

Vision Long Island also recommends checking your local downtown to see if there’s anything going on nearby.  Local BIDs and downtowns are working to bring a touch of the Halloween spirit to downtowns in a safe fashion this season.

You can read the state’s full list of recommendations and guidelines for a safe Halloween here.

Greenport Village Officials Weigh Future of Parklets in Downtown

As the pandemic raged on and people began looking for solutions to getting people back into downtowns, Greenport implemented what are referred to as “parklets” to help encourage outdoor dining on Main Street.

Parklets are small sidewalk extensions that provide space and amenities for people to use outside. They are usually created within parking lanes and use several parking spaces. Greenport used them to help encourage walkability and space between downtown visitors. At the same time, local restaurants were able to use them as table space for outdoor diners, creating a safe and pleasant environment for them.

In response to the change, which has been popular among residents, some Village officials have proposed extending the use of the parklets. Indeed, they have been approved through the Thanksgiving season, with a review local code to see if the local parking situation can be improved to be able to extend them longer.

The future of the parklets in Greenport will come down to how viable they can be while still providing parking for residents and visitors during busier times of year. As a popular East End destination, Greenport often struggles with providing enough space to allow for visitors to park.

The idea was not met with universal acceptance among the Village Board, who are afraid that pushing parking too far from the downtown will discourage visitors. There has been some discussion on possibly improving and beautifying other areas of the downtown to provide more parking, but there is not a solid plan for the future as of now. Still, there are plans in the work to possibly improve walkability for both residents and tourists.

“Let’s make that whole area more usable, more visitor friendly,” said Mayor George Hubbard Jr. “The only way to do that is for us to take the lead on that.”

You can read more at the Suffolk Times.

Glen Cove BID Launches Fitness in Village Square

The Glen Cove Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) has launched its first Fitness in Village Square on Saturday, Oct. 10, with a yoga class by Glen Cove Yoga. Many Glen Cove residents enjoyed a free yoga class in Village Square.

“It was such a great way to start our Saturday morning and then have a late breakfast in downtown,” said Glen Cove resident Analis Briones.

Fitness in Village Square was an initiative that Patricia Holman, Executive Director of The Glen Cove Downtown B.I.D. proposed last February. Downtown Glen Cove is home to several fitness businesses that include Glen Cove Yoga, Glen Cove Fitness, Garcia Muay Thai, and Soca Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

“This event was created to give these businesses the opportunity to highlight their specialty,” Holman said, “while keeping Glen Cove fit.” This event was originally scheduled to take place in July and August, but because of the coronavirus was postponed.  “We are so happy that we are able to offer these free workout classes to our community and we will keep the classes going until the weather gets too cold to have them,” Holman said. “I really enjoyed the moonlit yoga that took place last Thursday evening in Village Square, I am looking forward to future classes and am looking into a membership with Glen Cove Yoga.” Said Lori Testa a longtime resident of Glen Cove.

“We are very happy to partner with the Glen Cove Downtown BID to bring this exciting series of outdoor classes to Glen Cove,” said Glen Cove Yoga owner Amy Garvey. “Staying fit and calm is key during trying times like these and we’re here for anyone interested.”

Other free classes will consist of Glen Cove Fitness’ MX4 interval training class, a kick boxing class by Master Garcia of Garcia Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu training by Soca Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.  Please bring a mat when attending.  

The schedule of October classes are as follows:

October 22 @ 6 p.m. Glen Cove Fitness
October 24th @10 a.m. Garcia Muay Thai
October 29th @ 6 p.m. Glen Cove Yoga
October 31st @ 10 a.m. Soca Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
November 5th @ 6 p.m. Soca Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

For an extended schedule please follow us on Facebook or visit us on the web: www.glencovedowntown.org.
The Glen Cove Downtown BID has produced events such as the Halloween Parade and Festival, The Holiday Festival and Downtown Sounds. For further information, please contact the Glen Cove Downtown Business Improvement District at 516-759-6970 or info@glencovedowntown.org.

Westbury Launches Westbury History Informative Series

Westbury Arts is providing a new service to its subscribers in the form of an informative series of short stories written by local author Arthur Dobrin.

Around every month Westbury Arts will release an original work of fiction by Mr. Dobrin that will reflect the history of diversity of Westbury Village.  Some of the works will be based on actual history while some others will be purely imagined.

The first of the series has been released in the form of Westbury Imagined: A Very Short History.  You can check out the story here.

Farmingdale to Host Halloween Decorating Contest

Since many of the downtown activities this year have been cancelled due to the pandemic (parades, Columbus Day fair, tree lighting, Movies on the green, Music on main, etc), the Village of Farmingdale is looking for some COVID safe events to help maintain community spirit.

This year we are going to try a Halloween house decorating contest where the local residents can vote on the four best homes and win prizes. If it is successful, we will do a similar contest for the holiday house decorating in December.

Halloween house decorating contest! Will your home be the spookiest? The most Boo-tifal? The most creative?

How to win:

No entry required! As long as you have your Halloween decorations up and your home is in 11735, you are eligible to win a $100, $75, $50, or $25 gift card to a Farmingdale Village Business of your choice!

Who are the judges? Farmingdale residents-- so make sure to vote! Simply email the following information to Wpriestley@farmingdalevillage.com:

The address of your 3 favorite Halloween Houses; Your name and Your 11735 address; The addresses with the most votes will win first place, second most votes will win 2nd place, and 3rd and 4th respectively.

VOF reserves the right to disqualify questionable ballets.

How to increase your chance of winning?

- Email Walter Priestley your address ASAP and we will include it on a map online of suggested houses to check out.
- Make sure your house number is visible from the street
- Have fun & be creative!

Long Island Museums Facing an Existential Threat

The following op-ed was written by Scott Burman, vice chairman of the board of The L.I. Children’s Museum, principal at Engel Burman, and president, EB Construction.  It originally appeared in Long Island Business News here.

The Cradle of Aviation has launched a “Go Fund Me” campaign that seeks any amount of contribution that would help keep their doors open. The Long Island Children’s Museum has hosted a virtual gala to protect its bottom line. The Museum of American Armor partnered with Nassau County and media outlets to conduct an online virtual observance of the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Across Long Island our cultural institutions are seeking to reinvent themselves in response to the COVID pandemic that shut them down for months. Even with their doors reopened, the pandemic has dramatically slashed their ability to host people, events, and programs. In many instances, staff has been furloughed or positions eliminated altogether. At a time when state and county budget deficits are reaching historic highs, an economic lifeline is problematic. The implications for many of our Long Island institutions are foreboding.

Long Island isn’t unique in facing this existential threat to its educational and cultural institutions. A survey undertaken by the American Alliance of Museums found one-third of the nation’s museum directors said they faced significant risk that their institutions wouldn’t survive by the fall of 2021 without some form of financial assistance.

The survey also found that 35 percent had laid off or furloughed up to 20 percent of their staff members during the late winter. Some 21 percent had laid off or furloughed as many as 40 percent of their staff.

The “monster” museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue may be feeling the pain, but the Met has a nearly $3 billion-plus endowment to sustain itself, plus the continued support of New York’s mega wealthy who won’t let their neighborhood museum go dark.

The smaller museums don’t have access to those checkbooks, and yet they are just as important to the fabric of the regions they serve. The one advantage they have is that these museums are less encumbered by layers of bureaucracy, enabling them to pivot quickly, recognize the threats, consider alternatives, and quickly introduce programs that will enable them to survive the pandemic’s grip on their bottom line.

As Long Islanders living under the long shadow of New York City’s cultural destinations it is easy to lose sight of the enormous contributions the Island’s various museums provide a population of 2.7 million people. Their presence helps strengthen our society, provide families opportunities for shared experiences, and shape our individual appreciation of the world around us. All of this is at risk because, at the end of the day, these institutions require dollars to operate, regardless of their size.

The region’s business community will need to play a direct role in protecting the future of these museums. The survival of these not-for-profits is an essential element in creating a quality of life that, in turn, attracts the best and brightest to our respective Long Island companies. If we allow our museums to close we will be participating in the slow motion deconstruction of Long Island as we know it.

This effort will be a marathon. We need to take a clue from Broadway. which is not expected to return to normal before May of next year. Any number of our Long Island museums will not be able to reopen this spring if the bi-county’s business community doesn’t dig deep to help them. We will need to be creative, expanding on such innovations as the virtual gala successfully conducted by the L.I. Children’s Museum and co-chaired by a long time museum supporter, Scott Rechler of RXR.

We know this much. The importance of Long Island’s museums can’t be measured in simple metrics like attendance or social media outreach. They serve to bring together our diverse population to share an experience that enhances their lives while defining our past and envisioning the future. It’s an investment beyond measure.

LIHCC Hosting Reconnecting Zoom Network Event on October 22nd

Join us for an evening of networking and staying up to date on the latest going on in Long Island. Our speakers will present professional medical advice regarding COVID-19 and the upcoming flu season, Long Island Small Business survival guide, bringing resources to Main Street, and a Long Island SBA presentation on PPP Loan frequently ask questions about loan forgiveness.

Guest Speakers will include Dr. Hector Castro, Vision Long Island and Main Street Alliance Director Eric Alexander, and Samuel Ballena from the Long Island SBA.

The speed networking event will take place on October 22nd, beginning at 6 pm.  There will be networking groups, health, and small business presentations.  Members and non-members are both welcome.

You can register for the event here.

BIANYS Hosting Webinar for International Opportunities for New York Startups

The Business Incubator Association of New York State, Inc. (BIA/NYS) is hosting a webinar this Friday, October 23rd, from 10 to 11 am, that will include presentations on opportunities for small start-ups I the state.

Presenters include Ed Kowalewsk, Director of International Investment Programs at Global New York, Lauren Merkel, Director of Partnerships at Global New York, Colby Creedon, Commercialization Fellow at Empire State Development, and Jennifer Tegan, Managing Director at New York Ventures.

You can register for this event here.

SBA Announces Webinars to Learn About PPP Forgiveness

Please join SBA to learn about PPP Forgiveness for loans of $50,000 and less, Form 3508S (announced on Oct. 8th), Changes of Ownership (announced on oct. 2nd), New Information (announced on August 11th and 27th, PPP Flexibility Act Seven changes of PPP (announced on June 5th), , the Most Common FAQs , the Revised PPP Forgiveness Application SBA Form 3508 with Instructions, and SBA Form 3508EZ with Instructions.

Mon. Oct.  26th at 2pm “PPP Forgiveness Application 3 Forms and Instructions”

Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tfu2przssHdaQVw0GSo9yfYN6b-FVRXTn 

Thurs. Oct.  29th at 10am “PPP Forgiveness Application 3 Forms and Instructions”

Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtfu6rrjgrGNz8Dd7FnADAvzfWDtmzW22_ 

Free Webinars on Supporting Education during the Pandemic on Oct 26th & Nov 2nd

The health crisis we're facing is ongoing, so teachers face a unique challenge: encouraging children to learn and connect with others while they may be experiencing stress, anxiety and loss. At the same time, staff members need to sustain their own motivation and focus while both supporting students and coping with their own concerns. Two new webinars will help you find the balance with your own emotions, your work and your family--and will provide critical self-care tools.

The presenter is David Hymowitz, a social worker with 30 years of experience who has worked with many school districts as they develop programs on social-emotional learning.

Now That We're Back: How Do We Continue to Support Students, Families and Ourselves?
Date: Monday, October 26, 2020
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m
Registration: There is no fee but pre-registration is required.
REGISTER NOW

Now That We're Back: Strategies for Program Leaders
Date: Monday, November 2, 2020
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Registration: There is no fee but pre-registration is required
REGISTER NOW

Trunk or Treat on October 30th

Professor’s Café in Kings Park will be holding a Trunk or Treat event on Friday, October 20th from 5 to 7 pm.

The event will be $20 per car.  There will be Candy Apples, Roasted Corn, Cotton Candy, and more!  There will also be a drive in featurette with a kid-friendly Halloween movie.

The event will be located at the Key Food Parking Lot in Kings Park.  Don’t forget to bring your candy for trick or treaters with you!

LIA Small- and Mid-Sized Business Committee Hosting Economic Impact Webinar on Nov 10th

The Long Island Association (LIA) will be hosting a webinar on the Economic Impacts of COVID-19 on a Global, National, and Local scale.  This event will take place online Tuesday on November 10th, starting at 9 AM.

The event will feature Chief Economist Dr. John Rizzo for a presentation about the economic impacts of COVID-19.  There will be an in-depth analysis on key data about how the virus has affected economies around the globe.  There will also be a question and answer session.

You can register for this event here.

WEDLI to Host Conversation on Hunger on Long Island with Randi Shubin Dresner on Nov 12th

Women Economic Developers of Long Island (WEDLI) will be hosting a conversation with Island Harvest CEO Randi Shubin Dresner on Hunger on Long Island.

Island Harvest was created in 1992 by one woman with a cooler, a station wagon, and the desire to help people in need. Linda Breitstone was infuriated that food from a local convenience store was thrown away at the end of the day – with a safe house for women and children down the street. In response, she established Island Harvest and their mission to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island.

Since those early days, Island Harvest has become Long Island’s largest hunger-relief organization. Join WEDLI to hear from Randi Shubin Dresner, President and CEO of Island Harvest. Dresner, a longtime WEDLI member, will discuss the impact of COVID-19 on food insecurity on Long Island and will share updates on Island Harvest’s impact across Nassau and Suffolk Counties during these challenging times.

WEDLI Board Member Kennetha Pettus, Director of the Nassau County Office of Housing and Community Development, will moderate the discussion.

The event will take place on November 12th at 8:30 am.  This program is complimentary for members and non-members, but registration is required. You can register here.

Questions? Call Michelle McQueen (631) 344-4731 or Kennetha Pettus (516) 860-7507

32nd Annual Keys for the Homeless Conference to take Place Virtually on November 18th

The Long Island Coalition for the Homeless is holding its 32nd Annual Keys for the Homeless Conference online this year to help bring relief to Long Island’s struggling homeless population.

This year’s event will take place on November 18th from 9 am to 3:30 virtually and will feature 14 workshop topics that address what can be done to help the most vulnerable residents in our region.  The theme for the conference is “Adapting to Changing Times: Where Do We Go From Here?”  Marc Dones, the Executive Director of National Innovation Services will be this year’s Keynote Speaker.

The Coalition is responsible for leading the region’s initiative to serve our most vulnerable and reducing barriers to housing.  With their Continuum of Care partners, they have referred more than 200 homeless households for permanent housing.  Throughout the years they have helped to guide over two hundred million dollars of US Department of Housing and Urban Development CoC funding to Long Island agencies, resulting in the development of over 2,700 units of housing for homeless persons. 

You can register to attend, become a sponsor, or exhibitor for this event here.  A full schedule of the workshops for the event is available here.

Central Pine Barrens Commission Seeking Executive Director

The Central Pine Barrens Joint Planning and Policy Commission, through the Suffolk County Water Authority, is currently accepting applications for the position of Executive Director.

The Executive Director's specific responsibilities include direct oversight of the management and protection of the ecological and water resources of the Central Pine Barrens, a state-designated natural resource area located in Suffolk County, under jurisdiction of and directed by its Central Pine Barrens Commission.

Responsibilities:

• Oversees the overall day-to-day operation of the Division and manages its staff to ensure the goals, objectives and day to day staff work responsibilities are carried out in an optimal, cost effective and efficient manner.

• Performs annual reviews of staff performance.
• Participates in and provides guidance and support for Central Pine Barrens Commission meetings and programs.
• Forges, maintains and enhances working relationships with federal, state and local officials and agencies to ensure Commission land use policies, goals and objectives, as required by NYS law and a comprehensive land use plan, are appropriately implemented to ensure protection of Central Pine Barrens natural resources and that appropriate land use development, public lands management and stewardship occurs within this area.
• Oversees development, design and implementation of stewardship programs, including a prescribed fire program, to address environmental and natural resource issues, on a cooperative basis with key public land management agencies that promote protection, conservation and ecological health of the Central Pine Barrens regionally.
• Directs and supervises the investigation of and response to land use and environmental complaints and violations.
• Undertakes strategic and long-range planning and scientific research to ensure the protection of the natural resources of the Central Pine Barrens.
• Ensures that appropriate contracting, procurement, record keeping, office management, insurance, and legal requirements are followed for the Division.

Qualifications:

• 5 years’ experience in Natural Resource/Environmental Management and Protection, Land Use Planning or related field
• Bachelor’s degree in Natural/Environmental Sciences, Resource Conservation, Planning or related field.
• Preferred - experience of five or more years working in the public/government sector in areas related to natural resource management, public lands management, resource conservation or related area.
• Demonstrated three or more years working in a supervisory or managerial capacity.
• Possesses outstanding strategic thinking, planning and communication skills.
• Innovator/action-oriented leader who demonstrates collaborative teamwork, flexibility, adaptability and creativity.
• Knowledge of environmental management and environmental planning principles and methods.
• Knowledge of applicable federal, state and municipal laws, regulations and regulatory codes relevant to environmental protection and management.
• Proficient in MS Office, verbal and written communication.

*The SCWA may accept an equivalent combination of education and experience to meet the requirements.

*Annual salary is commensurate with education and experience.

*SCWA shall not employ relatives of employees as defined to mean an employee's spouse, child, stepchild, stepparent or direct descendant of grandparents of the employee as defined in New York State General Municipal Law 810.

The complete position description can be viewed and applications can be submitted through the Suffolk County Water Authority website (here).

Long Island Coalition for the Homeless Seeks Full Time Case Manager

The Long Island Coalition for the Homeless is seeking a Full Time Case Manager to work out of their offices in Amityville, NY.

The Case Manager is Responsible for providing housing-focused case management for single adults experiencing long-term homelessness either living on the street or living in shelter. Caseloads are assigned and targeted for those that remain homeless the longest in the region and/or have the highest levels of vulnerability and most significant barriers to exiting homelessness on their own. Prioritization factors are determined by regionally established policies. Case Managers must be highly mobile (personal vehicle w/ reimbursed mileage) and will be assigned households that are experiencing homelessness in Suffolk or Nassau counties.

Engagements focus around direct and person-centered support in obtaining necessary documentation/applying for various housing programs, as well as connecting households to other services that relate to housing placement and housing retention, such as employment, entitlements/benefits, medical/clinical services, linkages to care coordination, budgeting and credit, legal, and other services for which they are eligible and interested in.

Case Managers will work as a supervised/guided team of direct care workers, comprised of staff focused on shelter outreach and street outreach. This team collectively provides referrals for permanent housing programs (permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing), including programs funded through HUD, NYS Office of Mental Health, nursing home programs, housing choice voucher programs, and other housing that meets each household’s needs and preferences.

This position will require local travel as needed. A clean Driver’s License and private vehicle are required. 

Benefits after probationary period will be available. These include paid time off (vacation, holiday, sick, personal), medical insurance for the employee (premium paid by LICH), Dental and Vision insurance optional, Life Insurance for the employee and Simple IRA plan (with employer match).

Please see attached job descriptions for more information. 

Interested parties should submit a resume and salary requirements via email to mgiuffrida@addressthehomeless.org, specifying which position the candidate is seeking.  Please do not call the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless regarding this position.  Questions should be submitted via email only.

Orgs Team up to Provide Grants for Black-Owned Businesses

The Long Island African Chamber of Commerce and Wish Local have teamed up to provide grants for local black-owned businesses.  There are no specific parameters surrounding the allocation of funds, but Wish Local recommends using the money for employment needs, paying rent or operational costs, connecting with new customers, and providing opportunities in the community.

Eligible candidates must be a black-owned business with an applicant at least 18 years of age or older.  Candidates must also be in a brick-and-mortar shop and employ 20 or less employees.  The shop’s annual revenue must be under a million dollars.

Those selected must also sign up for Wish Local, which is a series of programs that allow small businesses to participate with Wish, including selling inventory on the platform and sourcing wholesale items and more.

Applicants can fill out a form online at Wish Local Empowerment Program.

NYSERDA, Affordable Solar and Storage Predevelopment and Technical Assistance (Predevelopment Program)

The Predevelopment Program provides grants to address barriers to solar installations serving low-to-moderate income (LMI) households living in rental housing, multifamily buildings or other households not served by traditional on-site residential solar. Individual awards will not exceed $200,000. Funding to proposals through this solicitation will offset costs for predevelopment and technical assistance work needed to implement solar installations for multifamily affordable housing and/or shared solar (Community Distributed Generation) installations that benefit LMI households.

- Eligibility: Applications must be submitted by or include the documented participation of any of the following: owners, providers or managers of regulated multifamily affordable housing, community land trusts, land banks or portfolios of single-family affordable housing; local government agencies; Community Development Corporations (CDC), Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) or other community organizations providing services to LMI households and/or demonstrating an LMI constituency; and prior recipients of Predevelopment Program grants seeking to replicate and expand upon the success from a prior completed Predevelopment

Program project.

- Funding: Up to $10.65 million is available with individual awards not to exceed $200,000.
- Deadline: Continuous through December 31, 2024, or until depleted
- Contact:
Email: affordablesolar@nyserda.ny.gov
Website: www.nyserda.ny.gov/funding

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.

This Week's Sponsor

Mill Creek Residential

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Since starting in 2011, they have developed more than 20,000 apartment homes across 90+ communities and acquired more than 2,500 apartment homes in some of the nation’s best apartment markets. They expect to deliver an additional 5,000+ homes to a growing portfolio. They are proud of their people, the places they build, and the relationships they have with stakeholders across the country.