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

October 27th, 2020

Quote of the Day

"As we continue the fight against COVID-19, one fact is clear - masks help stop the spread and save lives. But it's also clear that COVID fatigue is setting in and that presents its own challenge. We need to find creative ways to encourage people to wear masks. The Mask Up campaign leverages the creativity of the New York fashion community to help solve this public health challenge, while simultaneously raising funds for communities impacted by COVID-19. Take a look at the NY Tough masks and mask up. Together, we will beat this virus."  - New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo

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LIRR Ridership Down, Traffic Up Compared to Spring

There has been an onslaught of local articles recently appraising the state of rail and automobile transportation across Long Island as a result of COVID-19. One fact is certain - Long Island Rail Road ridership is down and traffic is increasing on Long Island roads but still roughly 15% lower than last year at this time. The reasons for these changes and what the future holds is far more intricate.

Newsday reports, LIRR data shows ridership was 70% lower in September than in the same month last year. After dropping by half in the spring, traffic congestion, however, has returned to Long Island, nearing levels not seen since before Governor Cuomo signed the stay-at-home mandate in March. About 77,000 vehicles traveled westbound on a heavily trafficked stretch of the Southern State Parkway on a given Thursday in October, compared to on a given Thursday in April where the number was 47,000.

Some attribute the return of motorists to several factors, including the easing of pandemic restrictions, schools and business reopenings, an influx of New York City residents moving to the Island, and commuter reluctance to take mass transit.

Eric Alexander of Vision Long Island notes, “The reduction of ridership on the LIRR is not a surprise given health fears messaged daily and the limited reopening of businesses in NYC, the continued closures of arts, music, theatre, sports venues and other associated industries greatly impact the desire to travel into Manhattan.”

The news right now is not all bad, as Mr. Alexander states, “The exodus of folks from New York City out to parts of Nassau, and certainly the East End, has added traffic on Long Island. No one wants traffic, but traffic means people are going to work, that people are frequenting their downtowns and other communities”
  
The LIRR is taking steps to prevent the coronavirus from spreading on trains, including requiring masks, disinfecting stations and trains frequently, and allowing riders to monitor crowding on trains through a mobile app, prolonged depression in ridership is likely to worsen the railroad’s burgeoning financial crisis.

LIRR president Phillip Eng recently stated that the changes in travel patterns have been apparent for a while, as evidenced by the fact that off-peak ridership has increased by 9% over the last five years, while rush-hour ridership has remained mostly flat. According to Eng, he’s confident the growth in off-peak customers eventually will offset the loss of some traditional commuters, and will come with the added benefit of reducing crowding during the rush hours.

See CBS News Traffic Congestion On Long Island Hitting Levels Not Seen Since March: ‘We’re Back To Honking Horns… It’s A Problem’ Newsday Some LIRR regular commuters may be 'lost forever,' rail experts predict  Newsday Schools reopenings, low LIRR ridership factors in traffic returning to Island

Early Voting Underway in Nassau and Suffolk Counties

Nassau County and Suffolk County residents are now able to cast their vote early in what some are estimating will be one of the more active election cycles of our lives.

Nassau County has opened up 15 early voting locations across the region, which is the most they’ve ever had.  Residents are invited to visit any one of those locations while wearing their mask and cast a vote.  Voters can cast a ballot during polling hours at any of the 15 locations until November 1st.  Locations will be closed the day before Election Day.  On November 3rd, residents will need to head to their normal polling locations to vote.

You can view locations and polling times at Nassau County locations here.

Meanwhile, Suffolk County sports 8 separate locations in their five towns to vote.  Like Nassau, they will be open until November 1st and closed the day before the actual Election.  People seeking to cast their vote will need to wear a mask and socially distance to do so.

You can view locations and polling times for Suffolk County here.

Nassau County Bar Association Offering Free Virtual Legal Consultations

Nassau County residents will be able to register for free online legal consulting according to the local Bar Association.

The Nassau County Bar Association will offer these consultations in cooperation with Nassau Suffolk Law Services and the Safe Center LI, which is a domestic abuse center in Bethpage.  The consultation will cover topics including bankruptcy, family and senior citizens’ issues, employment, foreclosure, landlord-tenant law, among others.

Consultations will take place until October 30th, during National Pro Bono Week.  Consultation do not mean that free legal representation will be provided.

Advance registration is required for those seeking consultation.  Call 516-666-4854 or email openhouse@nassaubar.org to register for the event.  Non-English speaking attorneys can be requested.

You can read more at Newsday.

Governor Cuomo and Daughter Announce New “Mask Up” Campaign

Governor Andrew Cuomo and his daughter Mariah Kennedy Cuomo announced New York State is partnering with The RealReal and dozens of New York fashion designers to launch "Mask Up", a campaign to benefit COVID-19 relief efforts and remind the public of the need to wear masks. 

The "Mask Up" campaign will raise funds for communities impacted by COVID-19 by donating mask profits to three charities working in New York and across the country to help people in need - Feeding America, Nurse Heroes and the New York COVID Relief Fund. New York State and The RealReal will release a limited-edition "New York Tough" mask designed by acclaimed New York fashion label Public School as part of a five-week campaign featuring themed weekly mask drops.     

"As we continue the fight against COVID-19, one fact is clear - masks help stop the spread and save lives. But it's also clear that COVID fatigue is setting in and that presents its own challenge," Governor Cuomo said. "We need to find creative ways to encourage people to wear masks. The Mask Up campaign leverages the creativity of the New York fashion community to help solve this public health challenge, while simultaneously raising funds for communities impacted by COVID-19. Take a look at the NY Tough masks and mask up. Together, we will beat this virus." 

Fashion label Public School was founded by New York City natives Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne and is known for its street-savvy clothing inspired by the designers' experiences growing up in public schools in New York. Chow and Osborne have ambitious sustainability plans to make a majority of their products from surplus, vintage or recycled materials. 

Over the next five weeks, The RealReal and New York State will launch themed mask drops every Monday.  Each week's theme is inspired by one of New York's core values: tough, smart, united, disciplined and loving.

Hempstead Businesses can now Apply for Free PPE Distribution Program

Sign up today for Hempstead Town's FREE Local Business PPE Distribution Program!

Each PPE kit contains a contactless infrared digital thermometer, 5 face shields, 8 boxes of 50 three-ply masks, 2 boxes of 100 pairs of powder-free vinyl gloves, two gallons of hand sanitizer with a spray pump, and a canister of 1,500 sanitizing wipes.

Kits are being distributed on a weekly basis. Qualified businesses can apply online for their PPE kits at hempsteadny.gov/ppe-giveaway!

Greater Patchogue Team Captures Then-And-Now Photos of Downtown

The team at the Greater Patchogue recently hit the streets to gather a number of photos showing how the downtown has changed in the last 100 years or so.

It’s a great collection of photos that really demonstrates how the vibe of a downtown can change throughout the years.  We recommend you take a moment to scroll through the collection.

You can see all the photos here.

Pink Tie Delivers to Hicksville

The Pink Tie Delivers team was out last week for their 63rd drop to the St. Ignatius Parish Outreach Center in Hicksville.

Happy to have Nassau Legislator Rose Walker join the team to help with the delivery.

The companies that participated in this drop included 1st Equity Title, Trinity Solar, Allstate, National Grid, Late Night Chauffers, Vision LI, Keller Williams and Shoprite.

The Pink Tie Delivers team will be out tomorrow to a Parish Outreach in Garden City.

For more info on how you can take part in the doorstep donation program or join the Delivers Team check out pinktie.org or please email us at contact@pinktie.org.

Urban League of Long Island Hosting First Time Homebuyer Workshop on Oct 28th

The Urban League of Long Island is partnering with State of New York Mortgage Agency to host a first time homebuyer workshop on October 28th at 4 pm.

This workshop will cover subjects to help new home buyers that include loan programs, first time homebuyer mortgage options, searching for a home during a pandemic, and the benefits of homebuyer education and counseling.

For more information, contact Urban League Long Island at info@urbanleaguelongisland.org.

You can register for this event here.

SBA Announces Webinar 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.

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

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

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!

Free Webinar on Supporting Education during the Pandemic on 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: 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

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

The INN Organization to Hold Thanksgiving Curbside Food Drive on Nov 14th

The INN organization will hold its second curbside food drive this coming Saturday, November 14th from 10 am to noon at the Mary Brennan INN soup kitchen, 100 Madison Avenue in Hempstead.  This will be a safe, no-contact drive where donors will place donations on a table with a masked volunteer standing at a safe distance.  The volunteer will then retrieve the donation after the donor leaves.

If you’re interested in donating you can view a full list of items they are accepting here.  For any questions, please call 516-732-6009.

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

PSEG Long Island

PSEG Long Island is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PEG), a publicly traded diversified energy company with annual revenues of $10.4 billion and operates the Long Island Power Authority’s transmission and distribution system under a 12-year contract.

They have pledged to build a Long Island utility with PSEG’s same record of service, reliability and customer satisfaction. It will take some time to make all the improvements they’re planning, but in the end, they will create a utility of which Long Islanders can be proud. Keeping the lights on isn’t just a job: It’s their mission.