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

November 2nd, 2020

Quotes of the Day

	“It means senior citizens struggle to stay in the communities where they raised their families, working families can’t make ends meet, and young people just starting out have to look elsewhere to begin their careers. Safe, quality affordable housing means these populations can participate in our communities.” - David Gallo, Georgica Green Ventures
	“We’ve already seen an effect on the amount of available subsidy from the state, mostly when it comes to the availability of low-interest loans. That’s what has been impacted by what’s going on right now.” - Peter Florey, D&F Development

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In Memoriam

Babylon Village Mayor Ralph Scordino

Mayor Ralph Scordino, who has been involved in Babylon Village politics for over 32 years, has passed away at the age of 71.

Mr. Scordino has spent the last 15 years as the Mayor of Babylon after previously serving as a trustee and deputy mayor.  A dedicated public servant, Mr. Scordino is responsible for the Babylon is Back Initiative as well as a number of other programs aimed at improving and beautifying Babylon.  He was known for his efforts to enhance and improve the lives of his local residents.

“We have lost a real giant in our community. Mayor Ralph Scordino dedicated his life to public service and to the village that he loved and led for so many years. It is no coincidence that under his leadership Babylon Village thrived with a downtown that is regarded as one of the most vibrant in the region,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said in a written statement.

Vision Long Island was saddened to see his passing as well.  Mayor Scordino was community-minded and a dedicated steward and manager of his downtown area.  We worked with him in a number of areas through Sandy and afterward, and it is such a loss.  Prayers and condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

Check Out Virtual Candidate Forums Before Voting

With the Coronavirus restrictions turning life upside down, many political candidate forums were transformed into virtual events.

There has been tremendous focus on the Presidential race and the division that along with the Congressional races brings us.  The NYS races have sparked less interest even though on a day to day basis your life is far more impacted from state regulations.

Kudos to the League of Women Voters and other organizations for continuing on and holding these events.   The LI Main Street Alliance and our other small business friends typically hold one but the interest this year was more focused on the survival of our downtowns than on political candidates.

Here are links to many local candidate forums which have been held.  Election Day is this Tuesday November 3rd.

Candidate Forum for 1st Congressional District
The League of Women Voters of the Hamptons, Shelter Island and North Fork
Candidates: Lee Zeldin (i) (Republican Party, Conservative Party, Independence Party), Nancy Goroff (Democratic Party, Working Families Party)
When: Monday, Oct. 19 at 7pm
View: Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp_K-8gNBFI

Candidate Forum for 2nd Congressional District
The League of Women Voters of East Nassau
Candidates: Jackie Gordon (Democratic Party, Working Families Party, Independence Party), Andrew Garbarino (Republican Party, Libertarian Party, Conservative Party, Serve America Movement Party), Harry Burger (Green Party) and Daniel Ross (Independent)
When: Thursday, October 15 - 7:30pm
View: Click here: https://my.lwv.org/.../candidate-forum-congressional...

Climate Change Discussions for Congressional Districts 1 & 2
 The New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, Citizens Campaign for the Environment and Students for Climate Action
Candidates: 1st Congressional District candidates Congressman Lee Zeldin and Dr. Nancy Goroff, and 2nd Congressional District candidates Jackie Gordon and Assemblyman Andrew Garbarino.
When: October 13th
View: Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF4BgrHENe0&feature=emb_logo

Candidate Forum for NYS Senate District #1
The League of Women Voters of the Hamptons, Shelter Island and North Fork
Candidates: Laura Ahearn (Democratic Party, Protect the Taxpayer Party), Anthony Palumbo (Republican Party, Conservative Party)
When: Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 7 pm
View: Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlzALy3mN2M

Candidate Forum for New York State Senate District #2
League of Women Voters of Brookhaven, League Of Women Voters of Smithtown
Candidates: Mario Mattera (Republican Party, Conservative Party, Independence Party), Mike Siderakis (Democratic Party)
When: Oct. 12, 2020
View: Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JmdYO6ZA24&feature=youtu.be

Meet the Candidates NYS Senate District #3
On Sachem
Candidate: Monica Martinez (i) (Democratic Party, Independence Party)
When: October 20
View: Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IwRst6RWIc

Candidate: Alexis Weik (Republican Party, Conservative Party)
When: Tuesday, October 20
View: Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHf0m3dL1tc

Candidate Forum for NYS Senate District #5
LWV of Port Washington/Manhasset
Candidates: James Gaughran (i) (Democratic Party, Serve America Movement Party), Edmund Smyth (Republican Party, Libertarian Party, Conservative Party, Independence Party
When: Wednesday, October 7
View: Click here: https://my.lwv.org/new-york/port-washington-manhasset/videos

Candidate Forum for NYS Senate District #5
League of Women Voters of Huntington and American Academy of Pediatricians
Focus on Children’s Health
Candidates: James Gaughran (i) (Democratic Party, Serve America Movement Party), Edmund Smyth (Republican Party, Libertarian Party, Conservative Party, Independence Party
When: Oct. 20, 2020
View: Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_zxTYi5-e0&feature=youtu.be

Candidate Forum for NYS Senate District #7
LWV of Port Washington/Manhasset
Candidates: Anna Kaplan (i) (Democratic Party, Working Families Party, Independence Party, Serve America Movement Party), David Franklin (Republican Party, Conservative Party)
When: Thursday, October 20
View: Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia3GO4VL_Uk

Candidate Forum for Congressional District #16
The League of Women Voters of Port Washington-Manhasset
Candidates: Gina Sillitti (Democratic Party, Working Families Party), Ragini Srivastava (Republican Party, Conservative Party, Independence Party)
When: Tuesday, Oct 20 at 8:30pm
View: Click here: https://my.lwv.org/new-york/port-washington-manhasset/videos

Affordable Housing Remains Problematic as Long Island Recovers from Pandemic

As Long Island looks to recover from the economic shutdown that came as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, they face an increasingly difficult challenge: Housing costs.

The median prices of homes have recovered since the Great Recession and are now at levels higher than we’ve ever seen in the region.  Beyond that, sales are booming in spite of the pandemic that had previously slowed home sales for a few months.  Even with that slowdown, 2020 pending sales are at higher levels than they were in 2019.  At least some part of that is due to New York City residents seeking to move out to Long Island.

An unfortunate side effect to this trend has been the rise of rental prices in the area as market rate has risen during the NYC-to-Long-Island exodus. The average market rate for a two-bedroom apartment on Long Island, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is $2,035, which is up nearly 27% from four years ago.  However, that number is just a baseline for current market conditions and the average two-bedroom apartment in the region often exceeds $2,500.

“The coronavirus shutdowns have increased this need due to job losses, underemployment and bills that have piled up,” said Vision Long Island Director and LI Main Street Alliance Founder Eric Alexander. “Add to that the exodus of New York City residents seeking apartments that has increased demand even further while driving up the rents.”

This trend exacerbates an ongoing issue in the region, which is the pricing out of millennials who are seeking independence from their parents and baby boomers who are looking to downgrade their cost of living.  The result of this burden is either people who are spending an inordinate amount of their income on cost of living, or residents simply leaving the area.  The long term result is the contraction of Long Island’s under-35 population, which could shrink by up to 13 percent in the coming years.

However, there a number of developers who are moving to correct the issue by providing housing below market rate.  D&F Development and Georgica Green Ventures have been building units that are well below market rate in an effort to retain some of the population that would otherwise leave the region.

“It means senior citizens struggle to stay in the communities where they raised their families, working families can’t make ends meet, and young people just starting out have to look elsewhere to begin their careers,” said Georgica Green Ventures Principal David Gallo. “Safe, quality affordable housing means these populations can participate in our communities.”

These two companies are hardly the only ones with projects like this being built or in the process of creating affordable housing units for Long Island.  However, in order for more of these projects to be made into reality, it is increasingly necessary to rely on public buy-ins through the form of grants and tax credits.  This helps to “fill the gaps” for projects that may not be able to afford to provide affordable housing if needed.  This has been the area hit hardest by the pandemic.

“We’ve already seen an effect on the amount of available subsidy from the state, mostly when it comes to the availability of low-interest loans,” said D&F Development Principal Peter Florey. “That’s what has been impacted by what’s going on right now.”

The message is clear though.  While challenges remain, it is increasingly necessary that Long Island work towards providing affordable housing for its residents in order to retain vital parts of its population.  The long term economic health of the region may rely on it.

You can read more about this important subject at Long Island Business News.

Hempstead Chamber of Commerce and Pink Tie Work to Provide Relief During Pandemic

In so many communities across Long Island small businesses work to assist local needs without fanfare, they just do it.  Today we spotlight one example in the Village of Hempstead.

The Hempstead Chamber of Commerce along with a group of community leaders have been helping the many homeless living on the street and behind varying buildings each week.  They have been providing food, clothes, blankets and personal care items as well as linking them to important services like housing, counseling etc.

Today the Pink Tie Delivers Team was able to visit and assist this effort.  It was appropriate that it was a cold and rainy day to remind us of the need and we were happy to bring clothes, personal care items, masks and sanitizers to help a bit with this ongoing effort.

Kudos to the Clariona Griffith and Belinda from the Hempstead Chamber, Candace Holley who reached out to us and the good work of Antonio Kelley along with all of the other community leaders helping the homeless in their neighborhood.

The Pink Tie Delivers companies that participated in this drop included 1st Equity Title, Trinity Solar, Vision LI, and Taste of Asian Fusion restaurant in Farmingdale.

As the weather gets colder think about the experience you’d be having living outside.  Once you think about that for a minute reflect on how you would like to help and contact the Hempstead Chamber to help in Hempstead, the LI Coalition for the Homeless to assist in any number of areas Islandwide. For actions on how to help with Pink Tie reach out to www.pinktie.org

Pink Tie Delivers to Hempstead, Freeport, and Babylon

Busy week for the Pink Tie Delivers team.  Tuesday we were out delivering boxes of fresh food the pantries in Hempstead, Freeport and Babylon.  

The first stop was the Salvation Army Hempstead center that was distributing them immediately.

The second stop was to the Salvation Army center in Freeport who also had a line of folks ready to receive the food boxes. 

The third stop was to Neighbors Supporting Neighbors in Babylon that was set up for an evening give away.
Special thanks to Danilo Archibold for helping to secure the food and of course to the pantries at all three locations for are addressing the needs of working Long Islanders each week.

If you want to help the team check out www.PinkTie.org

Supporting Small Businesses Boosts Nassau County

The following op-ed was written by Richard Kessel, the chairman of the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency and originally appeared in the Long Island Herald.

The coronavirus pandemic forced the world to hit the pause button. It brought our local and regional economies to a screeching halt, and resulted in a sharp rise in unemployment. Businesses that were hit hard during the shutdown were forced to rethink their operations at a time when resources were scarce. I am proud of the role the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency has played — and continues to play — in our county’s recovery.

The IDA’s mission is to promote the economic welfare and prosperity of Nassau County. We do this by assisting existing businesses so they can stay in the county, and by working to attract new businesses. In both cases, our objective is to increase the county’s tax base and create job opportunities for our residents. Every transaction the IDA completes is carefully thought out, and is made to ensure that we create chances for our economy to develop.

Contrary to opposing beliefs, the IDA does not reduce businesses’ taxes. Let me explain. When you invest in a property, its value goes up and, therefore, so do its taxes. The IDA restructures tax payments for businesses looking to invest in our economy in what are called payments in lieu of taxes, or PILOTs.

A drastic increase in property taxes due to an initial investment could make an investor walk away. What the IDA does is take away the immediate shock of increased taxes caused by the investment by gradually increasing taxes over the course of the PILOT term. At no point are less taxes collected than what was previously being paid on the property.

Take the recently approved Superblock project in Long Beach as an example. The property — which will soon be home to more than 400 units of much-needed housing, and will create jobs and stimulate local business activity — has sat vacant for more than 40 years. If it were to stay vacant for the next 25 years, it would generate $7.4 million in taxes. The developer received a 25-year PILOT to make a $360 million investment, which will end up generating more than $23 million in taxes over the course of the agreement. This doesn’t include the positive economic impact that will be generated by those who move into the new housing units as they spend money in the community.

Everything the IDA does is in the name of economic development — growing the tax base and generating jobs. A new set of needs emerged during the pandemic, as businesses were now required to spend money retrofitting operations and purchasing supplies they’d never needed before. The IDA stepped up to aid local businesses and downtowns, and thus the Boost Nassau program was born.

Early in the pandemic, we launched an ad campaign with our sister organization, the Local Economic Assistance Corporation, to promote shopping local and the importance of doing it safely. We also partnered with County Executive Laura Curran and Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin to deliver thousands of personal protective equipment kits to small businesses to ensure that employees and their customers could work and shop safely. Providing the PPE kits gave our struggling small businesses the physical resources they needed to remain open, while removing the financial burden of having to pay for those supplies.

Assisting small retailers and local downtowns is new to us, for the simple reason that, up until recently, state law prohibited us from doing so. Curran and State Sen. Todd Kaminsky worked tirelessly to get legislation passed that gave IDAs the temporary authority to issue grants and loans to small businesses. Through the New York Forward Loan Fund program, in partnership with the Nassau County Office of Community Development, more than $520,000 has been lent to small businesses in sectors that include construction, electric, painting, health, beauty supply and gas. These loans have helped businesses retain 18 jobs and led to the creation of six more. And we’re just getting started.

While our day-to-day lives look different these days, one thing has stayed the same: The Nassau IDA has worked, and continues to work, to ensure that businesses and our economy are supported through this pandemic and come out strong once it is over.

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

W.I.N. Virtual Bridal Expo Taking Place on November 12th

During the pandemic of 2020, several local businesses in the wedding and events industry came together to discuss how they can help each other get through these challenging times and how they can help their clients. Celebrating a wedding is the most magical day in a couple’s life and the W.O.W. Focus Group, which stemmed from the Winning on Wednesday (W.O.W.) networking group, wanted to ensure they provided the best resources to their clients to keep the joy and magic of their special day!

As a result of these discussions, the WOW Focus Group founded the Wedding Industry Network (W.I.N.), which will remain committed and has vowed to not see the pandemic as a horrible experience but instead take a negative and turn it into a positive to accomplish a joyous wedding or event.

This organization will be holding a virtual bridal showcase to help engaged couples meet professionals in the industry as they prepare for what can still be one of the most joyous days of their lives.  The event will take place on November 12th at 7 pm.  People who are interested in joining the event can register here.  Please email hello@winbridalexpo.com with any questions.

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.

Long Island Coalition for the Homeless Seeks Crisis Counselors

Responsible for providing crisis counseling to individuals, households and groups experiencing crisis as a result of COVID-19 and provide supports, including linkages to essential services, benefits, and more in-depth mental health counseling as necessary and appropriate.

Crisis counselors will work with the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless’ Coordinated Entry Team and support housing-focused case management for households experiencing long-term homelessness either living on the street or living in shelter. Outreach will be assigned and targeted based regional needs related to the areas which have been most impacted by COVID and having households that have the highest levels of vulnerability and most significant barriers to exiting homelessness on their own. Crisis Counselors must be highly mobile (personal vehicle w/ reimbursed mileage) and will be assigned households that are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness in Suffolk 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.

Community Crisis Counselors will be responsible for hotline monitoring, referrals and support, homelessness diversion and community outreach and education in addition to crisis counseling

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

● Works with individuals, families, and groups to provide outreach, emotional support, individual and group crisis counseling, public education, and referrals when needed.
● Is synonymous with term “outreach worker.”
● Represents program in the community and networks with other agencies and partners to ensure needs of survivors are met.
● Provides presentations to community groups on disaster reactions, coping skills, stress management, and the CCP.
● May use the mobile application to complete data forms.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Must have a willingness to provide Crisis Counseling services in a caring manner within the parameters of the FEMA CCP

Must have a commitment to organization’s mission and goals. Must be self-motivated; must be able to work effectively with diverse people and personalities and as a member of a team. Bilingual (Spanish and English) preferred. Experience/knowledge in trauma-informed care and motivational interviewing a plus.

Must have access to a personal vehicle for travel within Suffolk County

These positions 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).

Interested parties should submit a resume and salary requirements via email to gguarton@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.

Today's Sponsor

St. Joseph’s College

Since 1916, St. Joseph’s College has provided an affordable liberal arts education to a diverse group of students. Independent and coeducational, St. Joseph’s prepares students for lives of integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility and service; lives that are worthy of the College’s motto, Esse non videri — “To be, not to seem.”

St. Joseph’s Long Island Campus challenges its approximately 3,300 students to develop their full potential and a joy of learning. With more than 400 faculty members, the College enjoys a student-to-faculty ratio that provides individual attention in an open, supportive atmosphere.

St. Joseph’s remains dedicated to maintaining low costs while upholding a strict standard of excellence. While retention rates at most colleges are slipping, St. Joseph’s remains above the national average. Its academic strength hasn’t gone unnoticed. The College is consistently recognized in U.S. News & World Report’s annual “America’s Best Colleges” issue.