DHCR Announces $7.6 Million in Community Revitalization Grants for Capital Region

ALBANY, NY (08/06/2008)(readMedia)-- The New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) today announced more than $7 million in grants to revitalize Capital Region communities, improve infrastructure and public facilities, and create more than 100 units of affordable housing.

The awards, funded through the NYS Community Development Block Grant (NYS CDBG) and NY Main Street programs, are part of a statewide package of awards totaling more than $42 million that will be used to create and retain more than 400 jobs, and renovate nearly 1,000 units of affordable housing.

Awards for Capital Region include $750,000 for a county-wide workforce housing program in Albany County, $400,000 for a housing rehabilitation program in South Queensbury and West Glens Falls, and $450,000 for Greene County's Workforce Homeownership Program.

The entire list of awards can be found at the DHCR website: www.nysdhcr.gov.

Governor Paterson said, "These grants will create jobs and revitalize urban business districts, and they will help rural communities make critical infrastructure repairs and upgrades. These awards bring us closer to our goal of making New York the best possible place to live, work and raise a family."

DHCR Commissioner Deborah VanAmerongen said "the grants awarded today will help local communities and not-for-profit agencies rehabilitate more than 950 units of affordable housing across the state and revitalize communities in every part of the state.

Locally, grants from the NYS CDBG and NY Main Street programs will help:

• Community Revitalization - NY Main Street awards will be used to renovate 43 building facades, beautify streetscapes with trees and other enhancements, and rehabilitate 21 commercial units in Central New York. Statewide, NYS CDBG grants will help communities make critical infrastructure improvements, directly benefiting more than 85,000 low and moderate income New Yorkers.
• Affordable Housing - NYS CDBG awards will rehabilitate 62 units of affordable housing in the Capital Region, and the NY Main Street awards will renovate 40 units.

The NY Main Street program provides financial resources and technical assistance to communities to strengthen the state's traditional NY Main Streets and neighborhoods. Grants are provided to business improvement districts and other not-for-profit organizations for building renovations, façade and streetscape improvements and, in limited cases, capital funding for projects intended to anchor downtown districts. The program also provides technical assistance and other resources to support community revitalization efforts.

The NYS CDBG program is federally funded but administered by DHCR through its Office of Community Renewal. The NYS CDBG Program provides grants to smaller communities in order to: ensure decent, affordable housing; provide services to the most vulnerable in our communities; create jobs and expand business opportunities for implementing a variety of community and economic and to provide improved community facilities and services.

Grants from the NYS CDBG and NY Main Street programs are approved by the state's Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HTFC), which is chaired by DHCR Commissioner VanAmerongen and administered by DHCR staff.

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