Economic Development Grants to Help Save Jobs, Child and Elder-Care Services in St. Lawrence County

ALBANY, NY (02/04/2009)(readMedia)-- Deborah VanAmerongen, Commissioner of the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) today announced $727,000 in New York State Community Development Block Grant (NYS CDBG) awards to St. Lawrence County to help United Helpers Nursing Home, Inc. and Canton Daycare Center Inc. develop and construct Maplewood Campus in the Village of Canton. The new $29 million facility will integrate skilled nursing-home, long-term, and assisted-living services with a variety of childcare services.

The new facility will prevent Canton Daycare from having to relocate-saving 157 jobs in the area and creating six new full-time employment opportunities for low and moderate-income workers. All new and existing full-time jobs will have access to employer-sponsored healthcare and other benefits.

The NYS CDBG grants were approved by the state's Housing Trust Fund Corporation, which is administered by the Division of Housing and Community Renewal and chaired by DHCR Commissioner VanAmerongen.The grants will be used for infrastructure and to support construction costs for the daycare portion of the facility.

Governor David A. Paterson said, "By co-locating with United Helpers, the Canton Daycare Center will resolve longstanding site issues, expand its capacity to care for more children, and keep and create jobs in the area. In this time of great economic turmoil, this is the type of commitment and investment in communities that New York needs."

Commissioner VanAmerongen said, "This is wonderful news for St. Lawrence County and for the children and senior citizens who will be enriched by the unique co-generational programs Maplewood Campus will offer."

Additional funding sources include: $9.6 million in Heal NY grants from the NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH), $18.3 million in HUD 232 Loan Guarantee, $280,000 from St. Lawrence University, a $250,000 NYS Legislative Initiative, and $250,000 in Equity.

The NYS CDBG program is federally funded and administered by DHCR's Office of Community Renewal. The program provides grants to small communities in order to: ensure decent affordable housing, provide services to the most vulnerable, create jobs and expand business opportunities, and improve community facilities and services.

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