Program Guidelines

Program Purpose

The purpose of the NYMS Program is to provide financial and technical resources to help communities with their efforts to preserve and revitalize mixed-use (commercial/civic and residential) main street/downtown business districts. The NYMS Program will provide grants to stimulate reinvestment in properties located within mixed-use business districts located in urban, small town, and rural areas consistent with Articles 16A and 17B of the Private Housing Finance Law (PHFL).

Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants include not-for-profit community-based organizations, business improvement districts, and other entities incorporated pursuant to the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law that will serve as Local Program Administrators (LPAs). LPAs will assume administrative responsibility for evaluating and selecting projects to be assisted, ensuring that NYMS Program funds are expended in accordance with all State and local laws, and for meeting the program’s public purpose. Such entities shall have been in existence for at least one year prior to contract execution. NYMS Program funds will be awarded on a competitive basis, with a maximum per contract of $200,000. Applicants will be given a period of up to two years to complete their contract.

Eligible Areas

The local NYMS Program must be carried out in a concentrated target area (generally no more than three contiguous blocks) that has experienced sustained physical deterioration, decay, neglect, or disinvestment, and has a number of substandard buildings or vacant residential or commercial units. The target area must be located in a service area in which more than 50% of the residents earn less than 80% of the area median income of the surrounding community, or which has been designated by a State or federal agency as an eligible area for the purposes of a community or economic development program. Buildings within the district or the district itself may also be eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places or for local or State historic designation. Proposed service areas that are within officially designated service areas of Neighborhood or Rural Preservation Companies, for example, are considered eligible.

Eligible Activities

The following activities can be funded in part through the NYMS Program:

Façade Renovation - Matching grants of up to $10,000 per building, but not to exceed 50% of total cost, can be provided to owners for façade renovations.

Building Renovation - Matching grants of up to $50,000 per building, but not to exceed 50% of total cost, can be provided to owners for renovation of commercial/civic space on first floor and residential units above.

Downtown Anchors - Matching grants of up to $100,000 per building, but not exceeding 25% of project cost, can be provided to owners to help establish or expand cultural or business anchors that are identified in a local plan as key to the revitalization effort. Developments that incorporate residential units on the upper floors will receive priority for funding .

Streetscape Enhancement - Grants of up to $25,000 for programs to plant trees and other landscaping, install street furniture and trash cans, provide appropriate signs in accordance with a local signage plan, and other appurtenant activities. Street lighting may be eligible for funding where applicants can satisfy all feasibility issues. A streetscape enhancement grant will only be awarded if it is ancillary to a program providing building renovation or downtown anchor grants.