Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 12, March 20, 2024
(a)
Definitions. For the purposes of this Part:
(1) Business improvement district shall mean
a special assessment district established pursuant to article 19-A of the
General Municipal Law.
(2) Business
district or central business district shall mean the central district of a
municipality or neighborhood area traditionally used for commercial
purposes.
(3) Commercial strip
shall mean a predominantly commercial area traditionally used for commercial
purposes which may not be the primary business district and which is one of
several commercial districts in the municipality in which it is
located.
(4) Economically
distressed areas shall mean areas as determined by the corporation meeting
criteria indicative of economic distress, including unemployment rate; rate of
employment change; percentages and numbers of low income persons; per capita
income and per capita real property wealth; such other indicators of distress
as the corporation shall determine. Economically distressed areas may include
cities, municipalities, block numbering areas, and census tracts.
(5) Highly distressed shall mean suffering
from severe economic distress as determined by the corporation using criteria
similar to those set forth in subdivision (a) of section 958 of article 18-B of
the General Municipal Law for determining eligibility for economic development
zone status.
(6) Not-for-profit
corporation shall mean a corporation organized under the provisions of the
Not-for-Profit Corporation Law.
(7)
The act shall mean the New York State Urban Development Corporation Act chapter
174 of the Laws of 1968 as amended.
(8) The corporation shall mean the New York
State Urban Development Corporation.
(b) Types of assistance. Urban and Community
Development Program offers the following assistance:
(1) urban and community development
assistance grants pursuant to subdivision (e) of this section;
(2) urban and community project development
assistance pursuant to subdivision (f) of this section;
(3) neighborhood and community partnership
assistance pursuant to subdivision (g) of this section;
(4) urban and community commercial
revitalization revolving loan and loan guarantee fund assistance pursuant to
subdivision (h) of this section and sections
4216.8
and
4216.9
of this Part; and
(5) urban and
community technical assistance pursuant to subdivision (i) of this
section.
(c)
Applications. Applications for support under this program shall be made in a
form and manner set forth in section
4216.4
of this Part and applicants shall be required to meet the applicable criteria
and requirements as follows:
(1) factors of
economic distress;
(2) the extent
of support for, and involvement in, the program or project of units of local
government, the local business community and local economic development
professionals;
(3) such other
requirements as are necessary to implement the provisions of this section;
and
(4) the evaluation criteria set
forth in section
4216.3 of
this Part.
(e) Urban and
community development assistance grants.
(1)
Grants awarded under this subdivision shall be awarded on a competitive basis,
in response to requests for proposals, and through direct applications accepted
at other times at the discretion of the corporation, distributed to business
improvement districts, local development corporations, municipalities and other
not-for-profit economic development organizations by the corporation for the
purpose of soliciting applications. Requests for proposals under this
subdivision shall set forth such criteria as the corporation deems necessary,
including those set forth in subdivision (c) of this section and including, but
not limited to the following:
(i) the
potential impact the proposed project would have on economic development and
employment opportunities in the community and the region; and
(ii) the existence of significant support for
such activities from the local business community, local government and
community organizations within the community, including the commitment of
financial resources.
(2)
The corporation is authorized, under this subdivision to:
(i) provide grants to business improvement
districts, local development corporations, other not-for-profit economic
development organizations, and municipalities involved in commercial
revitalization activities in central business districts or commercial strips,
such activities to include architectural design studies and services and other
redevelopment work in connection with the design and implementation of a plan
for facade and other improvements to commercial strips and central business
districts throughout New York State. Such grants may include monies available
for individual property owners and/or tenants who agree to improve their
property in accordance with an overall design plan, provided that, such
individual property owners and/or tenants shall be required to match the amount
of any grant awarded to them;
(ii)
provide grants to local development corporations, business improvement
districts and other not-for-profit organizations for studies, surveys or
reports, and feasibility studies and preliminary planning studies to assess a
particular site or sites or facility or facilities for any economic development
purpose other than residential; and to identify development opportunities
within established business improvement districts;
(iii) provide urban planning grants on a
matching basis to cities, counties, or municipalities desiring to prepare and
develop strategic development plans for a city, county, or municipality or a
significant part thereof; and
(iv)
provide grants to municipalities for studies, surveys, or reports and
feasibility studies or preliminary planning studies to assess the economic
viability and local credit needs of the community for the purposes of
establishing a banking development district pursuant to section
96-d of the Banking Law.
(3) Notwithstanding anything
contained to the contrary in section 16-d of the act, section 10 of subdivision
2 of section 16 of the act does not apply to any grants authorized under
subdivision 5 of section 16-d and made in accordance with this
subdivision.
(f) Urban
and community project development assistance.
(1) Grants, loans and loan guarantees
pursuant to this subdivision shall be limited to 50 percent of the actual cost
of the proposed projects, and shall be located in economic development zones
designated pursuant to article 18-B of the General Municipal Law or in highly
distressed areas.
(2) The
corporation may: provide loans, loan guarantees and grants for projects as set
forth in paragraph (3) of this subdivision, and to provide project development
assistance by the corporation acting as a project developer pursuant to
paragraph (4) of this subdivision.
(3) Project development loans, loan
guarantees and grants. The corporation may make loans, loan guarantees and
grants in accordance with the provisions of the act for which no other funds of
the corporation are available, with the exception of the appropriations for
this program and moneys reappropriated under the high risk targeted investment
program, for the acquisition, renovation, and construction of commercial
industrial and mixed-use facilities, or for feasibility or planning studies in
connection with such development.
(i) Such
projects shall include projects related to the implementation of necessary
construction and reconstruction projects identified or planned under grants
received pursuant to subdivision (e) of this section.
(ii) Projects intended to be publicly-owned
shall not be eligible for financial assistance in connection with the
acquisition, construction or renovation of a facility or development hereunder
unless such project is leased to a private enterprise.
(4) Notwithstanding anything contained to the
contrary in section 16-d of the act, section 10 and subdivision 2 of section 16
of the act does not apply to any feasibility grants or planning studies under
paragraph (3) of this subdivision.
(5) Project development assistance.
(i) The corporation may act as developer in
the acquisition, renovation, construction, leasing or sale of development
projects, other than residential projects, authorized pursuant to the act in
order to stimulate private sector investment within the affected
community.
(ii) In acting as a
developer, the corporation may borrow for purposes of this paragraph for
approved projects in which the lender's recourse is solely to the assets of the
project, and may make such arrangements and agreements with community-based
organizations and local development corporations as may be required to carry
out the purposes of this section.
(iii) Prior to developing any such project,
the corporation shall secure a firm commitment from entities, independent of
the corporation, for the purchase or lease of such project.
(iv) Projects authorized under this paragraph
whether developed by the corporation or a private developer, must be located in
either State-designated economic development zones or in highly distressed
communities.
(v) The corporation,
for purposes of this paragraph, shall only select projects that have project
costs not to exceed $3 million of which the corporation's participation shall
not exceed 60 percent of the total, for which there is a demonstrated demand
within the particular community.
(6) Any other provisions of this subdivision
notwithstanding, the corporation may establish a loan guarantee program in
conjunction with banks and other financial institutions to guarantee working
capital loans and loans for real estate, construction and renovations to
not-for-profit community and economic development organizations that serve
highly distressed areas.
(g) Neighborhood and community partnership.
(1) The Neighborhood and Community
Partnership Program shall be used to support regional and local activities
designed to retain existing businesses and jobs within a region or locality,
increase the viability of existing businesses, and stimulate and encourage the
formation of new enterprises and small business growth.
(2) The corporation shall, within available
appropriations, award grants or enter into contracts for services to eligible
entities and organizations as set forth in this subdivision on a competitive
basis, in response to requests for proposals, and through direct applications
accepted at other times at the discretion of the corporation. Grants shall not
exceed $100,000 per project, and an applicant shall be permitted to apply for
support in more than one project area listed under paragraph (5) of this
subdivision, but the sum total of grants received under this subdivision by any
one applicant for more than one project approved under paragraph (5) of this
subdivision shall not exceed $250,000.
(3) For the purposes of this subdivision the
corporation shall enter into annual contracts for services or award grants in
an amount not to exceed 50 percent of program or project costs in economically
distressed areas, or 40 percent of such costs for eligible projects or programs
in non-economically distressed areas, or 70 percent of program or project costs
in economic development zones established pursuant to article 18-B of the
General Municipal Law.
(4) The
corporation shall enter into no more than one contract or make more than one
grant per year per application under this subdivision regardless of the number
of projects for which an applicant has applied and for which funding has been
approved. In the case of applications for multiple projects to be conducted by
a single applicant, the corporation may, at its discretion, provide a grant or
enter into a contract for services with the applicant for some or all of the
projects for which an applicant has applied.
(5) Not-for-profit corporations, business
improvement districts and community development organizations shall be eligible
to apply for support under this subdivision to operate a program or programs of
business and economic development services to stabilize, retain or revitalize
existing businesses, and to assist small and new businesses, including, but not
limited to assistance to individual businesses or business sectors in such
project areas as:
(i) the analysis of
industrial sectors;
(ii) the
provision of services, such as regulatory compliance, security and marketing,
to industries;
(iii) productivity
assistance to mature industries and small businesses, including but not limited
to, high performance work organization and quality improvement
programs;
(iv) labor-management
cooperation specific to an area or industry;
(v) management services to industrial parks
and incubator facilities;
(vi) the
creation of business support networks, including flexible manufacturing
networks composed of small businesses, surveys of existing businesses, and
business sectors, the formation of quality networks, the targeting of firms or
sectors with networking potential, analysis of network firms' production
potential, group marketing, group purchasing, shared employee programs, and the
establishment of regular lines of communication between such firms;
(vii) the establishment and staffing of
network service centers for flexible manufacturing networks, combining business
services, marketing/procurement assistance, and technology
demonstrating/training centers, such centers to be industry managed and to
maintain strong connections to labor unions, universities, and the services
provided through the Industrial Effectiveness Program pursuant to article 7 of
the Economic Development Law, local or Federal economic assistance
programs;
(viii) export, marketing,
procurement and subcontracting assistance to small and medium-sized industrial
firms, including minority- and women-owned businesses, and to flexible
manufacturing networks, and programs to assist regional and multi-county
business marketing and procurement programs;
(ix) assistance to targeted incubator
facilities to support new firms producing products and services for which there
exists a stable demand but no local production;
(x) business planning, management assistance
and counseling, and financial packaging assistance to small and medium-sized
industrial firms, including minority- and women-owned businesses, flexible
manufacturing networks, and new enterprise and small businesses, including the
establishment of neighborhood-based business service centers designed to
deliver comprehensive technical assistance to new and small businesses in
specific communities and neighborhoods;
(xi) programs to assist economically
distressed regions and communities to identify new business opportunities, plan
for new enterprise development, and manage economic development
projects;
(xii) innovative programs
of public and private cooperation to foster new enterprise development and
small business growth;
(xiii)
programs to assist new enterprises and small businesses to identify and access
public and private sources of equity, working capital and other types of
financing;
(xiv) programs that
improve the ability of small businesses to access State job training
programs;
(xv) programs to assess
the need for, or to implement total quality management training programs,
employee retraining, and skills remediation and/or upgrading;
(xvi) employment exchange services such as
job placement and job development;
(xvii) tourism matching grants to regions, as
defined by the commissioner of economic development, to conduct tourism
marketing, promotion and information activities;
(xviii) programs to assist small businesses
in developing workplace policies, including but not limited to the design of
employee benefit and assistance programs and developing child care programs;
and
(xix) assistance to formulate
and implement a business retention strategy developed by the corporation in
cooperation with a local development corporation. Such assistance may include
grants to local development corporations as well as funding for services and
expenses for that purpose.
(6) Applicants for support or assistance
under this subdivision shall be made in accordance with section
4216.4
of this Part and in a form and manner as determined by the corporation, and
applicants shall be required to meet the criteria and requirements set forth in
subdivision (c) of this section and other criteria and requirements determined
by the corporation pursuant to the act, including:
(i) the likelihood that State assistance will
enable local not-for-profit organizations or other eligible organizations to
provide services and activities not otherwise provided in the area served by
the applicant;
(ii) the potential
of the project or program to stimulate or enhance economic development in the
area and to create or retain substantial, permanent private sector
jobs;
(iii) the innovative nature
of the proposed project or program in furtherance of community economic
development; and
(iv) the
demonstrated ability of the applicant to deliver the proposed assistance and
services.
(7) Projects
and programs in communities that do not qualify as economically distressed
areas shall be eligible for funding under this subdivision if such projects
meet one or more of the following purposes:
(i) projects located in a non-distressed area
that will significantly contribute to the revitalization of an economically
distressed area;
(ii) support for
business development projects of women, members of minority groups, or
dislocated workers;
(iii)
assistance to small or medium-sized manufacturing firms which are seeking to
modernize to remain competitive;
(iv) projects to diversify the economic base
of a community heavily dependent on a single industry;
(v) projects that will prevent the loss or
significant contraction of a company which is the primary employer in a
community, or where loss of a company would have a major adverse impact on a
community's overall economic condition;
(vi) projects involving expanding companies
that will create substantial numbers of new, private sector jobs;
(vii) projects creating permanent private
sector jobs for dislocated workers, public assistance recipients, or the
long-term unemployed; or
(viii)
projects that are an integral part of a community commercial revitalization
strategy which contributes to the economic health of a community, including the
provision of matching funds to newly formed business improvement districts
pursuant to paragraph (8) of this subdivision.
(8) Notwithstanding any other subdivision of
this section, the corporation may make grants to newly formed small- and
medium-sized business improvement districts during their first three years of
operation. Such grants shall provide up to 66 percent of eligible project costs
in highly distressed areas and up to 50 percent of project costs in distressed
areas.
(9) Notwithstanding anything
contained to the contrary in section 16-d of the act, section 10 and
subdivision 2 of section 16 of the act does not apply to any grants authorized
under section 16-d and this subdivision.
(h) Urban and community commercial
revitalization revolving loan and loan guarantee fund.
(1) The corporation shall, from any
appropriations made available for this purpose, establish an urban and
community commercial revitalization revolving loan fund account and a related
administrative expenses trust fund account in order to stimulate the
development of central business districts and commercial strips through a
decentralized lending program operated in conjunction with business improvement
districts, local development corporations and other not-for-profits
corporations serving central business districts or commercial strips.
Assistance from this subdivision will be awarded through a competitive process
initiated by the corporation, which includes a request for proposals as well as
direct applications accepted at other times at the discretion of the
corporation.
(2) Loans and loan
guarantees made from the urban and community commercial revitalization
revolving loan fund shall be for improvements, expansions, and start-ups of
businesses located in central business districts and commercial
strips.
(3) Such loans and loan
guarantees shall be administered by qualified business improvement districts,
local development corporations and other not-for-profit corporations designated
by the corporation on a competitive basis pursuant to a request for proposals
process.
(4) For the purpose of
this subdivision, local trust fund account and local revolving loan fund shall
mean a local urban and community commercial revitalization revolving loan fund
account.
(5) The corporation shall
pay into such fund any monies made available to the corporation for such fund
from any source including monies appropriated by the State and any income
earned by, or incremental to, the fund due to the investment thereof, or any
repayment of monies advanced from the fund. The monies held in or credited to
the fund shall be expended for the purposes set forth in this subdivision and
may not be interchanged with any other account or fund, but may be commingled
with any other account for investment purposes. All loans disbursed by the
corporation from such fund shall be repaid into the fund.
(6) The corporation shall allocate any monies
made available for such fund for the purpose of establishing local trust fund
accounts and a corresponding number of local administrative expenses trust fund
accounts.
(7) The corporation shall
establish a local administrative expenses trust fund account for the benefit of
each entity selected to administer a local trust fund account pursuant to the
following conditions:
(i) the initial deposit
in each local administrative expenses trust fund account shall be in an amount
to be determined by the corporation, but shall not exceed $25,000;
(ii) an entity designated to administer a
local trust fund account may use the funds in its local administrative expenses
trust fund account for expenses incurred by it in the start-up and
administration of the financial and technical assistance programs it is
required to administer under this section; and
(iii) the corporation shall also deposit into
each local administrative expenses trust fund account:
(a) all income earned from the moneys on
deposit in the corresponding local loan trust fund account during the first
year of the entity's administration of said account (beginning with its second
year in administering a local revolving loan trust fund account, said amounts
may be used for costs incurred by the entity in administering the local
revolving loan trust fund account); and
(b) repayments of interest on loans made from
the corresponding local revolving loan trust fund account (such funds may be
used for costs incurred at any time by an administering entity in its
administration of a local revolving loan trust fund hereunder);
(iv) funds deposited in an
administrative expenses trust fund account shall be disbursed by the
corporation to the entity that administers the corresponding local revolving
loan trust fund account on a semiannual basis and shall be expended by the
entity in accordance with a semiannual budget and any updates of same approved
by the corporation.
(8)
To be eligible to apply for designation to administer a local trust fund
account, a not-for-profit corporation shall be required to:
(i) have represented on its board of
directors, in such cases where an area to be served by a local trust fund
account has located within its service area an economic development zone
designated pursuant to section
960 of the General Municipal Law, one or
more of the following:
(a) an economic
development zone capital corporation if established pursuant to section
964 of the General Municipal Law;
or
(b) community based local
development corporations, industrial development agencies, or other
not-for-profit which serve a municipality in which an economic development zone
has been established and which, as one of their primary purposes, provide
services and assistance to business enterprises located in such economic
development zone, including minority- and women-owned businesses;
(ii) have represented on its board
of directors, selected local and community development corporations, industrial
development agencies, and other not-for-profit entities that provide services
to community businesses and, as one of their primary purposes, provide services
and assistance to business enterprises located in central business districts or
commercial strips;
(iii) have
strong written commitments from any economic development zone capital
corporation, local and community development corporation, industrial
development agency, and other not-for-profit entities, if represented on its
board, to assist the not-for-profit corporation in administering the local
trust fund account, including the provision of business planning, loan
application preparation, loan application analysis, management and other
technical assistance as needed;
(iv) have staff, or have access to staff from
organizations which participate in the administration of a designated local
revolving loan trust fund with sufficient expertise to analyze applications for
financial assistance, to regularly monitor financial assistance to clients, and
to provide or arrange for the provision of management or technical assistance
to clients;
(v) have an effective
plan to market its services and market programs provided by the corporation and
the Department of Economic Development; and
(vi) have established a loan committee
composed of six or more persons experienced in business management, commercial
lending or in the operation of a for-profit business (such committee shall
review every application submitted by an eligible entity for financial
assistance from the local trust fund account and shall determine the
feasibility of the project proposed in the application and the likelihood of
repayment of the requested financing and recommend to the governing body of the
eligible entity such action as the loan committee deems appropriate).
(9) Any entity selected to
administer a local revolving loan trust fund account shall be eligible to draw
funds from the account as needed to provide the following types of financial
assistance to eligible businesses upon certification to and acceptance by the
corporation that such assistance complies with applicable rules and regulations
as may from time to time be promulgated by the corporation:
(i) working capital loans, provided that the
amount of the loan does not exceed $15,000 and the term of the loan does not
exceed five years; and
(ii) loans
for the acquisition and/or improvement of real property and for the acquisition
of machinery and equipment, provided that the amount of the loan does not
exceed $20,000 and the term of the loan does not exceed the useful life of the
equipment or property.
(10) Any other provisions of this subdivision
notwithstanding, the corporation may enter into agreements for other types of
locally, community or regionally administered loan programs interested in
making small loans, including micro-loans, administered by municipalities and
not-for-profit organizations, to provide loans to businesses located in
commercial strips and central business districts located within their
respective service areas, provided that:
(i)
the corporation must secure certification from any entity administering such a
program that the loans will be made to businesses through these agreements and
meet the purposes and requirements set forth pursuant to this
subdivision;
(ii) loan review
committees are established by each such administering entity and that each
entity designated under this paragraph have established a loan committee
composed of six or more persons experienced in business management, commercial
lending or in the operation of a for-profit business;
(iii) no other entity eligible under this
subdivision which satisfactorily meets all requirements of this program has
applied to meet the needs of an area proposed to be served under this
paragraph; and
(iv) the corporation
shall not expend any more than 25 percent of the amount appropriated for
programs pursuant to this subdivision in any one fiscal year, or an amount
appropriated specifically for the purpose of this paragraph.
(11) An entity designated to
administer such a revolving loan trust fund account shall pay to the
corporation for deposit any repayments received in connection with financial
assistance provided from such account pursuant to the following:
(i) payments consisting of the repayment of
the principal amount of a loan shall be deposited by the corporation in the
local trust fund account from which the loan was made; and
(ii) the interest earned from the investment,
by the corporation, of monies in each local revolving loan trust fund during
and after the second year of a selected entity's administration of said account
shall be deposited by the corporation into the corresponding local revolving
loan trust fund account and used to provide the financial assistance to
businesses located in commercial strips and central business
districts.
(12) The
decision to approve or reject an application for financial assistance pursuant
to the provisions of this subdivision shall be made by the majority of the
board of directors of the entity designated to administer the local revolving
loan trust fund account and such decision shall be final.
(13) An entity designated to administer a
local revolving loan trust fund account shall not provide any financial
assistance authorized by this subdivision unless the following conditions are
met:
(i) the applicant has a minimum equity
interest of at least 10 percent in the project;
(ii) there is reasonable prospect of
repayment;
(iii) the project will
comply with applicable environmental rules and regulations;
(iv) the applicant has certified that it will
not discriminate against any employee or any applicant for employment because
of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, or age; and
(v) a staff member or a representative of the
entity designated to administer the local revolving loan trust fund account
acting in an official capacity has personally visited the project site of the
applicant's place of business.
(14) Financial assistance from the local
trust fund shall not be made available for:
(i) projects that would result in the
relocation of any business operation from one municipality within the State to
another, provided, however, that such a project shall not be deemed ineligible
if all municipalities from which such business will be relocated are notified
in writing of the corporation's approval of such funding and the chief
executive officers of the municipalities do not object to the corporation in
writing within a period of 20 days of receipt of the notification;
(ii) refinancing any portion of the total
project cost or other existing loans or debts of an applicant, except for the
purpose of transferring to the employees or to other local interests ownership
of a company that would otherwise depart from or cease or substantially reduce
operations in the State; and
(iii)
providing funds, directly or indirectly, for payment, distribution, or as a
loan, to owners, partners or shareholders of the applicant enterprise, except
as ordinary income for services rendered.
(15) An entity designated to administer a
local revolving loan trust fund account may charge application, commitment and
loan guarantee fees pursuant to a schedule of fees adopted by such entity and
approved by the corporation.
(16)
An entity designated to administer a local revolving loan trust fund account
shall submit annual reports to the corporation describing the financial
assistance provided pursuant to this subdivision, including:
(i) the number of projects assisted, the
amount and type of assistance provided and a description of the
projects;
(ii) the number of jobs
created or retained; and
(iii) such
other information as the corporation may require.
(17) The rules and regulations to implement
the provisions of the urban and community commercial revitalization revolving
loan fund established pursuant to this subdivision, and to implement such
revolving trust fund established pursuant to this subdivision, setting forth
procedures to be followed by, and the responsibilities and obligations of
entities designated to administer local trust fund accounts are set forth above
and in sections
4216.8
and
4216.9
of this Part.
(i) Urban
and community technical assistance. Assistance awarded under this subdivision
shall be awarded on a competitive basis, in response to requests for proposals
and through direct applications accepted at other times at the discretion of
the corporation. The corporation shall, from appropriations made available
therefore, provide assistance for the purpose of developing the capacity of
local and regional development organizations and communities to undertake
economic development initiatives by:
(1)
Conducting outreach to communities in areas where little, if any, economic
development capacity exists, including identifying potential applicants and
providing assistance to potential applicants in completing the application
process for assistance and meeting eligibility requirements for Federal, State
and local programs. Assistance may be provided through grants to not-for-profit
economic development organizations and through the deployment by the
corporation of circuit riders.
(2)
Providing community building grants to not-for-profit economic development or
community development organizations where necessary, in organizing for economic
development, analyzing potential development opportunities or obstacles to
development, and developing economic development strategies, including
feasibility studies for the creation of business improvement districts in
highly distressed areas.
(3)
Providing technical and financial packaging assistance to not-for-profit
community development and economic development organizations through grants to
third party providers of such services.
(4) Contracting with third parties for the
purpose of providing technical assistance to municipalities, not-for-profit
organizations, local development corporations, local economic development zone
administrative boards, or business improvement districts to analyze potential
development opportunities or obstacles.
(5) Providing grants to not-for-profit
economic development or community development organizations for approved costs
to strengthen their capacity to implement economic development, job creation,
or business retention strategies, including assistance to enable such
organizations to provide technical and financial packaging assistance to local
businesses, manage economic development projects, and provide other economic
development services that are identified in their strategic plans.
(6) Creating an urban internship program to
provide training and field experience to individuals committed to working in
highly distressed communities.
(7)
Organizing and coordinating seminars and conferences to facilitate the exchange
of information regarding commercial revitalization strategies.
(8) Establishing a community revitalization
economic self-help program to assist public officials, community leaders,
economic development and community groups to undertake an economic development
planning process and to organize for economic development. Eligible applicants
for assistance under this paragraph shall consist of a municipality or a
consortium of municipalities from a region of the State, such regions as
established by the commissioner of the Department of Economic Development
pursuant to section
230 of the Economic Development Law.
(i) Each training program shall require each
participating municipality to:
(a) establish
an economic development planning group;
(b) undertake a community profile and needs
assessment;
(c) undertake labor
market and resource surveys; and
(d) produce a five-year strategic plan and a
one-year work program.
(ii) Requests from municipalities or
consortia of municipalities for technical assistance under this paragraph shall
be made directly to the corporation or through the regional offices of the
Department of Economic Development.
(iii) Participating municipalities shall be
required to provide matching funds in an amount at least equal to any funds
provided by the corporation under this paragraph.
(iv) The corporation is authorized to enter
into cooperative agreements with statewide and regional economic development
organizations in New York State, acting as consultants, to conduct joint
training programs to train and educate local officials and economic development
practitioners pursuant to this paragraph. Any contract for services with such
organizations shall not exceed the sum of $50,000 for the conduct of each
training program.