NYS HCR Urban Initiatives Program (UI)

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Status: Archived

Summary

The HCR Urban Initiatives Program provided subisdy for community revilatization projects in urban areas in NYS.

Total Annual Award

$50,000 is available

Tenant Eligibility Criteria

Households at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI), with consideration for family size.

Eligible Applicants

All eligible projects must

1. be low-income housing projects or a series of projects located within cities with a population of 25,000 or more
2. be built or rehabilitated by nonprofit, community-based or charitable organizations formed at least one year prior
3. have as the central goal preserving or revitalizing the surrounding community.

Projects not eligible for UI funding based on neighborhood population are eligible for Rural Assistance Revitalization Project (RARP) funding.

Funding Award Details

UI funding was last appropriated in 2008. The funds from that period were spent by November 2010.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and not graded competitively. As of November 2010, all funds have been allocated, and no additional funds were appropriated since. A notice of funding availability (NOFA) will be issued when new funds become available.

UI may be used for the non-housing component in mixed development projects. For example, a community meeting space or social business venture.

Amount

Typically under $100,000 per project.

Term

N/A

Network Notes

UI is limited to areas requiring neighborhood revitalization. Only nonprofit agencies may apply.

• Community revitalization through the creation, restoration, preservation or improvement of housing in the locality are considered eligible uses.
• Applicants are encouraged to incorporate commercial, cultural and civic revitalization initiatives as well. RARP and UI are funded less consistently than most HCR programs. They may, however, be useful for smaller projects looking for stand-alone funding.
• HCR looks favorably on applicants that minimize development and operating costs, pursue energy efficiency, find solutions to mixed-use/mixed-income challenges and resolve interim/permanent relocation issues for occupied project renovations.
• The UI application process is not competitive; thus, projects are awarded funds based only on eligibility, feasibility and scores awarded in an HCR review process. Funding from UI allows for projects to be eligible for Project-Based Section 8 from HCR.

Last updated: 08/29/2019

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