Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $26 Million In Federal Funding To Aid Long Island Economic Development And Smart Growth

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $26,273,939 in federal funding for communities across Long Island. The funding was provided by the Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD), which is part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Specifically, the funding comprises $21,390,557 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding and $4,883,382 in HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funding.

“The Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnerships Programs are vital streams of investment that support local economic development and community revitalization. Without this non-replaceable funding, many local job-creating development projects that are revitalizing Long Island communities might not be here today,” said Senator Schumer. “The more than $26 million in funding is a big win for Long Island and will help more communities create good paying jobs, deliver essential services to families and seniors, and support smart growth efforts. I will continue to fight day in and day out to protect this critical investment for our communities and make sure Long Island gets the federal investment it needs and deserves.”

“The CDBG Program and the HOME Investment Partnership Program both play a crucial role in promoting local economic development and expanding affordable housing, and I am very pleased to announce this federal funding to support these projects across Long Island,” said Senator Gillibrand. “With this funding, Long Island communities will be able to build on their efforts to revitalize communities, create new jobs, and attract even more investment – all while helping ensure that housing can be accessible for all Long Islanders. I will always fight to make sure that our communities can get the support and resources they need to thrive.”

Communities on Long Island will use the funding to address a wide range of needs and enable local governments to support affordable housing initiatives, provide essential services, and expand economic development. The CDBG program provides municipalities on Long Island with critical funding for transformative and unique development projects and needed funding to leverage outside investment in job creation projects. The funds continue to play a critical role in facilitating local economic development on Long Island and helping local governments succeed.

HOME funding is the primary source of funding for state and local governments to buy and rehabilitate affordable housing. According to HUD, the HOME program provides grants to states and localities that communities use, often in partnership with local nonprofit groups or development companies. These communities and organizations then fund activities such as building, buying and rehabilitating affordable housing units for rent or homeownership. HOME is the largest federal block grant provided to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing.

Both programs are critical to Long Island’s communities because they are capable of funding the kinds of economic development, housing, and revitalization projects that are essential to the success of these local economies, Schumer and Gillibrand added.

Today’s announcement is a result of the FY19 appropriations package, which allocated $3.3 billion to the CDBG program and $1.25 billion to the HOME program. Schumer and Gillibrand pledged to protect CDBG and HOME funding because both programs provide an irreplaceable source of investment for economic development and affordable housing on Long Island.

A breakdown of the funding appears below:

CDBG 

HOME