Governor David A. Paterson
Healthy Food/Healthy Communities Initiative 2009

Incentives to Site Food Markets in Underserved Communities

• $10 million revolving loan fund to build food markets in underserved communities – Empire State Development Corporation and Department of Agriculture and Markets will contract with a Community Development Financing Institution to administer a revolving loan fund to increase access to fresh foods in underserved communities.  The Community Development Financing Institution will leverage private funding from banks through their obligations under the Community Reinvestment Act.  Contact:  Bob McNary 585-325-1944 x223 and Steve McGratten 518-457-7076.

• Funding Preference for Grocery Stores in New York’s All-Affordable Housing Program – the Housing Finance Agency offers financing to for-profit and not-for-profit developers to build affordable housing and preserve existing affordable housing.  The All-Affordable Program operates under an open funding round.  The Housing Finance Agency will give preference to any proposal to their All-Affordable Housing Program if that proposal includes a grocery store as part of any retail component.  Contact:  Karen Hunter 518-434-2118.

• Low-Cost Project Insurance - State of New York Mortgage Agency will reserve a portion of the Mortgage Insurance Fund to provide project insurance for projects funded through the Governor's Healthy Food/Healthy Communities Initiative, thereby reducing the cost of borrowing.  The Mortgage Insurance Fund can insure retail projects up to $5M, including both standalone buildings near affordable multifamily buildings and retail included in multifamily housing developments.  Contact:  Karen Hunter 518-434-2118.  

• Matching Grants Program for Permanent Farmers Market Infrastructure - Department of Agriculture and Markets will provide farmers’ market infrastructure matching grants of up to $25,000. The upcoming 2009-2010 grant round, budgeted at $150,000, will target awards to projects that support increased access to NY grown and produced food through the construction or improvement of market facilities that support multi-season operations in areas determined to be in particular need of better food access.  Contact:  Steve McGrattan, 518-457-7076.

Incentives for Food Markets to be Green and Energy Efficient  

• Funding for Energy Efficient and Sustainable Buildings – New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will provide services and incentives for food markets through their New Construction Program (for New Buildings or Substantial Renovations), offering technical support and financial incentives for buildings to incorporate sustainability and integrated design approaches.  Contact:  Priscilla Richards  518-862-1090 x 3312.  Services and incentives include:
  

1. Cost-shared Technical Assistance Services - for food market owners and design teams to help identify and assess efficiency opportunities, reducing energy use and electricity peak demand for new buildings, or substantial renovations. Examples include: reducing energy used for refrigeration through high efficiency compressors, oversized condensers, heat recovery, and hot-gas defrost; solid state lighting for case refrigeration; and, high-efficiency electric lighting and incorporating daylighting with controls.
   
   
2. Cost-shared Green Building Services - to help owners and their design teams identify and assess green building opportunities, such as using recycled content materials, green roofs, and low-emitting VOC products (paints, adhesives, sealants, etc.). Assistance also can include help with achieving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification for the building.
   
   
3. Financial incentives to building owners - Based on the anticipated energy performance of the building, these incentives can cover a significant portion of incremental costs of energy efficiency measures. Incremental costs are the difference between the costs of the efficiency measures and the costs of measures that just meet Energy Code requirements.
   
   
4. Design team incentives - For projects examining energy efficiency improvements, these incentives to design teams help cover additional effort for incorporating energy efficiency measures and design features into projects.  

• The RightSM Light – specifically for electrical contractors, architects, engineers, and other lighting practitioner firms that are involved in project design and implementation.  This program includes modest incentives, field support, and information on technologies and approaches that result in effective, energy-efficient lighting that can save 20 to 30 percent on electric bills. Recent studies show that in addition to the energy savings, effective, energy-efficient lighting can increase sales in retail stores by up to 35 percent.  Contact:  Marilyn Dare 518-862-1090 x 3348.