WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 24, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Commissioner Rubin delivered the keynote speech at the Rural Housing Coalition’s Housing and Community Development Conference in Oswego on September 17th. Attendees included 200 housing and community development professionals from Rural Preservation Companies (RPCs) around the state.
The Commissioner thanked outgoing Executive Director of the NYS Rural Housing Coalition, Blair Sebastian, for his years of activist leadership, and noted the important role preservation companies play throughout New York. “Rural Preservation Companies play leadership roles in their communities, stepping in to guide rural development through every stage of the process—from planning through execution,” said Commissioner/CEO Rubin. “Oftentimes, it’s Rural Preservation Companies that fill a gap and play the role of planning departments that are common in larger communities.”
In addition to showcasing their achievements, he highlighted new funding and opportunities for RPCs to build capacity and grow. Governor Cuomo increased funding dramatically in the 2015-16 state budget and for the next three years, RPCs will be awarded 30% more than in recent years. And beginning in 2016, RPCs and Neighborhood Preservation Companies, which work in urban areas of the state, will be able to apply for technical assistance funding for new programs and services in their communities. In addition, JP Morgan settlement funds are available to increase capacity of the entire preservation company network, adding new companies where needed to meet the needs of communities. A new Mergers & Collaborations Fund sets aside $200,000 for both RPCs and NPCs that will allow companies to work better together, become more efficient, and lower the cost of doing business. And the Incentive & Innovation Grants set aside $100,000 to help companies plan into the future and address future needs. Details on these programs will be available soon.
Commissioner/CEO Rubin also discussed HCR’s Unified Funding Early Award Goal for Rural Preservation, which provides an accelerated application and review process as part of the Unified Funding 2015 funding round. Successful Early Award applicants must satisfy additional conditions and requirements on top of general Unified Funding requirements. Rural Preservation Projects are among the priorities that make projects eligible for the Early Round. These include applications that propose the rehabilitation of projects currently receiving Rural Rental Assistance Program (RRAP) funds.
Click here to read Commissioner Rubin’s remarks.
Thank you to Colin McKnight, Acting Deputy Director of the Rural Housing Coalition, all the HCR staff who put their skills and experience to work to make the conference a great success: Chris Leo, Jerry Nagy, Crystal Loffler, Lenny Skrill, Scott LaMountain, Charles Phillion, Terry Owens, Lorraine Collins, Nancy Peters, Gwen Pope, Ann Petersen, Debra Devine, Allison Murphy, and Ann Nobles.
