In this month’s edition of the G/FL Economic Recovery Series, we are featuring regional successes, informational webinars, and a NYS broadband survey!
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Make sure to complete and share the NYS Broadband Assessment Survey
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Please continue promoting your community members to participate by filling out this brief survey.
This online survey is an interactive tool which community members can access in a host of manners ranging from computers, tablets, cell phones, and, if applicable due to lack of broadband, hard copy.
The survey documents issues with respect to availability, as well as adoption, and enables communities to better understand broadband issues from the resident's perspective. Is broadband available? Do they use it? If not, why? In general, is broadband in the community effective at meeting the needs of the community?
For those with internet access, the survey will allow them to submit the results of internet speed tests to further document the actual availability of service (and not just the claims of availability made by service providers.) This interactive methodology generates statistically valid information which is also overlaid into the GIS program for accuracy.
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New Funding Available in the Farmworker Safety Housing Grant Program
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Governor Kathy Hochul announced a new $25 million package in grants and loans to improve housing conditions for farmworkers and to protect the health and safety of this critical workforce. The Farmworker Safety Housing Grant Program will fund the rehabilitation and replacement of existing substandard farmworker housing. Grants are available from NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) through Federal Community Development Block Grant CARES Act funding, which provides resources to municipalities to improve housing and community facilities in response to COVID-19. In addition, the State oversees a $15 million Farmworker Housing Program, a revolving loan program designed to improve farmworker housing, through which farmers can apply for up to $200,000 per farm.
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IDA Involvement in Solar Projects in the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region
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Identifying the optimal level for a negotiated PILOT for Solar Developments is complicated. As more solar projects happen in Upstate New York and in the G/FLRPC region, IDAs have the challenge of negotiating PILOT agreements that meet the needs of developers and host communities. This whitepaper documents existing PILOT agreements across the region and provides access to resources for future PILOT considerations.
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GFLRPC 2022 Regional Summit Series
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GFLRPC is excited to announce a new, quarterly online and in-person seminar series devoted to topics on economic recovery and resilience. We are hoping to hold at least three sessions over the next nine months – capping off the series with a Regional Summit in the Fall of 2022.
Our goal is to host a wide range of speakers from elected officials to non-profit executives to share their unique perspectives on the topic at hand. Each session will be held in a hybrid model conducive to both virtual and in-person attendees. We invite in-person attendees to join us for a catered lunch and interactive Q&A sessions with our speakers.
We anticipate the first session will focus on rural economic development including infrastructure and compliance with New York State funding opportunities. Please stay tuned for a special announcement for more information on the first session and registration instructions.
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C-PACE Financing informational Webinar - This Wednesday!
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GFLRPC will be holding a webinar on C-PACE Financing Wednesday, December 8th @ 12:30 p.m. Sarah Smiley from EIC will be joining us to discuss the C-PACE Financing Program and how your municipality can benefit.
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HeatSmart webinar Tonight!
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Please join HeatSmart FLX N on December 7, 2021, at 5:30pm to learn about EmPower NY. We will walk you through the services that EmPower provides and what to expect from the program and see if you qualify for free home energy improvements that will help you save money and energy this winter.
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Fall Local Government Workshop session recordings are now live!
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The Fall Local Government Workshop was a wonderful success! Many thanks to our presenters, attendees, and Jason Haremza for putting together a wonderful line up of sessions together. For those that missed any of the sessions, the recordings are available on our youtube channel.
Keep a look out for more information in the coming months for our Spring Local Government Workshop in May of 2022. Details to follow!
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City of Canandaigua Adopts NYStretch Code & Eclipses 5,000 points in CEC Program
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The City of Canandaigua has always prided itself on being an environmentally conscious community. The decision to adopt the NYStretch Code at its City Council meeting on September 2, 2021, not only reinforced that commitment, but also elevated the City to the top level of achievement in the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) Clean Energy Communities Program.
A stretch energy code is simply an energy code that is more stringent than New York State’s base energy code that can be adopted by local jurisdictions. The NYStretch Code is a model, voluntary, locally adoptable stretch code that saves more energy than the forthcoming 2020 Energy Conservation Construction Code of New York State (2020 ECCCNYS). The decision to adopt NYStretch will make buildings 11% more energy efficient, and further reduce the community’s GHG Emissions.
With the adoption of the NYStretch Energy Code, the City added 1,200 points to the 3,900 it already has and became the first community outside of the Hudson Valley to surpass the 5,000 point Threshold in NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Communities Program. In addition to a $5,000 action grant for adopting NYStretch, the City will earn a $20,000 grant for surpassing 4,000 points and an another $70,000 grant for surpassing the 5,000 point threshold. The City plans to use these funds towards fleet electrification, a decision that will further its commitment to being a Clean Energy Community.
Congratulations to the City of Canandaigua!
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