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CENTER FOR CREATIVE LAND RECYCLING • RECLAIM. CONNECT, TRANSFORM.
For Information, contact:
Jean Hamerman — [email protected] 646-712-0535 Jeff Jones - [email protected] 518-265-0719
BOA and its Impact on Community Revitalization and Investment
Strengthening Pre-Planning for Successful Land Reuse in Brownfield-Impacted Communities Throughout New York State
Thank you Chair Kruger, Chair Weinstein and members of the Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means Committees, and Chair Kaminsky, Chair Englebright and members of the Senate and Assembly Environmental Conservation Committees for the opportunity to testify at this joint LegislativeBudgetHearingon Environmental Conservation,We represent the Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR)and we are here to thank you and ask you for your continued support for the Brownfield Opportunity Areas (BOA]program, an environmental justice program with an outsized impact on community well-being and revitalization.
Specifically, we are here to urge you to support BOAat the $2 million level recommended in the Governor’s proposed 2020-21 Environmental Protection Fund budget We are pleased to share this update on how this program benefits brownfield-impacted communities.
CCLRis the leading national nonprofit dedicated to transforming communities through land reuse. This means converting abandoned or vacant commercial and industrial properties to assets that benefit the community, create jobs and generate new tax revenues. As USEPA’sTechnical Assistance to Brownfield Communities provider for the State of New York, we help transformations happen by educating and linking communities to government agencies and the private sector to create optimal conditions for reinvestment. We are the leading advocate for the BOA program. This June, CCLRwill host here in Albany its 5th Annual New York State Redevelopment Summit: Land Reuse Lessons for 2020 Foresight. Last year, over 300 developers, municipal and community leaders, redevelopment specialists and state government officials participated, including many BOAcommunities.
New York has been a leader in its vision and commitment to economic development programs that advance environmental justice and anti-poverty objectives. The Brownfield Opportunity Areas grant program was developed with a unique
A
funding, these
helps burdened bills
(DRI) stagnation legislation The private
contaminated Background: development
With
The
minority
turned
designated communities
development
capacity BOA
interests.
mission:
2016
•
•
•
•
Brownfield
BOA
enacted
grantees
some
communities
these
spurs
Today,
tax
grants,
left vision
communities
in Plans
BOA Land
comprehensive
what
The
report
investment
in
for
to
communities
program
comparable
BOA
with
credits.
behind
was
perpetuating
much
focused
support
BOAs,
communities
funds
program
and
economic
values
that
began
by
for
of
programs,
programs
BOA
and
sites
are
evaluating
grants
drawing
multiple
the
Opportunity color
funds
future
the
come
spanning
have
communities
by
serving
is
is
are
of
as
to
(brownfields)
updating
State
community-based
that
now
same
has
other
working
provide that
non-BOA blight
the
an
growth.
economic
planning
into
going
been
out
development.
and
development
brownfields
BOA
blight.
have
brought
experimental
create
in
the
over
State’s
lack
as
way
programs,
of
a
all
2003
perpetuating
are,
essential
Areas
vehicle
to
part
up
success
can
the
the
to
been
10
15
the
communities,
Housed
the
better that
a
and
at
for
innovation
transform
most
enhance
BOA
to
community
vision
Regional years
across
tools
of
economic
marginally
Governor’s
program
in
the
encourage
have
the
rezoning.
for
and
of
interest
including
to
the
mesh
blighted
process
master
approach
to
in
most
old
the
tool transformation.
that
filling
the
poverty.
2 been
economic
help
program
the
its
Economic
neighborhoods
and
BOA
in
with
state.
was
kit
vitailty
would
critical part,
with
stakeholders
Department
higher planning
to
s&ected
are
them
Downtown
left
funding
the
neighborhoods.
despite
for
Brownfield
program
low-income
to
created
the
The
being The
the
ignored
behind
cleanup
attracting
the
bringing
attract
stagnation,
to
reverse
role
Governor’s
rates
Development
highest
goal
core
attract
longest
gaps,
municipalities.
in
some
There
adopted
as
in
revealed
poorer
by
Revitalization
of
by
in
public
was
together
that
and
Cleanup
bringing
part
innovation
these
resources
leveraging
State,
economic
communities
BOA
bumps
private
private
catalytic
valuations
are
and
to
redevelopment
otherwise
of
current
as
communities
and
break
communities
trends
now
the the
the
Council
the
part
around
program
public
in
investment.
development
private
package
BOA
following:
to
investment.
of
the
economic 57
additional
the
economic
of
Initiative
seen
poor
and
this
would
local
road,
regions.
and
program
a
cycle
and
shared
build
in
and
and
of
of
than
be
in
its p.
BOA
In
BOA
2019
•
• •
•
•
•
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
grants
at
North
Brooklyn.
Study
including Fifth City
Federal
feasibility Greenwich, Philmont,
complete community primary
developer.
385 strategies Herkimer
Cohoes,
including topographic
and survey
Ogdensburg,
potential sites
Connectivity
City amenities
Nomination engineering will
Gloversville, connect City
City investment
City
Town
Work
alone,
of
acre
investment. of
of
of
undertake
of
Ave
through
by
of
Hempstead,
of
Poughkeepsie,
Batavia,
Geneva, Dunkirk,
Lackawonna,
and
in
Albany
the
Company.
undertaking
Clay,
the
a
route
area
Committee,
brownfield
a
the
design
Columbia
Village
Communities
453-acre
for
for
along
Washington
BOA
assess
following
plaza.
and
Fulton downtown
study
Strategy-
and
St
survey
preparation
the
Onondaga
reuse
catalytic
containing
that
Ontario
County
predevelopment
Genesee
Lawrence
Chautaugua
redevelopment.
Nomination
the
architectural
and
of
REDC
Nassau
the
for
connects
County-
Dolgeville-
County-
area
and
and
Shoreline
Erie
South
Dutchess
pre-development
sites.
development
projects
197
will redevelopment
-
brownfield
County,
Consolidated
and
County-
will
County-
redevelopment
delineate
County,
containing
County
Throughout
45
County-
County-
of
acres
study
Brooklyn
will
waterfront
will
design
vacant,
County-will
a
the
Study
were
Trail.
market studies,
County,
will
Geneva
prepare
will
will
undertake
of Three
IDA,
activities,
downtown
feasibility
will
will
wetlands.
sites
3
property,
complete
plans
to
multi-modal
selected
24
abandoned,
complete
advance
BOA
Bethlehem
Funding
develop
analysis, Schatz
of
undertake
develop
Rivers
the
zoning
activities
North
potential
cut
along
of
a
market
this for
-
Brownfields
will
the
including
State:
of
pre-development
and
and
the
a from
with
area
Point
redevelopment
Redevelopment
End
by
the
updates
Application
a
an
lot
BOA
complete
and
feasibility
develop
BOA
Steel
waterfront
brownfield
waterfront
streetscape
or
highway
brownfield
including
adaptive
pre-development
waterfront
on
Open
by
the
across
Pre-Development-
brownfield
implement
Nomination
design
the
Nomination
undertaking
Shoreline
goal
and
Opportunity
Space
schematic
former
the
the
study
process:
of
reuse
preliminary
marketing.
areas.
landscaping
park
sites
sites plans
BOA
state
BOA-
to
creating
of
activities,
and
sites.
marketing
Enhancement-
attract
BOA
and
Study
Schatz
plan
and
to
Study
Nomination
in
a
will
to
for
designs
activities,
attract
Area
South
strategic
receive
will
a
and
jobs
the
of
a
for
12
to a marketing plan to create a development package for five to ten priority strategic sites. DRI & BOA:Synergistic Programs That Create Funding Efficiencies: The BOA legislation, an innovation championed by Environmental Justice leaders, is housed in the Department of State. BOAis helping communities create a vision that will attract public and private funding, in much the same way the Governors Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) spurs and funds economic innovation in selected municipalities.
Ironically, it was the DRIthat ultimately revealed how important BOAis to downtown revitalization across the state. BOAand the DRIwere developed independently to address specific problems. The BOAprogram was focused on contaminated properties in poor communities, while the DRIsupported integrated regional development. In this year’s budget, you are being asked to support the Governor’s 5th round of funding for the DRIprogram. For the past 4 years, you have approved funding of $100 million, which is available in ten grants of $10 million to fund urban redevelopment projects that compete through the Regional Economic Development Council (REDC)process. This is a popular and landmark program that rewards ambitious, viable plans. At the beginning of DR],the unanswered question was how can poor communities, and economically challenged towns who can’t afford planners, meaningfully compete for these funds?
The answer, in many cases, turned out to be BOA.The compatibility of the two programs has created an exciting dynamic for cities across the state. Five of the first 10 DRIawards went to projects that started or overlapped BOAs.By the end of round four, more than a quarter of all funded DRIprojects overlapped or were completely contiguous with BOAs.
As the role of BOAin the success of the DRIhas become clear, the program has gained new support. BOAis now a part of the Combined Funding Application (CFA) process, and, for the first time in years, the Department of State is allowing new applicants to enter the program. The renewed interest in, and impact of, BOAis largely due to the hard work of Department of State staff and their commitment to improving the lives of New Yorkers adversely impacted by abandoned and contaminated properties.
It’s a simple story, but one we wanted to share. Your past support of the $2 million BOAline in the EPF has been an excellent investment. We hope, someday, that line will increase in a growing EPF.But for today, we urge you to continue to support the proposed $2 million BOAappropriation.
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