State has $200 million available for DRI, NY Forward community revitalization programs

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York State announced it has $200 million in funding available through its two downtown-revitalization and economic-development programs The dollar amounts include $100 million each for the eighth round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and the third round of the NY Forward program, which focuses on revitalizing smaller and rural downtowns. Together, the two programs have awarded $1 billion in funding to 124 communities across every region of the state since 2016, the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul announced recently. Applications are available now through the state’s consolidated funding application portal, and the deadline to apply is Oct. 18 at 4 p.m. To receive funding from either the DRI or NY Forward program, localities must be certified under the governor’s Pro-Housing Communities Program, a policy designed to reward local governments that are “working to address New York’s housing crisis,” per Hochul’s office. Localities must have at least submitted a letter of intent to become a pro-housing community prior to applying for funding through DRI or NY Forward and must be certified before receiving an award through either program. “New York State is home to so many communities with rich histories and charm, and our Downtown Revitalization and NY Forward programs are helping to transform those communities into hubs of activity while retaining the characteristics that make them so unique,” New York Secretary of State Walter Mosley said in the announcement. “This $200 million in funding will help an additional 29 downtown communities turn their visions of revitalization into a reality, in turn spurring local and regional economies and strengthening all of New York State.”