Tuesday, May 14, 6:30 at the ILCS library

The next planning committee meeting is rapidly approaching!  See you Tuesday at the school library at 6:30 PM

Minutest from the last meeting are as follows:

Indian Lake Community Development Corporation

Minutes of Open Meeting, April 10, 2013,  ILCS Library

 Incorporators / Directors Present:  Sally Stanton, Ann Carroll, John Valentine, Brenda Valentine, Tim Pine, Jim Erceg, Bob Armstrong, Tracy Eldredge, Sarah Lewin, Bill Murphy, Bill Quinlivan.

  1. Sally Stanton called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM
  2. Minutes from March Meeting were approved
  3. Treasurer’s report of not change
  4. Bob and Sandy Scanlon did not make this meeting and it is hoped that they will attend the May Meeting.
  5. Marketing Subcommittee presented 3 concepts based on the past years research and focus groups to get the approval to move on to test the concepts during the Summer with an eye to launch the branding campaign during 2014.  The concepts were all well received and approval was unanimous that they each move on to testing. The town map was also reviewed.  A seasonality key will be added.  The map project was approved to move on to budgeting with the hope that the advertising sales on the reverse to the printed map copies will cover most if not all of the costs of getting the maps placed in town and printed.
  6. Main Street Subcommittee opened discussion as to the NY Main Street Grant Program.  Pros and cons of applying for the grant were discussed and other alternatives are to be considered.
  7. Jobs Subcommittee announced that there would be a Teleworkers mixer at the Adirondack Hotel on May 8th.  A digital road map for Hamilton County will be the subject for a teleworkers conference at the Museum in Blue Mountain Lake.
  8. New Business:  It was announced by Sally Stanton that Snocade 2014 would be held from February 14- 23, 2014.  It is conceived to be an “Americade for Snowmobiles.  Things being considered at this time are races, uphill drags, snowmobile demonstrations, sale of equipment related to snowmobiling, safety courses, and various family activities.  Note was made that we are looking for volunteers and ideas.  A meeting is to be held on April 15 at 7 PM for brainstorming and organization in the ILCS cafeteria.
  9. During the meeting discussion was had surrounding our 501-c3 status.  Jim Erceg updated the meeting regarding our cooperation with the BMLA to funnel grant monies to our organization until we have our status complete.

Meeting adjourned and next meeting is scheduled for May 14th at 6:30 PM at the ILCS Library. 

Endorse the Campaign: National Low Income Housing Coalition

Endorse the Campaign: National Low Income Housing Coalition.

The NHTF was authorized by Congress in 2008 but remains unfunded while the need for affordable housing for the lowest income households is at an all-time high. Once funded, the NHTF will expand, preserve, rehabilitate, and maintain the supply of rental housing affordable to America’s poorest families.

How we can achieve it: We can adequately fund the NHTF through basic modifications to the MID.
The changes are simple: reduce the size of a mortgage eligible for a tax break to $500,000, and convert the deduction to a 15% non-refundable tax credit. By converting the MID to a credit, 16 million more homeowners would be eligible to receive the tax break. Most importantly, these moderate changes would generate almost $200 billion in revenue that could fund the NHTF and expand the supply of housing for those most at risk of homelessness.
How you can take action: Endorse United for Homes!
The first step toward being part of the solution is having your organization endorse the campaign. The more endorsers we have, the stronger our efforts. Join the movement to end homelessness and to help communities across America provide affordable homes for those who need it most. We can acheive this together.

Housing Budget Negotiated

The Governor and the Legislature completed negotiating the state budget this weekend.  All of the budget bills have now been printed and introduced.  The Assembly returns to Albany on Thursday and the budget should be passed on time.

As we announced last week, the final agreement rejects the Governor’s proposed Article 27 Community Preservation Program and retains the Rural and Neighborhood Preservation programs.

RPC and NPCs received funding from two sources.  The program was funded “off budget” in an Article 7 bill at $3,539,000 with funds swept from the Mortgage Insurance Fund.  An additional $655,000 is found in the Aid to Localities bill and is therefore “on budget”  These combined sources should allow RPCs/NPCs to be funded at about last year’s levels or about $66,000 per group.  Having part of the program’s funding “on budget” is a good thing.  Each Coalition was funded at last year’s levels as well

There is a new Article 27 but this one creates a new Urban and Rural Communities Fund.  This new program provides funds for small rental projects, with a focus on mixed use and community revitalization projects.  The Rural and Urban Community funds are initially funded at about $5.4 million.The new Article 27 fund requires 1/3 match and defines rural as under 25,000 in population. Rural areas have a forty percent set aside for for this program.   This funds mixed use new construction or rehab with affordable housing at 90% of median, can be structured as a grant or loan and is available to for profits as well as non profits

The Mortgage Insurance Fund was also used to fund UI at $2million and RARP at $1.5 million. Rural Rental Assistance was funded at $20,400,000

Community based, Rural Preservation Corporations supported

We have received word that the Governor, the Assembly and the Senate agreed to turn back the Governor’s Article 27 Community Preservation proposal and to restore funding to Rural and Neighborhood Preservation Companies under the existing Articles 16 and 17.

Members of the Senate in particular were just unwilling to leave our communities without a dedicated stream of rural specific funding.  That has been our principle goal from the beginning of this session and therefore, we are pleased with this outcome.

The three way agreement also rejected the proposal to move HHAP to DHCR.  We think that this is also a very good thing.

We understand that the particulars of funding have not yet been worked out  and will likely be negotiated today.  The Senate continues to press for increased funding for the LPA programs and Main Street and RESTORE in particular and we will be following those discussions as well.

The legislature now hopes to return Monday, and if the budget does not get passed on Monday  it looks like they will take a break for the first 2 days of Passover and return at the end of the week

Speak Your Piece: ‘Rural’ and Housing | Daily Yonder | Keep It Rural

Speak Your Piece: ‘Rural’ and Housing | Daily Yonder | Keep It Rural.

 

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of a series of columns on the USDA’s proposal to change eligibility requirements for some of its development programs. Previous columns have been by former congressional staffer Aleta Botts and the USDA’s Doug O’Brien.

If it “ain’t broke”

Rural Advocates continue to respect the work done over the past 30 years and the recognition that rural resources, needs and plans for the future are different than those in urban areas.  While rural communities might be closer in nature to upstate urban communities than those with greater density downstate, they do not received entitlement programs, often do not have the benefit of professional planners and grantwriters on staff and available or resources of lenders and financial support. We will continue to advocate for protection of existing rural resources for our communities, the support of professional grassroots non profit development corporations and the need to do even more