Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan Announces COVID-19 Recovery Funding Recipients

Press release from the City of Albany:

July 10 2020

Contact: David Galin dgalin@albanyny.gov

ALBANY, NY – Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Albany Community Development Agency Director Faye Andrews announced nearly a half-million dollars in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding awards to local community-based organizations to help Albany residents recover from the impacts of COVID-19 (see additional available grants below).

This initial round of funding includes:

• $250,000 in rent and mortgage payment assistance
• $130,000 in health and education resources, including groceries, PPE, and broadband access
• $100,000 in summer camp and day care programming

“Our city and our entire country have been hurting in many ways over the last four months as a result of COVID-19,” said Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan. “Albany residents have struggled to obtain food and day care, and pay their rent or mortgage, and these programs will help support them as we continue to overcome the impacts of COVID-19. Thank you to Albany Community Development Agency Director Faye Andrews and the ACDA Board Members, including City Treasurer Darius Shahinfar, Commissioner of Administrative Services Rachel McEneny, Corporation Counsel Marisa Franchini, and Common Council President Corey Ellis, for their quick coordination and efforts to support our residents.”

Grants are still available for summer camps, day care, and public assistance:

Public Service: $200,000 (grants of up to $15,000)

• Provision of meals, groceries and other necessities to Albany residents impacted by the COVID-19 Virus
• Provision of PPE and/or cleaning supplies to low income residents
• Provision of broadband, WiFi, and/or electronic devices to low income youth/families so that distance learning can continue without access to school buildings, libraries and other facilities
• Outreach to vulnerable populations to provide health education and services related to the COVID-19 pandemic

Summer Camp/Day Care: $150,000 (grants of up to $60,000)

• Opportunities for summer camp/day care for low to moderate income youth in the City of Albany

Guidelines for the funding can be found here. Residents and businesses can apply for funding online here or download a hard copy of the application here. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis.

Funding information can also be found on the ACDA webpage.

Anyone who wishes to complete a hard copy of the application will need to make arrangements with ACDA to drop it off at the office at 200 Henry Johnson Boulevard. Please email Faye Andrews at fandrews@albanyny.gov to arrange a time to submit an application.

About the CDBG Funding:

In response to COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provided the City of Albany a Community Development Block Grant Fund (CDBG-CV) allocation to be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19). After the announcement of that funding, the City of Albany distributed a community-wide survey that was completed in March to help direct funding priorities.

This press release was produced by the City of Albany. The views expressed here are the author’s own.