[
Department Homepage ]
American Recovery & Reinvestment Act
In February 2009, the federal government passed the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to address the national recession. The bill dedicated $787 billion to reinvigorate the nation's faltering economy, create family-supporting jobs, rebuild and upgrade core infrastructure, and strengthen our social safety net. ARRA is popularly known as the "economic stimulus package."
Since taking office, Mayor Ryan has prioritized tapping all funding opportunities to their greatest potential, and our ARRA approach is no different. The City has already received several formula allocations, and we're poised to utilize additional funds to further advance our comprehensive, focused community development approach. These funds supplement the City's 2008-2009 CDBG allocation, the 2009 Streets Program, and the City's housing programs.
Please check this page regularly for the latest on our efforts to invest stimulus dollars right here in Binghamton.
Program Allocation
HPRP $955,655
CDBG-R $624,800
EECBG $204,200
Main Street Repaving $1.2 million
New Carlisle Center $1.3 million
As part of ARRA, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated to the City $955,655 under the 2009 Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP). These funds enable municipalities to provide financial assistance, case management and outreach over a three-year period to rapidly re-house persons who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness.
HUD has approved the City's proposed use of its funding allocation, and you can click here to see the approved plan.
The City of Binghamton is utilizing the Mental Health Association to provide case management services. Please click here to obtain a brochure about the City’s homeless prevention program.
More information regarding the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program can be obtained at www.hudhre.info/.
HUD has also allocated to the City $624,800 in Community Development Block Grant-Recovery funds (CDBG-R). These funds are to be invested in economic development, housing, infrastructure, and other activities that will quickly spur additional investment, increased energy efficiency, and job creation or retention.
Please read on as to how the City will dedicate these funds:
Road Repair
The City dedicated $300,000 for milling and paving activities. The City identified two key commercial corridors: Glenwood Avenue, from Main Street to Prospect Street; and Robinson Street, from Chenango Street to Broad Avenue. While both projects were included in the 2009 Street Rehabilitation Program, the CDBG-R funds allowed the City to expand each by a few blocks. These projects are now completed.
Blight Removal
The City has dedicated $125,000 to demolish the structures at 31 and 39 Charlotte Street, both of which have been blighted and abandoned. The demolitions have been completed; sites will be made shovel-ready for new development.
Energy Efficient Lighting
The City has dedicated $138,000 in upgrading its street lights with new, more energy efficient equipment. The project aims to improve illumination and realize a cost savings through reduced energy use. The new lights will enhance aesthetics and safety and will help promote increased foot traffic and new business development.
Administrative and program delivery costs for the projects total $61,800.
More information regarding the CDBG-R Program can be obtained from the following web site: www.hud.gov/recovery.
The Department of Energy has allocated the City $204,200 in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funds (EECBG), a new federal-local initiative that Mayor Ryan has strongly endorsed and advocated for over the last year in partnership with the US Conference of Mayors. Though Congress approved the EECBG in 2008, passage of ARRA was the first time the block grant was funded. EECBG funds are to be invested in projects that improve energy efficiency, reduce energy use, and lower fossil fuel emissions.
The City allocateD $160,000 to the Binghamton Energy Efficiency (Be2) Loan Program, an innovative Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program that will support residential energy-efficient retrofits through a revolving loan fund.
In brief, Be2 will cover the up-front costs of an energy audit and cost-effective retrofits at owner-occupied homes, emulating the successful pioneering PACE programs of cities like Berkeley, Babylon NY, and elsewhere. The property owner will then pay back the costs of the improvements over several years through a benefit assessment that will be placed on the property and added to the tax bill. This system allows the responsibility for repayment to be automatically transferred to a new owner should the original owner sell their home. The annual payment will be based on anticipated reduction in utility costs, still providing the homeowner with savings while also achieving greener homes and creating local jobs.
Unfortunately, a policy introduced the summer of 2010 by the federal housing financy agency has effectively halted ALL PACE programs, a short-sighted decision that is being legally challenged by states and municipalities. Bills have been introduced by both chambers of Congress to overturn the policy, and the City is working closely with advocates across the nation and with our federal officials to ensure PACE programs like Be2 can proceed in order to create jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce utility bills for homeowners and businesses. Since it may be some time before the matter is resolved, the City is complying with a recommendation from the Department of Energy to consider alternative uses for the $160,000.
See the below for more information:
- City release on Be2 Program: Be2 Program Gains Assembly Approval (June 22, 2009)
- Additional information about Assemblywoman Lupardo’s bill, including the text,summary and votes can be found here
- Additional information about the Energy Efficiency Block Grant can be found here
- Prior City release related to EECBG: City Supporting EECBG (April 4, 2008)
A significant portion of ARRA funds were dedicated to immediate infrastructure needs in municipalities across the country. Thanks to its continually updated capital improvement plan, the City of Binghamton was prepared to submit a compelling application for such grants, and successfully landed $1.2 million to repave all 1.8 miles of Main Street for the first time in 18 years.
The grant does not require a match, meaning the City will be able to renew its central commercial corridor without any cost to the local taxpayer. Given that Public Works was already planning to repave part of Main Street in 2009, the funds to be dedicated to that stretch have been reallocated to repave additional streets that otherwise would not have been repaired until 2010.
The City's 2009 Streets Program includes 50% more paving than in past years, and much of this increase is a credit to the City's ability to tap ARRA funds.
The stimulus package also targets ready-to-go community development projects through several competitive grant programs, and it was through one that Binghamton landed a $1.3 million grant to develop 7,000 square-foot community center at Carlisle Apartments, which are operated by the Binghamton Housing Authority (BHA) in partnership with the City of Binghamton. Mayor Ryan and BHA hosted a groundbreaking for the new center on August 4th.
A new gym will include a basketball court, offices and locker rooms, while an existing boiler room will be turned into a computer lab. The grant also will renovate existing facilities where programs for elementary school youth have been offered in recent years. The project is expected to improve opportunities for community center's usual clientele, while giving teenagers more extracurricular options.
