Jumpstarting Redevelopment

After completing a BOA Nomination Plan or qualifying redevelopment plan, communities can apply for BOA Designation by the Secretary of State. This official designation affirms the commitment of the community and the State to work in partnership to meet redevelopment goals, and increases eligibility for pre-development funding and other pre-development activities.

BOA designation unlocks tools and incentives to stimulate reinvestment in the area, including:  

• Support – The NYS Department of State (DOS) is committed to providing ongoing support to pursue implementation of BOA Plans in designated BOAs. Communities with designated BOAs are eligible to apply for pre-development funding through the BOA program to support these implementation activities.  
• Priority and Preference – Projects within a designated BOA may receive priority and preference in some state grant programs, including the DOS Local Waterfront Revitalization Program and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Environmental Restoration Program.  
• Predictability – Designation of a BOA demonstrates community endorsement of the Plan’s goals. This removes the risk and uncertainty associated with investment in a transitional or marginal market by assuring potential developers that their investment is part of a locally supported vision for the area, and by providing confidence that development proposals consistent with the BOA Plan are likely to be approved.   
• Tax Credit Incentive for Real Property Development (BOA Bump-up) – Private developers participating in the Brownfield Cleanup Program to remediate and redevelop sites in a designated BOA are eligible for a tax credit increase or “bump-up” of 5% of the tangible property tax credit when development conforms with the goals and priorities of the designated BOA in which the site is located. The bump-up makes brownfield redevelopment more attractive and provides an added incentive for investors to propose projects that realize the community’s collective vision.    
   

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Communities with designated BOAs are able to apply for pre-development funding through the BOA program and the NYS Consolidated Funding Application. This funding supports implementation of pre-development activities to advance goals and priorities for revitalization and redevelopment, as outlined in the BOA Nomination Plan. 

Eligible activities include: 

• Development and implementation of marketing strategies  
• Development of plans and specifications  
• Real estate services  
• Building conditions studies 
• Infrastructure analyses 
• Zoning and regulatory updates  
• Environmental (Phase II Environmental Site Assessments are not eligible under this solicitation), housing and economic studies, analyses and reports 
• Public outreach 

Learn more about funding opportunities 

From time to time, the BOA program may provide funding to eligible applicants for environmental site assessments to further investigate and assess brownfield properties within a BOA. BOA site assessments are intended to assist in identifying an appropriate range of redevelopment opportunities for BOA strategic sites.    

There are a number of other funding and technical assistance resources available to BOA communities. BOA communities have leveraged their BOA planning to receive funding for implementation through the NYS Consolidated Funding Application, for housing tax credits, or capital funding for infrastructure. Others have applied for the Environmental Protection Agency’s brownfield funding for environmental site assessments and remediation activities. BOA communities have successfully been chosen for other planning initiatives, such as New York’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI).  

Department of State Environmental Protection Fund 

This Fund provides competitive matching grants to municipalities located along New York’s coasts or designated inland waterways for planning, design, and construction projects to revitalize communities and waterfronts. 

Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Restoration Program 

Through the Environmental Restoration Program, DEC can provide funding for investigation and remediation of eligible municipally-owned sites.  

NYS Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) 

Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative works in partnership with municipalities to transform downtown neighborhoods into vibrant, thriving communities where people seek to live, work, and play.  

NYC Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) Environmental Project Information Center 

NYC OER’s Environmental Project Information Center is a searchable hub with environmental clean-up and planning resources, including site reports, GIS data, community-based organizations, and more.  

Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) 

The Center for Creative Land Recycling is a national organization focused on educating and sharing resources with governments, communities, and private sector firms pursuing Brownfield and land redevelopment projects.

Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Program  

EPA’s Brownfields Program provides grants and technical assistance to communities, states, tribes and others to assess, safely clean up and sustainably reuse contaminated properties.