The Neighborhood and Rural Preservation Programs (NPP and RPP) provide grants to cover the costs of not-for-profit community groups engaged in a variety of housing activities ranging from housing development and rehabilitation to homebuyer counseling and tenant assistance. These not-for-profits are known as Neighborhood and Rural Preservation Companies (NPCs and RPCs). Since 1990, NPCs and RPCs have played an instrumental role in the creation of tens of thousands of units of affordable housing. According to the New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), on average for every dollar invested in a Neighborhood Preservation Company, the company was able to leverage an additional $40. The Rural Preservation Companies achieve even more successful ratios, with the groups being able to leverage $43 for every one dollar the State invested. Currently, Neighborhood and Rural Preservation Programs serve the vast majority of the State. This hearing will examine the current operation and potential statutory modifications of the programs, and the effects that these modifications could have on the operation and effectiveness and efficiency of the programs. One topic for discussion is the extent to which consolidations and mergers that have taken place between not-for-profit groups participating in the NPP and RPP have improved the functionality of the program and whether further changes should be made to encourage such consolidations.

Please see the reverse side for a list of subjects to which witnesses may direct their testimony.

Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committee at the hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committee will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committee would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to further publicize these hearings, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committee's interest in hearing testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

Vito Lopez
Member of Assembly
Chairman
Committee on Housing

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1. Could current statutory language or administrative policies be modified to make the Neighborhood and Rural Preservation Programs more effective and efficient? If so, what policy changes would enhance the programs?

2. Are there areas of the State that currently are not served and that need the services of an NPP or RPP? If so, what would be the most effective way to provide such services?

3. Are there housing needs in the State that NPCs and RPCs currently are unable to address? If so, are there statutory or administrative changes to the program that would allow NPCs and RPCs to address these needs?

4. What aspects of mergers or consolidations that have already occurred, have been the most useful or beneficial? What aspects have had detrimental effects?

5. Have specific support systems or administrative options made a merger or consolidation easier? If so, what are they? If not, what systems and options would potentially improve the process?

6. How have communities served by Neighborhood or Rural Preservation Companies that underwent a merger or consolidation been affected by such merger or consolidation?

7. Could Neighborhood Preservation Companies and Rural Preservation Companies be merged even though they are from two similar but separate programs? How would such a merger differ from those between companies in the same program?

8. Are there areas of the State that have a large concentration of NPCs and RPCs? Are these groups meeting housing needs of such areas? Do these groups provide duplicative services? Could the NPP and RPP be modified to address these situations?

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Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on Potential Amendments to the Neighborhood and Rural Preservation Programs are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and mail, email or fax it to: