June 15, 2020

NY Forward Phased Reopening

Phase Three Reopening The Southern Tier Region, which includes Tompkins County, moved into Phase Three of the NY Forward reopening process on Friday, June 12th. Guidance for Phase Three businesses. Phase Three businesses include: Food Service  Personal Care

If Your Business is Open, Follow Your Industry Guidelines and Submit an On-line Affirmation Visit the NY Forward website to find your industry sector guidelines if you are a  Phase One  or  Phase Two  business. If you are operating as an Essential Businesses and do not fit under existing industry categories, use the   Essential & In-Store Retail Guidelines and submit your Affirmation .

Childcare & Day Camp Guidelines Issued New York State issued new guidelines for Childcare and Summer Day Camps. This guidance applies only to day child care and camp programs.

Financial Resources

Main Street Lending Program The Federal Reserve Bank, via the CARES Act, now offers the Main Street Lending Program , which supports small and mid-sized businesses. Three options are available to companies employing up to 10,000 workers or with revenues of less than $2.5 billion. Local banks are responsible for processing applications. Due to a limited response to the initial offering, the Fed recently revised the terms of the program to make these loans accessible to more applicants.  Key changes : Lowered the minimum loan size for certain loans to $250,000 from $500,000; Increased the maximum loan size for all three loan options; Increased the term of each loan option from four to five years; and Extended the repayment period for all loans by delaying principal payments for two years, rather than one. To review the differences among these programs, including eligibility rules, check with a participating bank that is prepared to process Main Street Lending Program applications.

TCAD Emergency Relief Loan Program  In response to the profound economic damage COVID-19 has inflicted on local businesses, TCAD created the Emergency Relief Loan Program to provide loans to traded sector businesses (businesses who primarily sell products or services outside Tompkins County). The fund's purpose is to support those businesses in retaining employees, allowing business operations to continue, and to offset losses related to COVID-19. Contact Chuck Schwerin ( chucks@tcad.org ) for more information.

NYS Shared Work Program

If your business is reopening, but with limited staffing or reduced hours the Shared Work Program may be a great solution to retaining staff. The Shared Work Program through the New York State Department of Labor (DOL) allows employers to keep trained employees and avoid layoffs by allowing staff members to receive partial Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits while working reduced hours. For local assistance with the Shared Work Program contact Tompkins Workforce NY at (607) 272-7570.

TCAD's Annual Report to the Community

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, TCAD chose to cancel our annual meeting where we share and celebrate our successes with the community. We did not want to let an entire year go by without sharing the work we did in 2019 to contribute to a thriving and prosperous Ithaca and Tompkins County. We are pleased to share TCAD’s   Annual Report to the Community . Take a few moments to review our accomplishments!

Reopening Resources

Guidance and Resources Area economic and community development service providers, including TCAD, created a list of resources to support your reopening and recovery goals. Reopening Guidance Financial Resources Regional PPE Suppliers Please Take our Survey Business Owners or Key Decision Makers Only Please take a survey about Covid-19 impacts on your business or organization, your plans moving forward, and what resources you need to support your recovery. COVID-19 Impacts on Local Businesses and Organizations Survey

Need signage for your Business Regarding COVID-19 Precautions? Tompkins County has them! Signs are available with reminders to employees and patrons to social distance, wear a face covering, and wash hands. Find the signs HERE .

City Harbor Receives TCIDA Approval

The City Harbor Project received approval for a tax incentive from the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency (TCIDA) on Wednesday, June 10th. City Harbor , a mixed-use project is set to revitalize Ithaca's Waterfront. The project will include: 156 one- and two-bedroom residential units A wellness center and additional amenities Access to the new Guthrie Medical Office A building heating and cooling system powered by an advanced, effluent-based system A pedestrian promenade that will connect directly to the city’s Waterfront Trail and the Ithaca Farmers Market More details of the project

Visit TCAD's Website

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Tompkins County Area Development | 607.273.0005 | info@tcad.org | www.tcad.org