State & Local Programs
In New York City, the Bloomberg administration acted on the New York Supermarket Commission’s recommendations by creating the FRESH Program (Food Retail Expansion to Support Health) to encourage healthy food retail development in underserved areas throughout the city. Launched in summer 2010, the FRESH Program (1) provides tax incentives to healthy food retailers, (2) creates incentives in the zoning code for real estate developments that incorporate healthy food, and (3) creates a single point of access for supermarket operators to interface with city government. Click here to learn more about the FRESH Program.
Inactive: New York Healthy Food & Healthy Communities Fund
In response to the recommendations of the New York Supermarket Commission, Governor Paterson launched the New York Healthy Food & Healthy Communities (HFHC) Fund in 2010, a $30-million business financing program to encourage supermarket and other fresh food retail investment in underserved areas throughout the state.
The program provided grants and loans made available through a revolving loan fund to eligible projects. The initiative included a $10-million commitment from the state’s Empire State Development Corporation. This investment from the State of New York leveraged over $192 million in additional funding, including $20 million from Goldman Sachs Bank. The Low Income Investment Fund was the lead administrator for the fund and partnered with Reinvestment Fund and The Food Trust to implement the program.
The New York Healthy Food & Healthy Communities (HFHC) Fund provided $192,092,204 to twenty-six healthy food retail projects aimed at improving access to nutritious food for over 83,000 people in underserved communities in New York State.
Federally Funded Local Lenders (past and present)
Action for a Better Community
Cooperative Fund of New England
Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, Inc.
Greater Jamaica Development Corporation
Leviticus 25:23 Alternative Fund
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Low Income Investment Fund
Nonprofit Finance Fund
South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation
Project Profiles
Cooperative Fund of New England
Corbin Hill Food Project
MyTown Marketplace
Nojaim Brothers Supermarket
Research Spotlight: Could EBT Machines Increase Fruit and Vegetable Purchases at New York City Green Carts?
Research Spotlight: Assessment of a Government-Subsidized Supermarket in a High-Need Area on Household Food Availability and Children’s Dietary Intakes
For a full understanding of Healthy Food Financing Initiatives from advocacy to implementation, see The Food Trust’s Healthy Food Financing Handbook.