Governor Hochul Announces Up to $20 Million in Funding Available to Eligible Homeowners for Resiliency Repairs and Upgrades

New Round of the Resilient Retrofit Program Funding Nearly Doubles the Amount Available Previously

Eligible Homeowners in Flood Prone Areas May Apply for Up To $50,000 in Assistance

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced up to $20 million is available for eligible homeowners in flood prone areas to make proactive flood mitigation and energy-efficiency improvements to their homes as part of a new round of funding for the Resilient Retrofits Program. This latest round of funding builds upon the program's initial $10 million allocation as part of a pilot phase in 2023.

“We are committed to building resilient communities and ensuring more New Yorkers are protected from extreme weather before it occurs,” Governor Hochul said. “By expanding our successful Resilient Retrofits program, eligible homeowners have access to additional resources that can help keep their families and their homes out of harm’s way.”

Eligible homeowners earning up to 120 percent of their Area Median Income can apply for up to $50,000, half of which is available as a grant and half as a three percent low-interest loan. Program funds can be used to cover the cost of proactive improvements such as: installing flood vents, a sump pump, or backwater valve/backflow preventer; moving utilities above the flood line; adding insulation; electrifying heating systems; or installing energy efficient appliances or lighting.

Resilient Retrofits is managed by New York State Homes and Community Renewal’s Office of Resilient Homes and Communities, a permanent office which assumed the portfolio of the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery in 2022.

The program has three local program administrators – Home HeadQuarters based in Syracuse, the Center for New York City Neighborhoods based in New York City, and Community Development Corporation of Long Island based in Suffolk County. All program administrators are now accepting applications. Contact information, along with program information, is available on HCR’s website.

Since Resilient Retrofits launched as a pilot in 2023, more than 200 homeowners have been approved and 60 homes have completed their resiliency upgrades. Applications have been received from homeowners in cities across the State including Syracuse, Buffalo and New York City. The program also served nearly 20 homeowners in the Shinnecock Tribal Nations in the town of Southampton.

The program complements New York’s efforts to address climate change by achieving economy-wide carbon-neutrality by 2050 and is an example of HCR’s investments in sustainability and resilience including long-term recovery efforts for Hurricane Ida, investing clean energy projects in affordable housing and assisting residents with weatherization of their homes among other initiatives.