BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown is creating an initiative that's aimed at assisting Buffalo residents and business owners impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The "STAND UP Buffalo" initiative allows Buffalo residents and business owners to apply for assistance from the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency beginning February 8th.
Mayor Brown said, “For almost a year now, Buffalo’s residents and small businesses have had to find innovative ways to cope with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the guidelines that have been put in place to help slow the spread. Today’s announcement of a new set of assistance programs will help our City’s tenants, homeowners, and entrepreneurs access the resources they need to continue operating during these difficult circumstances and give people the hope they need as the vaccine becomes more widely accessible and the end of the pandemic’s restrictions are within sight.”
The City of Buffalo recently received $11 million from the federal CARES Act to fund the "STAND Up Buffalo" programs.
These programs include the following
- Eviction Prevention
- Foreclosure Prevention
- Fair Housing
- Owner & Rental Housing Rehab
- Microenterprise Assistance
- Digital Inclusion Analysis
In order to apply, eligible applicants must have incomes below 80 percent of the area median income and you can access the services by call 2-1-1, 3-1-1, or one of the partnering agencies administering the desired services.
The city estimates that 2,000 people will receive these services this year.
