Bill > A07903

This bill enacts the "Food Retail Establishment Subsidization for Healthy Communities Act" (FRESH Communities), which provides loans, loan guarantees, interest subsidies, and grants to businesses, municipalities, non-profit corporations, or local development corporations. The purpose is to attract, maintain, or permit the expansion of food retail establishments, such as supermarkets and other grocery retailers, in underserved areas. These underserved areas include low or moderate-income census tracts, areas with below-average supermarket density, or areas with a supermarket customer base where more than 50% live in low-income census tracts, or other areas with significant access limitations due to travel distance, as determined by the Urban Development Corporation. The bill also sets certain criteria for the eligible food retail establishments, such as participation in the Pride of New York program, acceptance of electronic benefit transfers, and hiring of local residents.