NYC plans to expand low-cost fresh food program in underserved communities – Telemundo New York (47)

New York City officials have created a program to ensure underserved city communities have access to much-needed food.

City Council President Corey Johnson and Department of Urban Planning (DCP) Director Marisa Lago announced a partnership Monday to update and expand the Food Retail Expansion to Support Health (FRESH) program. The partnership would aim to bring accessible grocery stores to underserved communities in New York City, a problem that was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Access to fresh and healthy food is a priority for me and this Council, and the expansion of the FRESH zoning incentive is a huge step forward in our fight to ensure that all New Yorkers can eat healthy no matter where they live. Too many neighborhoods in our city lack access to healthy and affordable food options, ”said President Corey Johnson.

“The Council is pleased that the City Planning Department is moving forward with this important zoning change and we look forward to working with the communities as they review this proposal. We will continue to work to ensure that all neighborhoods in our city have access to fresh food at reasonable prices. “

Originally created in 2009, the FRESH program uses a zoning incentive to give homeowners the right to build slightly larger buildings in mixed residential and business districts if they include a FRESH supermarket in their plans. Since the program began, 28 projects have been approved for FRESH zoning incentives; nine of these projects are currently open to the public.

The program currently operates in Community Districts 1-7 in The Bronx, Community Districts 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 16, and 17 in Brooklyn, Community Districts 9-12 in Manhattan, and Community District 12 from Queens.

Under the new expansion, FRESH will now be rolled out to Bronx Community Districts 8 and 9, Brooklyn Community Districts 1, 2, 12 and 13, Queens Community Districts 1, 3, 4 and 14, and Community District 1 from Staten Island, the first Staten Island community to be included in the program.

“By expanding FRESH, we are taking a step to address a long-standing inequity that the pandemic has exposed: neighborhoods that do not have convenient access to healthy food for their families. Putting high-quality food on the table and within reach of low-income New Yorkers is a top priority. Our families and communities deserve nothing less, ”said DCP Director Marisa Lago.

The DCP proposed new updates to FRESH, including the addition of specific criteria that an applicant must follow to create a new FRESH store near an existing location to avoid clusters; allow business owners not to have to replace walls with windows in existing buildings; and provide an exemption from parking requirements for sites using up to 10,000 square feet of commercial area in lower-density residential districts.

The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) offered tax breaks for FRESH market operators and developers who have a store in their buildings.

The proposal is set for public review later this year.

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