South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation

“Program Service Expenses 0, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 The Community and Economic Development Department CED administers an array of programs that seek to make a lasting impact on the economic, physical, and social fabric of our community. CED provided property management services in the Bronx and upper Manhattan, and business assistance services to hundreds of new and existing clients.SoBRos business incubator, the Venture Center has also provided an affordable working space for businesses to operate and grown and has an occupancy rate of 98.”

“from the South Bronx. It was the first and most fundamental step toward rebuilding a community whose name evoked images of burned buildings, crime, poverty and drugs. But as SoBRO began to evolve, it became clearer that community revilatization required a multi-faceted effort. Today, we address all aspects of community development assisting buinesses to get started and grow, training residents according to the needs of employers, offering opportunities for youth to learn and develop, and creating affordable housing and commercial spaces that reverses blight in the community.”

“which will provide additional vocational training opportunities for the out-of-school youth. SoBRO served 89 participants last year. Young adults participating in the Transformation Academy continue to be offered entrepreneural and vocational training opportunities, through our innovative social enterprises SoBRONX GRO Urban farm where you learn about the basics of urban farming through the operation of a hydroponic rooftop farm and the SoBRONX printshop where youth learn screen printing and entrepreneural concepts through the operation of a business located in the basement of Venture Center, SoBROs small business incubator.,”

“Our Industrial Business Zone programs helped 5 clients secure 210,000 in financing, hosted events for 50 attendees, helped 11 clients access incentives, and assisted 17 clients with the startup and launch of projects. Other projects include a new OCS funding to leverage our partnerships with the South Bronx business community that help to increase access to healthier food options and create employment opprotunities. The initiative consists of a collaboration between SoBRO, the South Bronx based United Business Cooperative UBC and Born Corp., the first cold-pressed juice bar and health food eatery in the South Bronx. This initiative employs holistic approach that incorporate community engagement, technical assistance to partner businesses, and job creation. Additionally, SoBro is still involved in the protection green infrastructure program and the ongoing development of the Roberto Clemente Plaza.”

“The Department also provides an extensive range of commercial and industrial business incentives through partnerships with governmnet agencies to attract investment and ensure that existing businesses can thrive. The Department continued to successfully operate many programs that have attracted thousands of jobs, hundreds of businesses and hundreds of millions of dollars in investment to the Sotuh Bronx throughout SoBROs history. To date, the SoBROs Entrepreneural Assistance Program, throught the NYS Empire State Development Corporation has provided intensive services to 22 new clients and 12 existing clients for the 2017 contract year, resulting in 6 firms with increased aggregate sales, 347,208 in accessed financing, 14 new employees hired, 7 financial packages developed and 9 completed business plans. Additionally, 10 student entrepreneurs graduated from the 20 session business training class which was offered annually at SoBRO.”

“Other Program Services In FY2017, SoBRo has provided career development services to hundreds of indictiduals, placing them into employment and delivering job-readiness training, which included a customer service training component and nationally recognized certification in customer service. SoBROs outcomes for adult education classes have consistently surpassed program evaluation targets. During the past contract period, SoBRO has achieved the following Held 2 ABE and 1 high school equivalentcy classes serving 61 students held 2 english as a second language classes serving 43 students tutored 22 students held 2 spanish classes serving 37 students 280 participants received the services of our Workforce Development Division 177 successfully received credentials 204 received job entries training and direct”

“Other Program Services Sobro has more than a decade of experience developing and managing commercial and residential properties, evidenced by our portfolio of over 700 units of affordable and market rate housing and hundreds of thousand of square feet of commercial, industrial and office space in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan currently valued at a total of over 106 million. SoBROs Housing Developmetn efforts include rehabilitating existing buildings and creating new buildings in vacant space to transform blighting influences into beautiful and viable spaces for living and working. One of SoBROs goals and part of our comprehensive strategy for community development is to increase the availability of owner occupied and rental housing for low and moderate incoemfamilies. To this end, we build new housing, rehabilitate vacant properties, prevent deteriorating housing stock from becoming abandoneds and generate home ownership opportunities. SoBRO currently has approximately 671 units in its peipeline at various stages of development . SoBRO builds attractive, high quality, affordable apartments that offer residents a pleasant living environmnent of which they can feel proud. Our perfomance buildins are constructed to NYSERDA and Enterprise Green Communities specifications, making themaffordable and environmentally sound.”