§ 461-i. Planning and development grants for enriched housing
programs. 1. The department shall, to the extent funds are available for
such purpose, award planning and development grants to, and contract
with, lawfully approved enriched housing programs that qualify for such
grants under criteria to be established by the department. Such grants
shall be made for the purposes of defraying start-up expenses and
reducing initial operating deficits incurred in the first twelve months
of a program's operations resulting from initial low occupancy rates.
Use of such funds may include, but shall not be limited to, paying for
rent prior to occupancy and security deposits, administrative expenses,
minor renovations of existing structures, furnishings and household
equipment, moving expenses of residents and reasonable anticipated
operating deficits resulting from low initial occupancy rates.

2. Any public agency, public corporation or not-for-profit corporation
who has filed an application for approval to operate an enriched housing
program, or any lawfully approved enriched housing operator, may make
application for a planning and development grant in a manner and form
prescribed by the department. The department shall make determinations
of award for each application for such grants at such time that a final
determination is made with respect to approving the establishment of, or
granting an operating certificate for, an enriched housing program. The
department shall award planning and development grants on the basis of
the quality of the proposed program, the applicant's financial needs,
the geographic distribution of enriched housing programs, and the
availability of, and demand for, long-term care services in the
geographic area to be served by the proposed program.

3. The department may award planning and development grants to, and
contract with, lawfully approved enriched housing programs under
criteria to be established by the department for the purpose of moderate
renovations or modifications of existing structures when determined to
be necessary by the commissioner. Use of such grants for moderate
structural renovations or modifications shall be deemed necessary in
those instances where the commissioner determines that, without such
renovations or modifications, a geographic area may be underserved
because of the lack of available or suitable existing structures.