BLUE BUFFERS Voluntary Flood Risk Property Buyout Program
This grant funds nonprofits to buy out and restore repeatedly flooded properties in New York, turning them into open space for flood risk reduction and community resilience.
Funder: Homes and Community Renewal
Due Dates (Anticipated): July 2026 (RSVP for Q&A/Virtual Q&A) | August 2026 (Proposal Deadline, NOFA Questions, Revised Proposal Period)
Funding Amounts: Up to $57M per award (NOFA); total program up to $275M; initial contracts for 3 years with possible 2-year extension.
Summary: Supports not-for-profit partners to administer flood-prone property buyouts, demolition, and ecological restoration in New York State communities.
Key Information: Only not-for-profit corporations with NY presence and relevant experience are eligible; strong MWBE/SDVOB compliance requirements.
Description
The BLUE BUFFERS Voluntary Flood Risk Property Buyout Program, administered by the NYS Office of Resilient Homes & Communities (RHC) through Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), aims to reduce flood risk statewide by acquiring flood-prone properties from willing sellers, demolishing structures, and restoring the land as open space for flood mitigation and shoreline stabilization. The program targets low- to moderate-income, primary resident owner-occupants with a history of repetitive flood damage, prioritizing the acquisition of contiguous parcels to maximize community-wide resilience benefits. Subrecipient not-for-profit partners are responsible for project management, community engagement, real estate closing facilitation, and post-closing operations, including ecological restoration.
