The Commercial Area Revitalization Effort (CARE) is a comprehensive program designed to rehabilitate and renovate retail and commercial properties in targeted economically distressed areas in the City of Buffalo. It operates through a partnership between neighborhood residents, merchants, the City of Buffalo, and Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation (BERC).

Partnerships
BERC will implement the CARE Program in cooperation and coordination with City of Buffalo Departments of Finance, Public Works, Police, Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency and other city agencies.

All Participants in this program are required to be current with federal and state income taxes, property taxes, garbage user fee, water and sewer bills, and all other applicable taxes.

CARE Program Key Elements
Business located in one of the six proposed CARE Areas – Jefferson Avenue, Lower Niagara Street, Grant/Ferry, Broadway/Fillmore, Seneca Street and Fillmore/Leroy may be eligible for the following incentives:

In order to stabilize commercial corridors in distressed areas, an immediate, small but very visible public investment must often be made to create a level of confidence to encourage private investment to take place. Operation FACELIFT accomplishes this through funding for the removal of deteriorating signage and supportive structures, repair and replacement of broken windows and frames, scraping and painting of building facades, and boarding up of open vacant buildings. Each storefront in CARE area having such a need will receive a maximum grant of $2,000.

Storefront facade rebates are provided in recognition of the significant impact storefront improvements have on the appearance and vitality of neighborhood commercial corridors. In order to encourage the rehabilitation of the exterior of buildings along the commercial corridor, the BERC will rebate up to 50% of the cost of eligible storefront improvements, up to a maximum of $8,000 per storefront.

In cooperation with the City of Buffalo’s Police Department, a Commercial Area Security Survey will be conducted. The BERC will rebate 50% of the cost, up to $3,000 for installation and implementation of recommended security devices and improvements on individual properties.

Due to restrictions enforced by CARE Program Funding, the following types of businesses are ineligible for CARE Program Funding: Adult bookstores, adult video shops, other adult entertainment facilities, gambling facilities, liquor stores and guns shops. New Construction may qualify under case by case basis at the sole discretion of BERC.