ALBANY – The cities of Mount Vernon, Newburgh and White Plains will receive “RISE” grants from the State Attorney General’s Office.
The cities will receive between $646,000 to $1 million to implement strategic code enforcement programs with an emphasis on making code enforcement more effective, efficient, and equitable.
The Responsible Investment and Strategic Enforcement grants will be used to launch innovative programs related to housing and strategic code enforcement.
The program aims to innovatively address and transform blighted, vacant, or poorly maintained problem properties through the use of housing and community data from various state agencies.
Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey knows what his city will do with the funds. “This would deal with code enforcement; this would deal with zombie properties. The main thing for RISE is to get rid of abandoned buildings and get rid of some of the urban blight,” he said.
“In the aftermath of the foreclosure crisis, New Yorkers are continuing to struggle to find and maintain quality affordable housing options,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “Cities RISE provides a thoughtful approach to how municipalities revitalize its communities, and ensures that housing issues are addressed,”
She said her office will continue to use the funds secured from settlements with banks to combat New York’s housing crisis.
