Briarcliff Manor and North Salem have joined for FY 2020, and Peekskill, Tuckahoe and New Castle have joined for FY 2021.
2019 marked the first year grants were received by the County since 2010.
County Executive George Latimer is announcing the addition of five more communities to the Westchester Urban County Consortium. Briarcliff Manor and North Salem both joined for the FY 2020 year that began in May and in FY 2021 Peekskill, Tuckahoe and New Castle will be rejoining. 2019 marked the first time Westchester municipalities were able to apply for federal community development funding to fund needed improvements. These new additions bring the Consortium to 30 member municipalities.
Latimer said: “What you are seeing around the County is government working together – across all levels – to deliver for the people who elected us to serve. The expansion of the Consortium shows that we have been doing is working and other communities want to continue in its success.”
The Westchester Urban County Consortium is a group of Westchester municipalities that band together to enhance their ability to procure and execute grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development in their communities.
The County works directly with each eligible municipality to educate them on the benefits, responsibilities and application process for the program. Westchester County is eligible to apply for three grant programs:
- Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) which provides funds to local municipalities and nonprofits for physical facilities and public services;
- HOME Program which provides funds to developers of affordable housing; and
- Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) which provides funds to non-profits for homeless and eviction prevention programs, on behalf of the Urban Consortium.
These grants can fund improvements like sidewalks, mold or lead paint removal in apartment buildings, affordable housing for low and middle income families and many more projects that enhance our already beautiful home county.
The Consortium received a $3.6M CDBG grant in FY 2019 and $3.7 M in 2020 in addition to $350,000 in ESG in FY 2020 and a total of $1.8 M in HOME funds for the two years. These are the regular entitlement grants, but in response to COVID-19, the Consortium will also be receiving $5.2 M in additional ESG funds to help prevent homelessness due to the pandemic and $2.1 M in additional CDBG funds that will assist business and nonprofit agencies that provide services to low and moderate income households that have been impacted by COVID-19.
The Westchester County Planning Department administers Consortium funds and provide member municipalities with technical assistance throughout the application and grant administration process. Cities with a population over 50,000 are eligible to apply directly to HUD for these funds.
Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Planning Norma Drummond said: “By Westchester County administering this Program, we make the process simpler for our local municipalities, and eliminate the need for them to compete in the New York State Small Cities Program. The HOME funds will leverage the County’s own resources to help build more affordable housing, and the ESG funds can help keep families in their homes when they are facing eviction.”
Congresswoman Nita Lowey said: ““Too many New Yorkers, including seniors, the disabled, low income families with children, and veterans, who were already struggling to access economic opportunities, now face unprecedented, unbearable obstacles to thrive in the midst of COVID-19. Similarly, states and local governments have serious financial burdens brought on by the pandemic. This federal funding will provide much-needed assistance to local communities and families through targeted and responsive investments for community projects like improving infrastructure such as parks, playgrounds, sidewalks and senior centers, as well as rehabilitating and increasing the supply of decent, affordable housing. Throughout my years in Congress, I have worked to deliver federal funding that improves the quality of life across the Hudson Valley, and I am glad that more Westchester municipalities are joining the consortium to benefit from this important resource.”
Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney said: “Federal grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development bring critically-needed investments that enhance our communities and make Westchester County a better place to live. This Consortium will help us better fight for these competitive grant funds and strengthen our communities.”
Briarcliff Village Manager Phil Zegarelli said: “Mayor Steve Vescio and I are greatly appreciative of Briarcliff Manor’s CDBG award for a new Senior Citizen bus. Our current model has been a workhorse and showing its age. This grant enables us to retire our current model. For us during the Covid-19 pandemic, our bus was a primary life line for our seniors to be able to go out shopping or for doctor’s visits alone. The CDBG award will enable VBM to do more way for our seniors after we return to normalcy. Special thanks to George Latimer, Norma Drummond and her expert staff.”
Peekskill Mayor Andre Rainey said: "The City of Peekskill is a thriving community - and this will be aided by these funds afforded to us thanks to the leadership of County Executive Latimer. We are proud to partner with the County, the Federal Government and the other 29 municipalities in the Consortium to provide these infrastructure enhancements for our residents."
New Castle Town Supervisor Ivy Pool said: "Our Town is eager to work with Westchester County and the entire Consortium to fund needed projects in our backyard. Each dollar we receive in rewards is a dollar less that we need to rely on local taxpayers for while still providing the essential services residents rely on. Government working together to solve issues and save money is government at its best."
Tuckahoe Village Mayor Greg Luisi said: “The Village of Tuckahoe is excited to re-join this program! The benefits the Village enjoyed were advantageous to the Village residents we are looking forward to this new partnership to further continue to improve the village with new playgrounds, sidewalks and infrastructure.”
North Salem Supervisor Warren Lucas said: “North Salem is excited to take advantage of the CDBG program for our community and we appreciate the leadership provided by the County Executive and the County’s Planning Department. This program will allow us to work cooperatively with multiple levels of government to provide expanded services while relying less on local tax revenues – a win-win for all involved.”
Local municipalities who already are part of the Consortium are:
- Ardsley
- Bedford
- Buchanan
- Cortlandt
- Croton-on-Hudson
- Dobbs Ferry
- Elmsford
- Greenburgh
- Hastings-on-Hudson
- Irvington
- Lewisboro
- Mamaroneck Town
- Mamaroneck Village
- Mount Kisco
- Ossining Town
- Ossining Village
- Pelham Village
- Pleasantville
- Port Chester
- Rye Brook
- Rye Town
- Scarsdale
- Sleepy Hollow
- Tarrytown Village
- Yorktown
Municipalities that are directly eligible for CDBG include:
- City of Mount Vernon
- City of New Rochelle
- City of White Plains
- City of Yonkers