Governor Hochul Announces $50 Million Available to Counties to Help Combat Housing Crisis

Governor Hochul Announces $50 Million Available to Counties to Help Combat Housing Crisis

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the launch of the County Infrastructure Grant Program, which will provide up to $50 million to help counties combat the housing crisis by funding small to medium scale county-led infrastructure projects across the state, with enhanced awards for projects supporting the creation of housing projects of ten units or more. Part of the Governor's FY 2025 Enacted Budget, which added more than $600 million in Capital Funding to support housing statewide, the County Infrastructure Grant Program is one of many tools available to increase the housing supply, promote affordability, and support renters and homeowners. Available to counties outside of New York City, the program focuses on priority capital projects that support the creation of housing, contribute to placemaking, and further encourage visitation and tourism.

"Creating more quality and affordable housing throughout the state continues to be one of my top priorities in making New York more affordable and more livable," Governor Hochul said. "The County Infrastructure Grant Program offers an actionable blueprint for creating thriving communities by incorporating additional housing as a part of infrastructure project plans. This means that more New Yorkers can live where they want, and will encourage more businesses to establish themselves here and grow in New York because there is ample housing."

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "Growing the state's housing stock has been a pillar of Governor Hochul's administration, and is a cornerstone to sustainable economic growth. Through the County Infrastructure Grant Program, we will help make additional housing a reality, and reinforce a sense of place and vibrancy in communities that will attract more jobs, residents and visitors."

New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, "The County Infrastructure Grant Program is another important investment the State is making to support housing-centric projects that will not only boost the supply of affordable homes, but also promote tourism and economic growth, and create vibrant neighborhoods and downtowns. We thank Governor Hochul for her continued focus on solving the housing crisis and look forward to working with our partners in counties across the state as more housing projects come online."

Modern infrastructure directly impacts New York State's economic vitality and providing support for small-scale infrastructure projects is important for the state to remain competitive and generate continued economic growth. As part of the FY 2025 Enacted Budget, the County Infrastructure Grant Program was established to transform New York's infrastructure to meet the needs of New Yorkers.

Administered by Empire State Development, the program will support counties with infrastructure costs with a housing-centric focus. Grants up to $500,000 are available to support small and moderate-scale priority projects identified by the county, which support economic development, contribute to placemaking or encourage tourism. Enhanced awards of up to $1 million are available for projects supporting the creation of housing with ten or more units.

More information on the program, including how to apply, is on the Empire State Development website. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) portal.

State Senator Brian Kavanagh said, "I have been proud to join the Governor and my colleagues in the legislature in supporting initiatives that promote housing growth and affordability across New York State, and we know that properly funding infrastructure is an important part of our efforts to create more housing. These grants will be instrumental in helping low- and moderate-income residents maintain homeownership, make necessary repairs, and create vibrant neighborhoods. I applaud the Governor and Empire State Development for getting this critical assistance out to New Yorkers, and I look forward to continuing to work with our colleagues at all levels of government, and communities throughout the state, toward a comprehensive set of solutions to the housing affordability crisis."

State Senator Sean Ryan said, "Building more housing will drive New York's economy forward in every region of our state. I was proud to support our latest state budget which makes key investments to boost the housing supply and provides more high-quality affordable units that our communities need. This program is one of the many strategic ways we are working with local governments to take action on housing, and I thank Governor Hochul for prioritizing this important issue."

NYSAC President Benjamin Boykin said, "County leaders extend their gratitude to Governor Hochul and the state legislature for establishing the new county-specific infrastructure grant program. This initiative, offering up to $1 million for projects involving the development of ten or more housing units, represents a significant advancement in the ongoing partnership between the state and our counties. We need more housing in New York State, and this empowers us to address and support critical infrastructure needs while simultaneously promoting housing growth, thereby enhancing the quality of life for our residents."

Governor Hochul's Housing Agenda
Governor Hochul is committed to addressing New York's housing crisis and making the State more affordable and more livable for all New Yorkers. As part of the FY25 Enacted Budget, the Governor secured a landmark agreement to increase New York's housing supply through new tax incentives for Upstate communities, relief from certain state-imposed restrictions to create more housing in New York City, a $500 million capital fund to build up to 15,000 new homes on state-owned property, an additional $600 million in funding to support a variety of housing developments statewide, and new protections for renters and homeowners.

As part of the FY23 Enacted Budget, the Governor announced a five-year, $25 billion Housing Plan to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 with supportive services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of 50,000 homes. More than 45,000 homes have been created or preserved to date.

Last August, Governor Hochul also announced the Pro-Housing Communities Program. Pro-Housing Community certification is a requirement for localities to access up to $650 million in State discretionary funding. To date, more than 200 communities have been certified, including New York City.