City Secures $500,000 HUD Planning Grant

The city has been awarded a $500,000 planning grant by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop a community-driven transformation plan for the city's Northside neighborhood with a focus on revitalizing the Thurgood Marshall Terrace and Martin Luther King Jr. Garden Apartments in partnership with residents and the Poughkeepsie Housing Authority.

The Choice Neighborhoods program is designed to prioritize the needs of public housing households and residents in expanding access to high-quality mixed-income housing, employment, healthcare and education, among other key neighborhood amenities and assets.

The city will have 30 months to complete the transformation plan and be eligible for additional funding for implementation.

"We enthusiastically accept this grant and realize the hard work now begins to plan a comprehensive strategy that will improve the lives of many, particularly those living in the Thurgood Marshall Terrace and Martin Luther King, Jr., Garden Apartments operated by the PHA," said Mayor Yvonne Flowers. "The city team worked hard and efficiently with numerous partners, including the PHA Poughkeepsie Children's Cabinet, and Dutchess County Government agencies, to submit this grant proposal, and we are ecstatic that it has been approved. We know - and we want the public to know - this is a thorough, thoughtful process that will be designed to ensure residents are fully engaged in developing the best possible transformation plan for a thriving community."

The mayor thanked U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand as well as U.S. Rep. Patrick Ryan for their support of HUD initiatives and the city's efforts to address housing issues.

The city, in consultation with PHA, will work with Thurgood Marshall Terrace and Martin Luther King Jr. Garden Apartments residents, neighborhood residents, local organizations, service providers, city departments, Poughkeepsie City School District, Dutchess County Government and more to develop the plan, which will address not only housing but economic development, employment, education, health and wellness, and more.

Before submitting the grant application, the city reached out to residents at both housing complexes and held a public meeting at each site.

Moving forward, residents will be formally involved through representation on planning committees and task forces, along with paid opportunities to serve as community ambassadors. Continued resident engagement will also include community meetings, focus groups and a resident survey.

Public Housing Authority Executive Director Sandra Boothe said, "With the assistance of our residents, we are in a unique position to make positive changes at these housing sites. I commend Mayor Flowers, her staff and our other partners for taking this ambitious, bold step and look forward to working with everyone involved to put forth the best plan possible."

HUD's Choice Neighborhoods program is designed to help communities develop and/or implement plans to redevelop public housing and/or HUD-assisted housing and revitalize the surrounding neighborhood by addressing three key areas:

Housing: Replacing aging public and/or HUD-assisted housing with high-quality, mixed-income housing that is well-managed and responsive to the needs of the surrounding neighborhood.

People: Supporting the residents of the targeted housing to address challenges they may have with respect to health, employment and income, and their children's education.

Neighborhood: Create the conditions necessary for public and private reinvestment in the surrounding neighborhood to offer the amenities and assets that make a community a great place to live, from business activity to public safety and good schools.

You can find out more about the program here.

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