ALBANY- Governor Kathy Hochul introduced a $50 million County Infrastructure Grant Program across the state to help reduce the ongoing housing crisis.
The County Infrastructure Grant Program is part of Governor Hochul’s broader housing agenda, which has focused on increasing the state’s housing supply through initiatives such as a five-year, $25 billion housing plan. Hochul aims to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes.
“The County Infrastructure Grant Program provides a concrete path for counties to develop infrastructure projects that not only meet local needs but also encourage the creation of housing and the revitalization of communities,” Governor Hochul said in a statement.
The $50 million from the 2025 budget will focus on small to medium-scale infrastructure projects that counties can apply for to prioritize housing, development, placemaking and tourism, according to a new release issued by Empire State Development, “Growing the state’s housing stock is essential to sustainable economic growth,” said Empire State Development President Hope Knight.
Empire State Development will support the grants outside of New York City and the funds can be used for projects that promote economic development, enhance public spaces, and encourage tourism. Projects creating at least 10 housing units can be eligible for $1 million grants and smaller projects can apply for $500,000 grants.
“These infrastructure improvements will lay the foundation for communities to thrive for years to come,” said New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner and CEO RuthAnne Visnauskas
The County Infrastructure Grant Program, including application instructions, are available on the Empire State Development website. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) portal.