Orange County Government

Office of County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus

NEWS RELEASE 

For Immediate Release Contact: Rebecca Sheehan

December 5, 2024 845.291.3255

Building a Better Future:
$1 Million in Community Development Grants Approved 

GOSHEN – Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus has announced that nine municipalities have been approved for a total of more than $1 Million through the 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

“Through our dedicated Office of Community Development, the County partners with municipalities to ensure that they can access the most effective resources, including federal grant programs,” said Neuhaus. “This is a huge accomplishment for our community and will allow municipalities to address important local needs.”

Since 1974, CDBG has been an important resource for the community to devise projects to address infrastructure, ADA accessibility, and community development needs. CDBG helps build stronger, safer, and more resilient high-quality communities, ensuring equitable access to opportunities and benefiting families and communities.

“Orange County is glad to participate in and bring awareness to this important funding program and we are grateful for the positive impact it has in many of our municipalities,” Neuhaus added.

According to the Orange County Director of Community Development, Nicole Andersen, this year’s CDBG awards are particularly special.

“2024 is the 50^th anniversary of the inception of the CDBG Program at HUD,” said Andersen. “Orange County and communities across the country are celebrating the CDBG program’s success over the last 50 years with the goal to bring renewed awareness to the federal investment necessary to sustain CDBG.”

The following CDBG projects have been approved by Orange County Executive Neuhaus, the CDBG Advisory Committee, and the Orange County Legislature. These projects will be submitted to HUD as part of Orange County’s 2025 Housing and Community Development Annual Action Plan.

Orange County Community Development Block Grant Awards

• Town of Chester: Carpenter Community Park ADA Accessibility Improvements, $95,550
• Town of Deerpark: Construction of Pickleball Courts, $174,760
• Village of Florida: Village Hall and Senior Center ADA Accessibility Improvements, $75,795
• Village of Maybrook: ADA Sidewalks and Curb Ramps, $155,000
• Village of Monroe: ADA Sidewalks and Curb Ramps, $175,000
• Village of Walden: Pleasant Avenue ADA Sidewalks, $175,000
• Town of Wallkill: Excelsior Avenue Drainage and Pavement Improvements, $170,000
• Town of Warwick: Winslow Therapeutic Riding Program for Adults with Disabilities, $25,000
• Village of Warwick: ADA-compliant sidewalks on Wheeler Avenue, $148,420 

The complete 2025 Action Plan and 2025-2029 Con Plan is available on the Community Development webpage at: https://www.orangecountygov.com/2062/Consolidated-Plans-and-Annual-Action-Pla

The HUD-funded federal CDBG program serves the municipalities that participate in the Orange County CDBG Urban County Consortium, which is every municipality in Orange County, except for the Cities of Newburgh, Middletown, and Port Jervis; the Village of Kiryas Joel; and the Town of Palm Tree.

CDBG entitlement funds have been allocated on a formula basis to Orange County annually since 1974 and administered by the Orange County Office of Community Development. The primary objective of the CDBG Program is to develop sustainable communities for people of low- and moderate-income (LMI), thereby improving the housing, quality of life, and economic conditions of Orange County. HUD defines LMI as a household with income that is less than 80% of area median income. Priority CDBG funding areas in Orange County currently include census block group areas where the percentage of LMI persons is 48.8% or higher. Eligible activities include public facilities and infrastructure.

For more information, contact Rebecca Sheehan, Assistant to County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus, Director of Public Information and Media Relations, at 845.291.2700 or presscontact@orangecountygov.com.

To learn more about what County Executive Neuhaus is doing for Orange County, follow Orange County Government and Steven M. Neuhaus on Facebook, @Orange County NY Govt and @steve.neuhaus on Instagram, and @OCGovNY and @SNeuhausOC on X. You can also watch Neuhaus’ NeuCast podcasts and Leadership Speaker Series on YouTube.

###

Rebecca Sheehan

Assistant to County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus 

Director of Public Information & Media Relations

Orange County Government Center

255-275 Main Street, 3^rd Floor

Goshen, New York 10924

Main: 845-291-2700

Direct: 845-291-3255 

 This communication may contain confidential information and is intended only for the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. Any review, dissemination, or copying of this communication by anyone other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender, and destroy all copies of the original message. No responsibility is accepted by Orange County Government for any loss or damage arising in any way from receiving this communicati