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Mid Hudson Times , Wednesday , August 24 , 2016

PUBLIC AGENDA

THURSDAY , AUGUST 25

Town of Newburgh ZBA , 7 p . m . Town Hall , 1496 Route 300 , Town of Newburgh .

MONDAY , AUGUST 29

Good Will Fire District Board of Fire Commissioners . 7:30 p . m . Good Will Firehouse , 1 South Plank Road , Newburgh .

TUESDAY , AUGUST 30

Newburgh Enlarged City School District Board of Education , 6 - 9 p . m . Board of Education Auditorium , 124 Grand St ., Newburgh

THURSDAY , SEPTEMBER 1 Town of Newburgh Planning Board , 7 p . m . Town Hall , 1496 Route 300 , Town of Newburgh .

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The Mid Hudson Times , ( USPS 000-5947 ) is a weekly newspaper published every Wednesday at Newburgh , N . Y . 12550 , with offices at 300 Stony Brook Court , Newburgh , N . Y . . Single copy : $ 1 at newsstand . By mail in Orange , Ulster or Sullivan Counties : $ 40 annually , $ 44 out of county . Periodicals permit at Newburgh , N . Y . POSTMASTER : Send address changes to Mid Hudson Times , 300 Stony Brook Court , Newburgh , N . Y . 12550

By SHANTAL RILEY sriley @ tcnewspapers . com

New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman made a stop in the City of Newburgh last week to announce the launch of a program to support the rebuilding of abandoned properties . The program aims to provide affordable housing while funding renovations for distressed and decaying buildings .

“ We know if people are given the chance , they ’ re going to try and do something about their communities ,” said Schneiderman , speaking on Lander Street last Friday .

The Neighbors for Neighborhoods program devotes $ 4 million to the rehabilitation of abandoned buildings through land banks like the Newburgh Community Land Bank . The rehabbed buildings will provide affordable apartments to low and moderate-income individuals and families .

Administered by the non-profit Enterprise Community Partners , the program requires housing units to remain affordable for at least 20 years . Newburgh Community Land Bank Executive Director Madeline Fletcher said she is “ confident ” the Newburgh land bank will qualify for the program in the coming months .

Land banks around the state will submit applications to join the pilot program in the fall . Participating land banks will transfer ownership of the properties at low or no cost to people living in the community . Each property will qualify for $ 50,000 in renovations subsidies .

“ Neighbors for Neighborhoods helps communities reclaim their neighborhoods from blight and will help generate the affordable housing stock that New York families need ,” Schneiderman said Friday .

Renovations must include exterior

the nearby Stewart Air National Guard Base , which the state Department of Environmental Conservation declared a state Superfund site on Aug . 12 . The base is now suspected as the primary source of the water contamination .

“ Residents are understandably concerned about their historical exposure to elevated levels of PFOS and the

Red signs alert city workers to enter buildings at their own risk on Lander Street .

rehabs to ensure “ curb appeal ,” which , the AG ’ s office states , is a “ critical part of boosting property values in neighborhoods plagued by vacant homes .” The program is anticipated to provide up to 80 affordable , rental units in each land bank municipality .

The program is paid for through a $ 7-billion settlement with Citigroup and a $ 16-billion settlement with Bank of America , which Schneiderman negotiated in 2014 .

“ Funding through this innovative pilot program will help to ensure the continued revitalization of our neighborhoods by bolstering the availability of high-quality , affordable rental units and attracting local investors to invest in their community ,”

possible health effects of this exposure ,” Gillibrand wrote to the CDC on Aug . 16 .

The U . S . Environmental Protection Agency lowered its health advisory limit for PFOS from 200 parts per trillion to 70 parts per trillion in May . “ As you know , studies indicate that exposure to PFOS over certain levels may result in adverse health effects , including high cholesterol , high blood pressure , kidney cancer , testicular cancer , liver damage , low birth

Newburgh Mayor Judy Kennedy said last week .

The Abandoned Property Neighborhood Relief Act , written by Schneiderman and signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo in June , requires banks to maintain abandoned properties throughout the foreclosure process or face stiff penalties .

In July , the AG ’ s office announced the Zombie Remediation and Prevention Initiative , a $ 13-million grant initiative funded by the state ’ s settlement with Morgan Stanley . The initiative provides funding to municipalities to help manage and remediate abandoned foreclosure homes , also known as “ zombie properties .”

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weight and other serious health effects ,” Gillibrand wrote , though these effects are not well understood .

Testing would reveal the extent of residents ’ exposure to the chemical , she said , and “ help inform their discussions with medical providers .”

The City of Newburgh switched to using water from Brown ’ s Pond in May and then to the Catskill Aqueduct in June .