Governor Hochul and Congressman Tonko Announce More Than $270 Million in Funding to Build and Preserve More Than 1,800 Affordable Homes Across New York

Governor Kathy Hochul makes a housing affordability announcement in Albany. (Mike Groll photo)

Funding Will Support Construction and Preservation of 28 Affordable Housing Developments Statewide that Provide Supportive Services and Further Local Economic Development Initiatives

Governor Supports Passing Legislation in Washington To Expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit To Create More Housing  

Builds on Governor Hochul’s Commitment To Address New York’s Housing Crisis by Increasing the Housing Supply; 5-Year Plan to Build or Preserve 100,000 Affordable Units Statewide Continues Ahead of Schedule

Governor Kathy Hochul and Representative Paul Tonko on Tuesday, March 18, announced more than $270 million has been awarded through the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and subsidies to create or preserve more than 1,800 affordable, supportive, and sustainable homes in 28 separate developments across New York State. The awarded projects will expand or preserve the housing supply in every region, upgrade and modernize public housing, further local economic development initiatives, and include energy efficient features that advance the State's climate goals. The funding is part of Governor Hochul’s $25 billion five-year Housing Plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

“Solving New York’s housing crisis comes down to one simple strategy: building more housing,” Governor Hochul said. “These critical federal resources make it possible for us to provide New Yorkers with new opportunities to access affordable, modern, sustainable homes that also provide access to childcare, supportive services, and the amenities that individuals and families need to thrive.”

The federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program is a powerful tool to incentivize the creation of housing and address a crisis that impacts people of all ages and phases of life throughout New York. That’s why Governor Hochul supports legislation in Washington to expand the program and make it even more effective. The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act will potentially increase allocations to finance the development of two million new affordable units nationally over ten years and more than 100,000 units in New York State.

Representative Paul Tonko said, “If we want to solve our historic home shortage, we must invest in affordable housing — which is why I am a proud supporter of LIHTC and other vital programs that help us tackle the housing crisis. Supporting affordable, sustainable housing benefits everyone in our communities. At a time when millions struggle to afford quality housing, we must continue to drive smart investments like these that serve families across New York State.”

Financing for the projects is allocated by New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), which provided $61 million in Federal and State Low Income Housing Tax Credits and over $200 million in subsidy to support the 28 projects. When coupled with additional private funding and resources, the projects receiving funding are expected to create over $1 billion in total investment.

All awarded projects meet HCR’s sustainability standards, which promote healthier living environments and support the goals set by the New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Several awarded projects will receive funding from the Clean Energy Initiative, a partnership with HCR and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, to achieve even higher levels of sustainability and carbon reduction.

In addition, each of the awarded developments offer free broadband internet services to residents, building on the Governor’s ConnectALL initiative, which has made historic investments to deliver high-speed internet in underserved communities and close the digital divide for lower-income New Yorkers.

Awarded projects include:

Capital Region

• $9.5 million for Mill Street Lofts in the city of Hudson, Columbia County:A newly constructed 70-unit mixed-income infill development on city-owned land.

Central NY

• $10.1 million for Van Buren Apartments in the town of Van Buren, Onondaga County: A newly constructed, 70-unit affordable housing development in a well-resourced area that includes 14 apartments with supportive services for homeless veterans.
• $6.5 million for La Madre Landing in the village of Baldwinsville, Onondaga County: A newly constructed 52-unit affordable development, including eight units with supportive services for vulnerable populations.
• $7.8 million for River Street Senior Apartments in the city of Cortland, Cortland County: A newly constructed 53-unit development for seniors aged 62 and older, includes 12 units with supportive services for residents struggling with homelessness.

Finger Lakes

• $2.6 million for the Creekside Clearing Redevelopment in the village of Livonia, Livingston County: The redevelopment and expansion of an existing HCR-regulated 32-unit property originally constructed in 2005. An additional 16 units will be created, for a total of 48 units. Includes funding from HCR and NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Initiative.
• $6.2 million for Fine Arts Building Lofts in the city of Rochester, Monroe County: Adaptive reuse of the former Hotel Cadillac to create a 42-unit mixed-income, mixed-use and supportive housing project. Thirteen units will include supportive services for homeless young adults. The development is receiving funding from HCR and NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Initiative.
• $10.1 million for Fernwood Avenue Apartments in the city of Rochester, Monroe County: A newly constructed 65-unit affordable and supportive housing development that includes 17 units with supportive services for vulnerable populations. The development will include a new, 8,000 square foot branch of the Rochester Public Library.

Long Island

• $8.9 million for Port Jefferson Commons in Port Jefferson, Suffolk County: A 53-unit transit-oriented and mixed-use workforce housing development located one block from the Long Island Rail Road's Port Jefferson station. The development, identified as a priority project by the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council, includes supportive units and storefront commercial space.
• $15 million for One Carleton Green in the hamlet of Central Islip, Suffolk County: A 96-unit mixed-use and mixed-income housing development that features 15 units with supportive services for vulnerable residents, as well as storefront commercial space.

Mid-Hudson

• $8.1 million for Franklin Towers in the village of Tarrytown, Westchester County: Preservation of the 81-unit Franklin Towers aging public housing development. The project is located within a half mile of the Metro North train station and Westchester County Bee-line bus stops and is receiving funding from HCR and NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Initiative.
• $12.1 million for 30 West in the town of Haverstraw, Rockland County: A newly constructed 81-unit affordable and supportive housing development being constructed on an underutilized municipal parking lot. Includes 20 units with supportive services for homeless households.
• $18.1 million for Waltemade Residence in the city of Mount Vernon, Westchester County: Adaptive reuse of a vacant nursing facility to create a 102-unit development for seniors aged 62 and older. Includes 30 units with supportive services for seniors experiencing homelessness.

Mohawk Valley

• $11.4 million for Utica AMP 1 in the city of Utica, Oneida County: Two buildings within the ND Peters development providing 28 units built in the 1960s, and a nearby storage building, will be demolished to make way for a new 71-unit three-story affordable multi-family building.
• $12.1 million for Deerfield Apartments in the town of Deerfield, Oneida County: A newly constructed 65-unit mixed-use workforce housing development in a well-resourced area. Includes commercial space intended for a childcare facility.
• $9 million for Lofts At Littauer Park in the city of Gloversville, Fulton County: New construction of a 73-unit, mixed-use development. Includes seven units reserved for veterans experiencing homelessness.

New York City

• $13.9 million for Van Cortlandt Ave Apartments in the Bronx: New construction of a 12-story, 78-unit affordable and supportive housing development. Includes 47 units with supportive services for homeless and vulnerable populations.
• $15.4 million for Hillside Avenue Apartments in Queens: A newly constructed 92-unit mixed-use, affordable and supportive housing development with a New York State Office of Mental Health-licensed outpatient mental health clinic. Includes 56 units with supportive services for homeless and vulnerable populations.
• $9.9 million for Bartlett Crossing in Brooklyn: New construction of a 78-unit, two-building, mixed-use development on two vacant lots owned by the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Includes 1,200 square feet of retail space.
• $14.6 million for HOGAR Eagle Gardens in the Bronx: New construction of an 83-unit affordable and supportive housing development in the Morrisania neighborhood. Includes 50 units with subsidies for individuals experiencing homelessness.

North Country

• $5 million for Lewis and Lowville Apartments in the village of Lowville, Lewis County: Preservation and moderate rehabilitation of four occupied, adjacent apartment buildings that collectively include 40 affordable units. Includes funding from HCR and NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Initiative.
• $8.6 million for General Martin Apartments in the town of Martinsburg, Lewis County: Adaptive reuse of a former elementary school and new construction of an adjacent building to create 63 affordable apartments.

Southern Tier

• $7.1 million for Meadow on Seneca in the city of Ithaca, Tompkins County: New construction of a 70-unit mixed-income development that includes 35 units with supportive services for homeless and vulnerable populations.
• $6.3 million for the Gateway Revitalization Project in the city of Binghamton, Broome County: Substantial rehabilitation of 15 units in seven existing buildings and new construction of two mixed-use buildings containing 23 residential units and two commercial spaces. The development is receiving funding from HCR and NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Initiative.
• $3.7 million for Freese Road Apartments in the town of Dryden, Tompkins County: New construction of a 53-unit, mixed-income affordable and supportive development on vacant land. Freese Road will be close to a major bus line with easy access to downtown Ithaca and amenities.

Western NY

• $11.1 million for Homesteads at Dunkirk Landing in the city of Dunkirk, Chautauqua County: Demolition of two blighted commercial buildings and new construction of a 78-unit mixed-income, mixed-use and supportive development. Includes 16 units with supportive services for veterans with disabilities and commercial space intended for a childcare facility.
• $6.2 million for St. Paul's Apartments II in the town of Evans, Erie County: New construction of a 53-unit development for seniors aged 55 and older on vacant land, including 16 units with supportive services.
• $7.3 million for Hillview Commons in the city of Tonawanda, Erie County: A newly constructed 52-unit development for seniors aged 55 and older that will replace the obsolete Jacob J. Guzzetta Senior Citizens Buildings.
• $10.9 million for School 44 on Broadway in the city of Buffalo, Erie County: Preservation and adaptive reuse of a vacant, historic public school to create 65 units, as well as the development of 12, three-bedroom townhomes, for a total of 77 new affordable units. Includes 39 apartments reserved for homeless and vulnerable families.

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, new incentives and 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.

In addition — 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 support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. More than 55,000 homes have been created or preserved to date.

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Mayor Adams, DA Bragg Announce new Community Coalition to Enhance Quality of Life, Improve Safety Near Washington Square Park

“Village Interagency Task Force” Includes More Than 10 City Agencies and Community Partners to Create a Cleaner, Safer, and More Vibrant Community

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. on Thursday, March 6, announced the launch of the “Village Interagency Task Force,” a new multi-agency quality-of-life improvement hub that will bring together law enforcement, elected officials, and community and business leaders to address public safety and quality-of-life issues in the Greenwich Village and West Village neighborhoods near Washington Square Park. The new task force is being launched as part of the Adams administration’s “Community Link” initiative – a collaborative, multi-agency response to chronic problems across the five boroughs.  

 

“New Yorkers have a right to public order, safer streets, and cleaner parks, and this administration has fought for that right since day one, including in the Village,” said Mayor Adams. “Our ‘Community Link’ program has already made transformative improvements in neighborhoods around New York City, and the new ‘Village Interagency Task Force’ will, once again, bring together law enforcement, elected officials, and community and business leaders to effectively address public safety and quality-of-life issues in Greenwich Village and the surrounding area. We will continue to work to keep this neighborhood the dynamic and welcoming destination it deserves to be as we improve safety and quality of life across the five boroughs.”

“Public safety and community wellbeing takes all of us working hand-in-hand: law enforcement, city agencies, and community leaders,” said Manhattan DA Bragg. “That is the vision of our interdisciplinary hubs, which are improving the quality of life for the New Yorkers we serve. I am proud to help bring this vision to the Village with the new ‘Village Interagency Task Force.’ I thank our city partners as well as the hub’s dedicated co-chairs for their collaboration and hard work.”

“They say it takes a village, and that’s exactly what this partnership represents — everyone coming together with a shared commitment to making the Village safer and stronger,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Chauncey Parker. “We are now all at one table, looking at the same map at the same time, and taking concrete steps together to address the community’s concerns in the most strategic and effective way possible. I want to thank our project manager, Jessica Cruz, for her leadership on this initiative, and thank you to all of our partners who have rolled up their sleeves to deliver real, lasting results for this neighborhood.”

“We deeply appreciate Mayor Adams and District Attorney Bragg for taking decisive action to address the substance-use, quality-of-life, and mental-health crisis that we and many other New York City neighborhoods are experiencing,” said Scott Hobbs, co-chair, Village Interagency Task Force, and executive director, Village Alliance; Brian Maloney, co-chair, Village Interagency Task Force, and president, Village Neighborhood Action Group; and Vanessa Warren, co-chair, Village Interagency Task Force, and president, Washington Place Block Association. “Our vibrant small business community is also feeling the effects of lawlessness and criminal activity in their stores, with rampant theft and staff harassment. They are eager for real solutions. The formation of the ‘Village Interagency Task Force’ is a crucial step toward restoring public safety, cleanliness, confidence, and vibrancy of our community. We're already noticing some important changes and look forward to continued progress.”

The task force includes community partners from New York University (NYU), New York City Community Board 2, the Washington Square Park Conservancy, and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) 6th Precinct Community Council. The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety will oversee and coordinate task force operations with participating agencies and partners, including:

• Fire Department of the City of New York
• Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health
• Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence
• New York City Department of Buildings
• New York City Department of Environmental Protection
• New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS)
• New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)
• New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
• New York City Department of Sanitation
• New York City Department of Small Business Services
• New York City Department of Social Services
• New York City Department of Transportation
• New York City Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s Office
• NYPD
• Manhattan District Attorney’s Office
• Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)

In May 2024, the city first began coordinating and delivering services in Washington Square Park to address the persistent public drug use, homelessness, and quality-of-life concerns in the area. In October 2024, Mayor Adams, the NYPD’s 6th Precinct, and local community members engaged in a walking tour of Greenwich Village, including Washington Square Park and nearby streets, to examine conditions, which has continued to be a focus of the NYPD and all agencies operating in Community Link. 

The task force’s initial area of focus will be an expanded area from West 3rd Street through West 9th Street between Washington Square Park and 6th Avenue, including the area surrounding the West 4th Washington Square Park subway station. Members of the task force will work to address a range of issues, including the use and sales of controlled substances, retail theft, necessary infrastructure upgrades, the mental health crisis, prohibited behavior in parks, and more. The coalition will meet twice each month to coordinate direct responses to these concerns and will deploy teams to conduct walkthroughs to observe issues in real time and speak with local community members on the ground. Since January 1, 2025, overall major crime in the 6th Precinct is down 23 percent, led by double digit declines in robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny, and grand larceny auto.

The announcement adds the Village Interagency Task Force to Mayor Adams’ Community Link initiative — launched in 2023 to bring together various city departments and agencies to collaborate with local communities and business leaders as they address complex and often chronic community complaints that require a multi-agency response. Since its inception, Community Link has already convened five community improvement coalitions throughout the five boroughs. Focused on “hot spot” areas, Community Link is active at 125th Street, on the 110th Street Corridor, in Midtown West, and on East 14th Street in Manhattan; on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens; and in “The Hub” in the South Bronx. Over the last 19 months, Community Link has responded to over 1,200 complaints and conducted over 1,200 operations to address quality-of-life concerns raised by the communities they serve.

The announcement further demonstrates the Adams administration’s emphasis on taking a community-driven approach to public safety concerns. In October 2024, Mayor Adams announced the “Every Block Counts” pilot program, a data-driven multi-agency and community partnership that aims to permanently transform the conditions and culture on residential blocks that have historically seen high levels of crime and quality-of-life issues. Under the leadership of volunteer residents known as “Block CEOs,” the partnership resolved over 100 community concerns in its first 30 days, from repaving sidewalks to removing graffiti, to create safer, cleaner streets. 

Mayor Adams has also made supporting New York City’s most vulnerable, including those experiencing serious mental illness and homelessness, a top priority. The Adams administration recently announced unprecedented action to curb homelessness and support people experiencing severe mental illness with a $650 million investment in outreach, safe haven and runaway homeless youth beds, and more. The announcement — which was first unveiled as part of Mayor Adams’ 2025 State of the City — also includes the creation of ‘Bridge to Home,’ a first-of-its-kind model that will provide a supportive, home-like environment to patients with serious mental illness who are ready for discharge from the hospital but do not have a place to go. The Adams administration has made the largest investment in New York City history in creating specialized shelter beds to address street homelessness. The city has opened 1,400 Safe Haven and stabilization beds since the start of the administration and doubled the number of street outreach teams. 

Additionally, the announcement builds on recent achievements in seizing guns and reducing crime across New York City. In 2024, New York City concluded with a nearly 3 percent reduction in overall index crime. Crime continues to trend downward as there was a 14.5 decrease in February 2025 in major crime citywide — the third consecutive month of double-digit decreases in crime, following a 15.5 decrease in crime in December in 2024 and a 16.8 decrease in crime in January 2025, the largest one-month decrease since before Mayor Adams came into office. In January 2025, the Adams administration also announced the NYPD had removed more than 20,000 illegal firearms from New York City streets since the beginning of the administration — approximately 3,000 more guns off city streets than the previous three-year period from 2019 to 2021. Because of the Adams administration’s steadfast focus on eradicating gun violence, homicides and shootings have consistently declined over the last three years — with homicides decreasing a total of 22.7 percent and shootings decreasing 42.2 percent since Mayor Adams was sworn in on January 1, 2022. Last year marked the fourth lowest year in recorded history for shooting incidents citywide. Additionally, year-to-date shootings in 2025 are at their lowest level in recorded history.

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2025 EdukSine Online Film Festival Brings Free Filipino Indie Films to North America

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. is pleased to support the Philippine Film Industry through the 2025 EdukSine Online Filipino Film Festival.

The festival features 10 exceptional Filipino films from March 8 to May 30, celebrating the Philippines’ rich culture, resilience, and diverse narratives. Whether you’re reconnecting with your roots or exploring Filipino cinema for the first time, these films offer a glimpse of the Filipino nation.

The films included in the festival are:

• 𝗔𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝘂𝗿𝗼 𝗞𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗶 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗮 – Education, Human Rights
• 𝗕𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗵𝗲 – Anti-VAWC, OFW Struggles
• 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗼 – Sci-Fi, Education
• 𝗢𝘁𝘀𝗼 – Mental Health, Arts
• 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝘄𝗶 𝗡𝗮 – Faith, Dark Comedy
• 𝗣𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘁 – HIV Awareness, LGBTQ+ Representation
• 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗴 – Family Drama, Environment
• 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗮’𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝗳𝗲 – Indigenous Culture, Romance
• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗝𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 – Women Empowerment
• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 – Coming-of-Age, Indigenous Culture

The films are free to view-on-demand online in USA and Canada at https://blog.eduksine.com/eduksine-usa/ 

This festival is a testament to 𝗕𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗵𝗮𝗻—the Filipino spirit of unity that transcends borders. No matter where we are in the world, our stories connect us, remind us of our roots, and inspire future generations.

𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛. 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘. 𝗖𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗙𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗢 𝗖𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗠𝗔!

#EdukSineUSA #FilipinoFilmFestival #FilipinoPride

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