City Continues 'Anti-Blight' Efforts With Grant

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — The City of Poughkeepsie will continue its "anti-blight" efforts. At a recent meeting of the city's Common Council, council members unanimously agreed to accept a $200,000 grant to continue funding the campaign.

The money comes from part of the state attorney general's $9 million in funding to combat so-called "zombie properties," vacant or abandoned homes that aren't maintained during lengthy foreclosure proceedings.

The funds will enable the city to bolster housing code enforcement, to track and monitor vacant properties and to locate missing owners who have walked away from their properties.

An Anti-Blight Task Force was created in 2018 by Mayor Rob Rolison. It brings together internal and external stakeholders, including Habitat for Humanity, Rebuilding Together Dutchess and Hudson River Housing.

Since the beginning, the task force has addressed more than 100 vacant properties.

While the city had slightly more than 600 in 2018, it's now down to slightly below 500.

The grant funds new software, which is allowing the city to get a better picture related to these properties, including public safety calls, building inspector reports, DPW cleanups, tax status and more.

Two building code enforcement officers were added in the 2019 budget, with the result being significant increases in the collection of fines for violations.

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