$3M In New Aid For Homeowners Enduring Sewer Woes In Mount Vernon

MOUNT VERNON, NY — The benefits of a long-term fix for Mount Vernon's obsolete and inadequate sewer systems are still years away, but homeowners who have been forced to endure "third world conditions" will now get some immediate relief in the form of $3 million in just released state funds.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday the opening of the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery's Mount Vernon Healthy Homes pilot program. Information and application Q&A sessions were scheduled to kick off the $3 million program which will complement NYS's historic $150 million investment to address the longstanding infrastructure and related public health challenges in Mount Vernon.

"After decades of water and sewer infrastructure challenges in Mount Vernon stemming from longstanding systemic housing inequities, New York is taking bold action," Hochul said. "This $3 million program complements our historic $150 million investment in Mount Vernon's water infrastructure, and we remain committed to working with our partners in the City of Mount Vernon to combat these challenges and strengthen our communities."

SEE ALSO:

• 'Monumental' Sewer Project To Address Long Neglected Crisis
• City Gets $3M To Kickstart Desperately Needed Sewer Work
• 'Third World Conditions' Found by Environmentalist On Sewer Tour
• US Sues City Whose Raw Sewage Flows Freely
• More Pollution, Another Fine For Mount Vernon
• Feds Sue Mount Vernon To Force Sewer Cleanup

Earlier this year, Governor Hochul announced $150 million in water infrastructure investment in Mount Vernon, plus an additional $3 million to assist residents impacted by the sewer and water infrastructure crisis in the city. The Governor's Office of Storm Recovery initiative, targeted to the most frequently impacted and high-risk properties, will mitigate environmental hazards and make resiliency upgrades to private properties.

"For far too long too many Mount Vernon residents have had to live in fear of toxic sewage backing up into their homes, polluting their water, and putting the burden on the local taxpayer," Senator Chuck Schumer said. "I secured historic clean water funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to get projects like Mount Vernon's finally off the ground, and I applaud Governor Hochul for her strong commitment to ending this sewage crisis. I will keep fighting tooth and nail to ensure that Mount Vernon has all the federal support it needs to make sure the city has the sewer system they've long desired and deserve."

Participating homes might be eligible for repair to wastewater or flood damage, installation of sewage backflow prevention measures, mitigation of lead infiltration to water within homes and other required environmental remediations. Mount Vernon residents who are interested in this program can find out more here.

"In Mount Vernon, we are directly experiencing the impact of the climate change crisis and failing infrastructure that has been disregarded for decades," Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard said. "I've seen firsthand the impact that flooding and sewer backups have wreaked on our seniors and families. It's why our team has worked closely with Governor Hochul to provide economic relief for Mount Vernon homeowners. This $3 million in funding will be impactful to families remediating environmental hazards in their homes and becoming more resilient to the challenges we face from sewer and water incidents."

Established in June 2013, the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery (GOSR) coordinates statewide recovery efforts for Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene, and Tropical Storm Lee. Through its NY Rising Housing Recovery, Small Business, Community Reconstruction, Infrastructure, and Rebuild by Design programs, the office invests $4.5 billion in federal Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding to better prepare New York for extreme weather events. The GOSR is also leveraging Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds to implement resiliency initiatives like Mount Vernon Healthy Homes.