Over the course of the past few months, the City of Newburgh has held several community outreach sessions for residents to offer comments, make suggestions and provide input to the city’s Community Development Block Grant Five Year Plan. City residents joined together at 2 Alices Coffee Lounge on Friday, April 12 for a discussion on the plan.
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD defines CDBG as a program that “provides annual grants on a formula basis to states, cities, and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.”
The City of Newburgh is required to prepare and submit a Consolidated Plan that establishes goals for the use of CDBG funds. The current City of Newburgh Consolidated Plan began in Fiscal Year 2019 and ends in Fiscal Year 2024.
Following the presentation and dialogue about the future of community development, several community members and residents shared their thoughts. Betty Bastidas, Director of the Sanctuary Healing Gardens, shared she would like to see the beautification of outdoor green spaces, walking paths around the city and in areas such as Crystal Lake and also a Cultural Arts Center that can engage the youth.
“For me coming out and actually having the opportunity to be heard by city officials like Ellen [Fillo] is great,” said Bastidas. “This is like a great turnout of folks and an opportunity to be heard. Some of the things that are really, really important to me as a family person here in Newburgh is having more areas to recreate for young people.”
Resident Dr. Debra Lamb, who has been in Newburgh since 2016, recognizes that the city is in the midst of a renaissance. Discussing the plan, she hopes to see more communication about the vision for where the city is going, the goals and the activities that will achieve the vision of the city.
She mentioned ideas such as block associations, greenest block contests, adding a waterfront sign that says “This Is Newburgh”, transportation provided on the weekends for visitors and the city workforce and apprenticeships provided for the youth. “The average citizen needs to know what’s happening in this town and what that vision is and how we’re approaching it,” Lamb said.
Maritza Wilson of the City of Newburgh Recreation Department was grateful to see the community turnout. “I think we had an overwhelming response from the community and the fact that everybody is showing the need, and the desires to want to improve the City of Newburgh, collectively. I think we have so many walks of life that came in and shared what they feel that the five year plan should look like,” said Wilson. “I think it spoke volumes, and a lot of the needs are very similar. It’s been a privilege to be able to provide Spanish speaking translations and to work with the CDBG program for this and to be able to help my community.”
At a later date, two public hearings are to be scheduled on the CDBG plan. The next community outreach sessions will be held on April 18 at 11 a.m. and April 20 at 3 p.m. at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center at 321 South William Street.