You’re invited

Two important events, one tomorrow and one next week (over two days)–and you’re invited.

Newburgh Community Development Agency returns to action (after long hiatus):
When: Thursday, April 8, 2010 at 6:00 PM
Where: Council Chambers, City Hall, 3rd Floor, 83 Broadway
On the agenda: Three items.  1. NCDA Mortgage Loans; 2. NCDA Property (foot of former South Street – $3150 Quadricentennial Grant from Hudson River Foundation); 3. NCDA Long-Term Plans
What’s at stake: At a recent city council meeting, a resident complained that she could not get a document proving her loan granted by the NCDA years ago was satisfied (paid off)  from the City.  Without this document, the resident could not take out a needed loan.  This resident’s plight is due to the NCDA board not meeting for years and there being no one else authorized to take action.  (Although, curiously, a satisfaction document was signed by former Economic Development Director Lourdes Zapata as recently as March 2009; shortly thereafter, she and former Corporation Counsel Geoffrey Chanin sought the city council’s approval to authorize Zapata to act for the NCDA.  The council refused.  Additional NCDA loan satisfaction documents were signed by Zapata’s predecessor Robert McKenna, but then filed with the county years later.)  Recently, Corporation Counsel Bernis Nelson had proposed transferring all assets and liabilities of the NCDA to the City.  That action was not taken by the council (who currently are the NCDA board as well.) Losing the NCDA would also mean losing its ability to issue debt.
Question: Will the NCDA/City Council take any actions at the meeting?  The public notice states “the purpose of the meeting is to discuss” the agenda items (emphasis mine.)
More info: End may be nigh for NCDA

And next week…

Who: Pace University Land Use Law Center & Center for Community Progress
What: Strategy Sessions about City of Newburgh Vacant/Abandoned Buildings
When: Two Public Meetings: Wednesday, April 14 at 6:30 p.m. - Education Session & Overview of Best Practices
and Thursday, April 15 at 6:30 p.m. - Community Strategy Session
Where: City of Newburgh Activity Center, 401 Washington Street
For more info: call the City of Newburgh at (845) 569-9400
Funder: made possible by grant from the Ford Foundation
Official description:
As in many communities across the country, vacant and abandoned buildings in the City of Newburgh continue to drain the energy and vitality of neighborhoods. Eyesores as well as  magnets for crime, these buildings degrade  the overall quality of life for people in the  surrounding blocks, while dragging down surrounding property values and negatively impacting rehabilitation efforts.

What are the best ways to address this pervasive problem? To learn more about how other communities deal with blighted buildings, and to participate in a community strategy session, all are invited to attend presentations.

Wednesday’s presentation is “Vacant & Abandoned Properties: Effective Public Policy Approaches.”  It will inform local leaders, partners, stakeholders, and the public of the land bank model, land management strategies, system reforms, and financial models to make it all work.

Invitation-only workshops / focus groups will be held on Thursday during the day. These workshops will facilitate discussions on present practices, challenges, and opportunities related to tax-foreclosed and other vacant and underutilized properties.

Thursday evening’s public community strategy session will include recommendations for next steps, system reforms, identifying possible funding sources, board composition, staffing needs of proposed programs, and more.

City Press Officer Ann Kuzmik clarified that “developers, local merchants/realtors, department heads, institutional stakeholders, non-profits, community/neighborhood group leaders, and advisory board reps will be attending the (invitation only) day sessions.”