Nearly a decade after launching the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, New York lawmakers say the $10 million grants are revitalizing smaller cities across the state, according to Spectrum News 1.
Democrat John McDonald praised the program’s role in transforming aging downtowns like Cohoes and Troy, while Republican Joe Sempolinski said the funds make a major difference in rural communities. The initiative has funneled $900 million into 91 municipalities so far.
Still, some pushback remains over state-mandated “pro housing” requirements tied to the funds. Despite that, both sides agree: the program is helping communities rebuild and grow from the ground up.
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