New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie visited Haverstraw in Rockland County on July 9 and while there announced that $2.1 million in state funding would be coming to help with a number of projects and programs. Heastie was accompanied by Assemblyman Patrick J. Carroll whose 96th Assembly District includes Haverstraw. They visited the Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry Landing, Haverstraw Fire Department (HFD), Westhab Affordable Housing and The Haverstraw Center,.
Heastie said that the visit allowed them to see “this community’s commitment to investing in the safety and security of hardworking families. It truly takes a village to build community, and the Village of Haverstraw is a true blueprint of the need for continued investment in our neighborhoods.”
Heastie and Carroll met with Village of Haverstraw Mayor Michael Kohut to tour the Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry Landing and see the HFD’s fireboat. State funding of $650,000 would be provided to support the fire boat’s river patrol and mutual aid effort to neighboring fire districts. They also toured the fire department’s facilities, announcing $350,000 in funding for new fire equipment to support the all-volunteer department.
Heastie, Carroll and Kohut then visited the future site of a Westhab’s Affordable Housing development. Westhab currently is the largest nonprofit developer of affordable housing in the Hudson Valley and plans to build 81 units in Haverstraw for low-income families. Heastie and Carroll announced $1 million in funding to support this project and emphasized that the Democrat majority in the State Assembly is committed to expanding affordable housing options across New York.
Heastie, Carroll and Kohut finished the tour at The Haverstraw Center. The center is home to the Department of Youth and Family Services, providing food pantry access, recreational opportunities, counseling services, educational programs and daily summer camp to families across the community. The center also partners with other community organizations to bring mental health counseling, employment assistance, financial support and legal services to all families. Heastie and Carroll announced $140,000 in state funding to cover the cost of summer camp this season and also next summer for all campers in Haverstraw.
