SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) — President Biden’s “American Rescue Plan,” a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus bill, will be sending $22 billion to New York State. $126 million of that money is heading straight to Syracuse. In response to the influx of federal funds, Mayor Ben Walsh hosted a “Justice For All” Town Hall in partnership with the nonprofit organization Legal Aid N.Y. – a group focused on providing legal support to marginalized communities.
“We’ve seen the loss of life … the loss of business .. but for the city, we’ve seen a significant loss of revenue, and that has made it harder for us to deliver the essential services that all of our residents depend on,” Walsh said as he addressed hundreds of Syracuse residents via Zoom.
Both Legal Aid and Walsh believe that those essential services should be sharply focused on the revitalization of poor communities in the area, particularly communities of color. The Mayor said that housing vacancy and homelessness are issues that he wants to make a priority.
“It’s no secret that the City of Syracuse has been financially decimated by the pandemic,” said Walsh.
The Onondaga County government estimated that the county lost about $40 million due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this federal funding can help them keep poor communities afloat.
According to U.S. Census Bureau Data, Syracuse has one of the highest concentrated poverty rates in the country, with almost a third of the city living below the poverty line. In addition, the median income in Syracuse is almost half the national average.
With this COVID relief package, more social programs are becoming a feasible reality.
“Getting to a vacant structure is the last resort … we know what vacancy can do to tenants, children, and their families,” said Jake Dishaw, the Onondaga County Director of Code Enforcement and Housing.
Mayor Walsh says he plans on sending a sizeable chunk of these relief funds to help those communities. Also, he plans on working to help revitalize small businesses, schools, and economic development.
“Syracuse is not unique in the challenges we face, but we want to be unique in the solutions we come up with,” Walsh said.
