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New Rochelle City Manager Kathleen Gill recently released the second annual City of New Rochelle Work Plan for 2024 providing a detailed roadmap of specific initiatives outlined in New Rochelle’s 2024 Adopted Budget. This plan outlines projects slated for execution in the upcoming fiscal year and encompasses broader objectives aligned with the city’s overarching goals, aiming to enhance services and address the ongoing needs of its residents.

With a 2024 budget of $305.5 million recently adopted by the City Council, including a separate budget allocation for 2024 Capital Projects, City Manager Gill has developed an implementation plan that will see funds strategically allocated across a collection of economic, developmental and social priorities to improve the welfare of current and future community members. The Work Plan links to broader objectives of the City and embodies a commitment to creating more opportunities for youth and community engagement, an enhanced public infrastructure with ten-year flood mitigation program, economic development, access to affordable housing, public safety, sustainability and increased community resource sharing. 

“I am proud to put forward the 2024 Work Plan to create a roadmap for how we can manage and expand our City’s resources. In creating this plan, we are taking a direct and realistic approach to tackle a growing demand for affordable housing, opportunities for career development, youth programming and much needed infrastructure improvements,” said New Rochelle City Manager Kathleen Gill. “Through initiatives such as the reopening of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, the creation of innovative public realm activations and strategic partnerships with local institutions, we are laying the groundwork for a more vibrant and inclusive New Rochelle. I extend my gratitude to the City Council for their unwavering support and dedication to our shared vision of making New Rochelle a city for the future.”

Community Engagement

Building upon the success of the previous year, which saw increased public activations with hosted cultural activities throughout the City, the 2024 Work Plan will implement more of the events and gatherings that bring residents together, fostering community engagement through innovative public realm activations like the Lincoln Park Ice Rink, Taste of Union Avenue, and the International Jazz Festival. Engaging with and investing in both the youth and senior communities will also be a focus by creating more than 500 opportunities for youth employment at City events and in City offices, as well as added resources and recreation for senior residents. A ‘Mobile City Hall’ will make the City of New Rochelle’s elected officials more accessible than ever, offering community members the opportunity to engage with City leadership at pop-up locations, outside the confines of the City Hall building.

Youth Ecosystem

Over the past few years, the City of New Rochelle has committed an unprecedented amount of funds to invest in the youth community of New Rochelle, underscoring the City’s commitment to youth empowerment, offering pathways to education and employment while fostering community, collaboration and innovation. The Work Plan will create and expand programs such as New Rochelle Forward, Career Readiness Mentoring, and the City Employment Outreach approach – all of which are designed to provide a comprehensive curriculum for youth to gain valuable real-world skills and insights, and are supported by partnerships with key stakeholders including the New Rochelle City Court and City School District. 

Planning & Public Works

Infrastructure and facility improvements remain at the forefront of the City’s budget, with an extraordinary $78.8 million to be invested in Capital Projects through 2031. This undertaking includes plans for sewer enhancements, dam and roadway repairs, advanced neighborhood resiliency, parks improvement, and the replacement of the Hudson Marina parking structure within the upcoming year.

The 2024 Work Plan will also kick off a ten-year flood mitigation program that will improve stormwater systems and drainage across the City. Transportation to and through the City of New Rochelle will receive an overhaul in 2024 as the Work Plan aims to adopt LINC zoning and finalize the infrastructure and landscape design, as well as finalize plans for a New Rochelle Transit Center redesign. 

Economic Development

With a thoughtfully balanced budget and clear implementation steps in place, the City of New Rochelle is prepared now more than ever to welcome new residents into its burgeoning community and economy with increased opportunities and incentives to take advantage of mixed-income housing options. Establishing a new Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waitlist to make existing housing options more accessible, along with the addition of an upcoming 561 new affordable housing units, a City-hosted Affordable Housing Open House, and expanded access to the City’s first-time home buyer Down Payment Assistance Program, will all encourage the growth and longevity of the New Rochelle community.

The 2024 Work Plan was presented to the New Rochelle City Council on Feb. 13, 2024 and serves as a strategic document outlining objectives and tasks that are simultaneously forward thinking and responsive to community needs, designed to ensure that the goals, vision, and mission of the City are being met.

Residents and stakeholders can access the City of New Rochelle 2024 Work Plan at https://www.newrochelleny.com/2024workplan. 

For more information on why New Rochelle is ideally yours, visit https://www.ideallynewrochelle.com.