Mayor's Weekly Column

From the Desk of Mayor Hall

Hempstead Village residents have much to look forward to as we work together to enhance the quality of life for every individual. The benefits, of course, are greatest when our community members are informed, and for that reason I urge you to read on, and to take advantage of the opportunities to improve your own life and the lives of your loved ones.

Last week, homeowners facing foreclosure gathered with neighbors and elected officials to march through the Village in a show of solidarity. Marchers called on banks to work with homeowners to modify their loans, instead of forcing them out. The nationwide housing crisis has hit Hempstead Village particularly hard. The foreclosure rate in the Village is three times greater than in Nassau County as a whole, and six times greater than it is statewide.

Foreclosure affects everyone – not just those directly impacted. Vacant homes drive down property values and diminish the livelihood of our community. Last year, the Village closed its account with JP Morgan Chase as part of a statewide effort led by New York Communities for Change, which has called on the bank to improve its lending and loan-modification policies. Recently, the company has shown greater willingness to help homeowners. We are making progress -- but so long as there are families in the Village struggling to stay in their homes, I intend to keep up the fight.

We are making great strides on other fronts as well. Nassau County recently awarded the Village over $1 million in grant funding that will help us improve our streets and sidewalks in the downtown and residential areas. The grant will also help fund the Village’s Safe Routes to School program, a New York State Department of Transportation initiative that helps children adopt a healthy and active lifestyle by promoting transportation alternatives and implementing projects that enhance traffic safety.

The revitalization of our downtown, including the Main Street area around the train station and Rosa Parks Bus Terminal, represents tremendous opportunity for our community.  The redevelopment is expected to create 3,500 permanent jobs, along with 10,000 construction jobs – many of which will go to local residents. Job creation for Hempstead residents has been an issue for all of us, and I have heard the concerns of the community loud and clear, which is why we are working with Renaissance Downtowns-UrbanAmerica (RDUA) to produce a community-benefits agreement that will ensure local job creation. As more information becomes available on this issue, you will hear about it from me here in this column and elsewhere.

However, job creation is only one of the many benefits of the revitalization project. Currently, one-third of our properties are off the tax roles, and the Village has an overabundance of parking lots. Through the public-private partnership between the Village and RDUA, our downtown will be transformed into a vibrant, walkable neighborhood with a range of locally owned businesses, restaurants, entertainment options and cultural amenities. You can have a say in determining what this mix of uses will be. I implore you to visit www.renewhempstead.com, where you can upload and vote for ideas, stores, amenities and other uses that YOU want to see downtown.  This is a fantastic opportunity for our residents to help shape their own future.

Public participation and transparency has been an issue that I have pushed from the outset with the redevelopment of our downtown.  I am proud to say that we have worked with RDUA to ensure that they meet with anyone within the community who wants to be involved.  RDUA has conducted dozens and dozens of meetings with thousands of people over the past year, providing the opportunity for community members to ask questions and offer input into the redevelopment effort.  By joining www.renewhempstead.com, you will have YOUR VOICE HEARD to help ensure that a revitalized Hempstead represents the wants and desires of OUR community. So log on, participate, and have a say in the future of our Village!

Sincerely,

Wayne

Wayne J. Hall Sr.
Mayor of the Incorporated Village of Hempstead

 

 

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