Catholic Charities provides a wide variety of support including a food pantry with fresh produce and other emergency services.
CCCS offering rent assistance to those in need
Rockland County
Allison-Parris County Office Building
11 New Hempstead Rd
New City, NY 10956
Phone: (845) 638-5122
Website
Looking for Events? Visit the Rockland County Tourism Map
State Lawmakers Announce $500,000 State Investment to Support Rockland County’s Code Enforcement Efforts in Spring Valley
NEW CITY, NY – Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick (D-Rockland/Westchester), Senator James Skoufis (D-Hudson Valley), Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski (D-Rockland), and Assemblyman Mike Lawler (R-Rockland) joined Rockland County Executive Ed Day in announcing a major investment to support the County’s takeover of code enforcement responsibilities for the Village of Spring Valley.
The New York 2022-2023 Budget passed earlier this month includes $500,000 that will go directly to Rockland County to help offset the expense of the newly established code enforcement team. The work in Spring Valley is beyond the County’s normal operations, and is not intended to be permanent. The decision by the Secretary of State to transfer control of the code enforcement responsibilities to the County came just months after the tragic fire at the Evergreen Court Nursing Home which resulted in the deaths of a resident and Firefighter Jared Lloyd. The subsequent investigation led to indictments of Village of Spring Valley building department officials.
This winter County Executive Ed Day approached the state legislators who represent Rockland County, asking them to include a half million dollars in the state budget to help cover the expense. After pressure from Rockland’s state legislative delegation, the allocation was included in both the Senate and Assembly budget resolutions and was ultimately included in the final budget signed by Governor Hochul earlier this month.
County Executive Ed Day said: “Our lawmakers worked together in Albany to secure $500,000 in New York State funding for this effort, which will undoubtedly help alleviate some of the burden of this cost from taxpayers. I want to thank them for their efforts to protect county tax dollars and support the work being done by our Office of Buildings and Codes.”
Senator Reichlin-Melnick said: “Taking away control from a local government should always be a last resort, but when it became clear Spring Valley could not reliably perform basic code enforcement functions, New York State had to step in and assign code enforcement responsibility to Rockland County. I am proud to have helped secure $500,000 from the state to cover the costs of the county’s life-saving code enforcement work so that local taxpayers aren’t left to foot the bill for these efforts.”
Senator James Skoufis said: “Rockland County has done exemplary work to correct many of the egregious deficiencies in Spring Valley’s code enforcement and hold bad actors accountable. Working with my colleagues, I’m glad we were able to secure this important funding and ensure Rockland County taxpayers are protected and made whole while this essential but expensive work continues.”
Assemblyman Zebrowski said: “The county’s takeover of the Spring Valley code enforcement was an important step forward to clear the backlog of inspections and ensure future compliance with the law. This funding, included in the state budget, will ensure that they are able to continue the necessary work to keep residents and first responders safe. I’m thankful for the collaboration with my colleagues at the state and local levels to secure this investment in our community.”
Assemblyman Lawler said: “I was proud to work in a bipartisan manner with Senator Reichlin-Melnick, Assemblyman Zebrowski, Senator Skoufis and our local elected officials to secure $500,000 in the state budget for Rockland County’s code enforcement measures in the village of Spring Valley. It’s been clear since the county took over that there is a lot of work to do to enforce the village code and hold violators accountable. I trust that County Executive Ed Day and Director Ed Markunas will not rest until the job is complete.”
Reviving and Rebuilding Rockland
More Grant Programs Announced – Applications Now Open
New City, NY, – Rockland County Executive Ed Day, County Legislature Chairman Jay Hood Jr., and County Legislature Minority Leader Lon Hofstein announce the launch of two new grant programs which will utilize $7 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to support small businesses and urban green spaces.
Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy, making up 99% of all businesses nationwide and employing about 50% of the New York State workforce. Since the pandemic began in March 2020, many small businesses have suffered from periods of closure and revenue loss. A report done last year by the New York State Comptroller found that 4 out of 5 small businesses in New York continue to report negative economic impacts caused by the pandemic.
The Rockland Small Business Rescue Grant Program will utilize $2 million in ARPA funds to reimburse small businesses between $5,000 and $50,000 for eligible expenses incurred during, and related to, the COVID-19 pandemic. This grant is for Rockland County-based, privately-owned, micro-businesses, small businesses, enterprises, or sole proprietorships, that offer fee-based goods or services and have fewer than 500 employees and annual revenues up to $1 million. Eligible businesses include, but are not limited to, Indoor Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation, Pet Grooming, Boarding, and Walking, Restaurants, Eateries, Food Stands and Food Trucks, Bars, Bakeries, Cafes, Breweries/Wineries Catering, Delis, etc., Bookstore/Stationary, Housekeeping, Fitness Centers, Florists, General Retail, Salons/Spas, Bicycle shops, Other Consumer Service Firms (i.e., Architectural, Design, Marketing).
Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to:
- Commercial/Retail Rent (up to 3 months)
- Safety Investments (Including PPE, Cleaning Supplies, UV Cleaning Supplies/Services)
- Hardware Fees
- Software Fees
- Marketing Fees (advertising and promotion)
- Credit Card Processing Fees (difference of increase from 2021 to 2022)
- Supplies (operational items)
Ineligible businesses are all Non-Profits, Churches, and other religious institutions, Landlords and property management businesses, Unlicensed or illegal businesses, Franchises, Government Contracted Agencies, businesses engaged in political or lobbying activities, businesses that received more than $300,000 in PPP funds, SBA Grants, NYS Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Funds, or NYS Bar Restaurant Recovery Grant Funds.
The pandemic highlighted the importance of urban green spaces. Across the country when many indoor recreation activities were restricted residents throughout Rockland chose to spend their time in outdoor areas that remained accessible. Residents who utilized urban green spaces reported better health outcomes during the pandemic than those who rarely went outside.
The Rockland Resilient Recreation Grant Program will award municipalities and non-profits between $5,000 up to $200,000 for investments in public urban green spaces, with the total grant program utilizing up to $5 million in ARPA Funds.
Eligible Entities:
- Rockland County Municipalities
- Rockland County Nonprofits
Projects include but are not limited to:
- Active Parks
- Passive Parks (Gardens, open play areas, picnic areas, sitting areas, etc.)
- Playgrounds
- Paths to Connect Existing Green Spaces
- Community Food Gardens
- Multi-Use Green Infrastructure (Stormwater basins, rain gardens, etc.)
- Community beautification projects
- Mini-Forests
County Executive Ed Day said, “Rockland County’s full recovery from the pandemic is only possible if we support our small businesses, which are the backbone of every economy, but businesses are only as strong as their workforce. For that reason, we believe it is crucial to also invest in the mental health of our residents by developing more urban green spaces. These two programs will help ensure Rockland’s recovery stays on track.”
County Legislature Chairman Jay Hood Jr. said, “The pandemic took an incredible toll on Rockland communities, and we promise to utilize every single dollar of American Rescue Plan Act funds to help this County fully recover. We encourage all eligible entities to apply as soon as possible so we can start delivering grants and providing the support our families and businesses need and deserve.”
County Legislature Minority Leader Lon Hofstein said, “Rockland County small businesses, and communities in general, have suffered significant financial hardship due to the pandemic. It is our job as elected officials to help in any way we can and believe these new grants will do just that by strengthening the fiscal and physical health of County residents.”
Keep Rockland Beautiful
Join the thousands of volunteers who will be cleaning up all around Rockland this spring.
Head out on your own or gather up a few friends, family or colleagues.
Pick your own date or take part in a Community Cleanup Event scheduled in your area – it’s a great way to meet your neighbors!
Cleanups offer instant gratification to people of all ages who want to improve their communities and help protect our local environment.
All supplies provided for a safe & effective cleanup experience Kid-friendly sites available
Earn community service hours Raise money for your school with a “Bag-a-Thon” Great for company team-building
For more information or to sign up/register for your cleanup: www.KeepRocklandBeautiful.org or call: (845) 708-9164
Rockland County Capping Sales Tax On Gasoline
Gasoline Sales Tax Capped at $2 Through February 2023
New City, NY, – Rockland County Executive Ed Day and County Legislature Chairman Jay Hood Jr. are happy to announce the local sales tax on motor fuel will be capped at $2 per gallon. The change means sales tax will only be applied to the first $2 of a gasoline purchase, opposed to the full gas price consumers are currently paying which is now over $4 a gallon.
The 2022 New York State Budget provides a suspension of the state excise and sales tax, providing a combined 16 cents per gallon savings to consumers, from June 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022.
To provide additional savings to Rockland County families, the County Executive and County Legislature made the joint decision to cap the local sales tax on motor fuel at $2 per gallon effective June 1, 2022, through February 28, 2023, two months longer than New York State’s tax suspensions.
At the current price of gasoline, this cap will generate approximately 8 cents in additional savings for consumers which, when coupled with state tax suspensions, should result in an estimated 24 cents in relief at the gas pump starting this summer.
County officials chose not to suspend the motor fuel sales tax entirely to avoid a major deficit in this year’s 2022 budget.
Rockland County officials hope this resolution, combined with the actions of New York State, provides financial relief to families.
County Executive Ed Day said, “Between the record-inflation, rising gas prices, and the pandemic, our families need help now and Rockland County leadership worked expeditiously to deliver it. The role of government is to create an environment where residents can thrive, not to make money or profiteer off families feeling the duress of a strained economy. We hope that this cap provides some much-needed reprieve to Rockland County families. We are committed to doing whatever we can to support our residents and will not stop working to improve the lives of those who call this county home.”
County Legislature Chairman Jay Hood Jr. said, “Sticker shock is a harsh reality for many Rockland County families as the prices of so many basics – eggs, meat, gas – have soared. It’s part of County government’s job to recognize the needs of people and to act and bringing some relief at the gas pump is an important way we can help. I am glad the Legislature was able to collaborate with the County Executive to bring about this needed relief. This is the way government should work for the people.”
County Legislature Minority Leader Lon Hofstein said, “The residents of Rockland County are suffering significant financial hardship due to the skyrocketing prices of gasoline. As elected officials, we need to find solutions to help our constituents. I, along with members of the minority, brought the matter of reducing the sales tax on gasoline before the Legislature. The resolution passed by the Legislature and signed by the County Executive will be beneficial to the residents of Rockland County.”
County Legislature Budget & Finance Chairman Aron Wieder said, “People are being squeezed financially on so many fronts, including for food and even the price of keeping their home warm. Something had to be done to bring relief to people who have no choice but to drive to work, the grocery store, the doctor’s office, and other places. We can’t control everything contributing to the increases, but we can bring at least some relief by suspending the gas tax.”