Residents of the City of Poughkeepsie’s north side may soon see positive changes in their community, the result of the area’s designation as a Weed and Seed site by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) announced the selection this week, and the city may now apply for federal funding for crime control initiatives and community development in the area.
"We've seen the positive impact that Weed and Seed grants have made in the Main Street corridor of Poughkeepsie and now is the time for the North side to benefit from those same improvements,” said Hinchey.
The Weed and Seed program, instituted by the United States Department of Justice, allows for communities to receive resources from federal agencies designed to help revitalize urban areas. The program focuses on four principles: aggressive law enforcement strategies; community policing; the provision of crime prevention, intervention, and treatment services; and neighborhood restoration and revitalization activities.
The Main Street corridor in Poughkeepsie was designated in the summer of 2000 as a Weed and Seed site, which allowed the city to apply for and receive additional federal funding to improve the community and prevent crime. That designation was for five years and ends later this summer.
The north side designation is also for five years and commenced on June 1.
"The Weed and Seed program is an outstanding example of the effectiveness we can achieve when we bring the community and police together to fight crime and improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods," Hinchey said.