SOUTHERN TIER, NY – Today, Senator Webb announced $2 million in funding for counties throughout Senate District 52. The funding was made available through the County Infrastructure Grant Program and will support housing projects and water infrastructure upgrades. 

Said Senator Lea Webb, “As someone who comes from local government, I know that state grants provide vital support to projects that municipalities really need. I’m proud to be working with Governor Hochul and my colleagues in the legislature to give funding to localities. The grants provided throughout Senate District 52 will help improve water systems, housing opportunities, and utility infrastructure.” 

Said Dan Egnor, Village of Homer Clerk, “We are so proud to be receiving this funding. The Village has been coordinating between engineers and our elected officials for many years now to finalize these improvements to our water systems. We’ve been lucky enough to receive a number of funding sources from New York State and are proud that we can make these updates while alleviating the burden on our taxpayers. Thank you to Senator Webb, Governor Hochul, and New York State for making these funds available.” 

“The Town of Dryden is pleased to receive this award and is looking forward to the expected expansion of affordable housing for Dryden families,” said Town Supervisor Jason Leifer. “We thank Tompkins County for submitting the grant application and both Senator Webb and Assemblywoman Kelles for their continued support of water and sewer expansion in support of affordable housing. This meets a real need in our community.” 

The following awards were made throughout Senate District 52: 

• Cortland County: The Village of Homer will receive $1,000,000 to provide for the installation of vital infrastructure required to support the creation of a 36-unit residential housing development in the village. Funding will support the Arbor Brook Flats Development Infrastructure project on Dee Street. Improvements will be made to electrical infrastructure and roadway access through paving, top-coating, apron installation, and new LED lighting. Water system improvements will be funded as well via the Newton Water Works Water Storage Tank project, to enhance water system capacity and reliability to serve the development and ensure adequate water service for current and future residents and businesses.
• Tompkins County: The Town of Dryden will receive $1,000,000 to completely overhaul the utility infrastructure at Hanshaw Village, a 132-unit manufactured home community. This critical grant will allow for the conversion of the park’s aging infrastructure from an inadequate private well system to a robust public water connection. The project scope includes the installation of new water mains and sewer lines to replace failing private systems, permanently eliminating long-term public health and environmental risks that threatened the community's habitability. This complete structural upgrade establishes a reliable, modern utility framework for the existing 110 households. The newly expanded infrastructure provides the necessary utility capacity and structural hookups to unlock sites for at least 10 new affordable manufactured homes, and the potential for 22 new homes on previously vacant lots, for immediate residential development.

Administered by Empire State Development with funding from the FY 2026 and FY 2027 Enacted Budgets, grants of up to $500,000 are awarded to priority projects identified by the county that support economic development, contribute to placemaking or encourage tourism. Enhanced awards of up to $1 million are available for projects supporting the creation of housing with ten or more units. The funding being awarded today will support the construction of more than 3,200 new homes throughout the state.

For more information, please see the Governor’s Press Release. 

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