Housing Infrastructure Grant

Housing Infrastructure Grant Program Overview and Purpose

Dutchess County recognizes that inadequate or failing infrastructure can be a significant barrier to the preservation and 
development of affordable housing. The Housing-Related Infrastructure Grant program is intended to support strategic 
infrastructure investments that preserve existing affordable housing, enable the creation of new affordable housing, and 
help communities advance housing-related infrastructure projects toward construction.

The program provides funding through two complementary opportunities:

    1) Housing-Related Infrastructure Grants to support capital projects with a clear and direct connection to housing affordable to residents making 80% or less of the area median income, including water and wastewater improvements, utilities, drainage, roads and other site infrastructure necessary to preserve existing housing or enable new housing development. Both new construction affordable housing            and existing affordable housing projects are eligible activities.  Priority will be given to projects that preserve existing affordable housing and benefit multiple low- and moderate-income households, including projects serving manufactured housing communities, regulated affordable housing developments, and naturally occurring affordable housing.

    2) Recognizing that communities may have important infrastructure needs that are not yet ready for construction funding, the County is also offering smaller Project Readiness / Pre-Development Grants. These grants are intended to fund engineering, environmental, design, surveying and other pre-development activities necessary to move promising affordable housing-related infrastructure projects                  toward construction readiness and create a pipeline of projects positioned to compete for future County, state, federal or other capital funding.

Through these investments, Dutchess County seeks to address critical infrastructure needs while leveraging public resources to preserve and expand the County's supply of affordable housing.

Eligible Activities – grants are available for capital improvements related to affordable housing projects including water and wastewater improvements, utilities, drainage, roads, and other site infrastructure.  Planning grants for pre-construction soft costs related to affordable housing projects are also available.  See application instructions for additional guidance.

Eligible Applicants – Any municipality in Dutchess County can submit one application to either the Housing-Related Infrastructure Grant or the Project Readiness / Pre-Development Planning Grant, or one application to each program.  However, if a municipality applies to both programs, the applications may not be related to the same project.  

Municipalities are strongly encouraged to partner with public benefit corporations, authorities, utilities, and other public entities with specialized expertise in infrastructure delivery.  Municipalities may also partner with private property owners of income-qualifying housing developments. 

Performance Requirements – Funding for the HIG program is partially sourced from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and therefore, some federal requirements may apply. All projects must primarily benefit low-to-moderate-income residents.  To ensure projects are completed in a timely manner, funding recipients are expected to meet performance standards if awarded.  At minimum, those standards include:
•    If award is for a planning project, project is completed within 18 months
•    Construction to begin within two years, or within two years of completion of pre-construction work if planning grant
•    Complete construction within five years, or within five years of completion of pre-construction work if planning grant
•    Repay funds if milestones are not achieved unless an extension is approved by the County due to documented circumstances beyond the recipient’s control

Applications are due November 20th, 2026 at 4pm.