Cracking Down: Massive Changes to Main Street in Poughkeepsie, NY

Poughkeepsie Mayor Yvonne Flowers has vowed to make the area a cleaner, safer, and thriving place for residents and businesses alike.

On Wednesday, September 18th, the City of Poughkeepsie page shared photos following Mayor Flowers' latest initiative to make positive changes to the Main Street area of the City of Poughkeepsie.

Clean Up on Main Street in Poughkeepsie

The post shared on Facebook features a number of photos showing Poughkeepsie's Department of Public Works using construction vehicles to move debris and garbage out of a vacant lot on Poughkeepsie's Main Street.

The reason for the mass removal of the obstructive debris, brush, and trash is to prevent people from using the area as a hidden encampment.

The project is ultimately two-fold. With the addition of more lights, the clearing of the vacant lot is another step in making Poughkeepsie's Main Street feel safer for residents and pedestrians.

On top of that, the project is just one of the steps Mayor Flowers is taking in the name of getting assistance to locals dealing with drugs and substance abuse issues, mental illness, and homelessness.

Mayor Flowers' Initiatives in Poughkeepsie

This project is the latest in a string of efforts by Poughkeepsie Mayor Yvonne Flowers to make the city a safe, thriving place to be.

Back in July, the Mayor, in partnership with the City of Poughkeepsie Common Council, announced their goal of establishing a Business Improvement District (BID) in the area. This would encompass local businesses in the area teaming up on improvement projects like sidewalk beatification, adding more street lights, and generally making the area more appealing to shop, dine, and visit.

Read More Here: Poughkeepsie Leaders Want New 'Business Improvement District' on Main Street

The city of Poughkeepsie has also seen a number of other positive additions like the opening of a brand-new Pride Center in July and the new Dutchess County Empowerment Center which serves as a "free, accessible resource center, open to adults at any stage of their substance use or mental health recovery journey," according to The City of Poughkeepsie.

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What Happens Now?

The post shares that, "Mayor Flowers said she will continue to meet with state and county officials, city Police and Public Works, nonprofits and others to coordinate efforts to address individuals who are trespassing on private property."

Additionally, the City shares that this project was the product of a partnership between Hudson River Housing, Mental Health America of Dutchess County, and a collection of city and state officials.