HELPING THE HOMELESS - Mayor Gahan Offers $100,000 in Assistance to Homeless Coalition

HELPING THE HOMELESS – Mayor Gahan offers $100,000 to Support Homeless Coalition

Mayor Gahan and other city officials attended the Homeless Coalition of Southern Indiana’s “A Meaningful Morning Breakfast” fundraiser at the Calumet Club in New Albany on Thursday morning to offer their support of their ongoing services.

In recent years, the City of New Albany has assisted the Homeless Coalition with their operations with $50,000 from the American Rescue Plan. 

At yesterday’s meeting, Mayor Jeff Gahan doubled down on the city’s support of the Homeless Coalition, and presented a check for $100,000 from Community Development Block Grant (Cares Act) funds.

“We are proud to support the efforts of the Homeless Coalition of Southern Indiana, and we hope that this money can help them with eviction prevention, emergency housing assistance, and operations for their temporary emergency shelters,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. “I also want to thank the City Council for their ongoing efforts to help some of our most vulnerable populations.”

In an email to Mayor Gahan, Executive Director of the Homeless Coalition Leslea Townsend Cronin offered the following thanks for Mayor Gahan and the City of New Albany’s support:

“Mayor Gahan - Thank you for your generosity and advocacy of our agency and what we are trying to accomplish in Southern Indiana,” stated Leslea Townsend Cronin. “Thank you for your support and your attendance at our event yesterday, and look forward to such a positive partnership going into the future.”

Paving Season List 2023

Paving Season is upon us! The City of New Albany will be working on improving roadways and laying new pavement on neighborhood roads and major streets. The following is a list of streets that are fully funded and will be fully or partially paved as part of this year’s paving program. Additional roads and alleys may be added as the season continues.

“Please be aware of crews working on improving our roadways as you travel in New Albany,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. “Paving should only take a couple of days in each area, and I’m sure that you will love the improvements.”

Beechwood Avenue
Vincennes Street
Charlestown Road
E Market Street
Spring Street
Main Street
Slate Run Road
Grant Line Road
Adams Street
Brook Ridge Court
Griffin Street
W. 1st Street
Linden Avenue
Oakwood Court
W. 6th Street
Dryades Street
Virginia Court
Ridgeway Avenue
Monon Avenue
E Green Street
Old Vincennes Road
Church Street
W. 10th Street
Walnut Street
Summit Street
Prospect Street
Lower 6th Street
E. 11th Street
Pearl Street

ENCOURAGING NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION

ENCOURAGING NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION

The City of New Albany is partnering with local professional architect firm TowerPinkster to create a package of pre-approved house concepts to encourage single family home ownership and new home construction. By offering these pre-approved plans at no cost, the City can save homebuyers and developers thousands of dollars on the cost of a new single-family home.

"We know that single family homes and building long-term residency are key components of a strong city," stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. "Over the last several years, many apartments and rentals have been developed in New Albany, but it is time to focus on long-term home ownership. This is another great step in our efforts to improve home ownership for the people of New Albany."

Many times, families looking to build a single family home do not want the worry or hassle of having to jump through multiple planning and zoning meetings, building commissioner permitting, or other bureaucratic steps. These pre-approved housing plans will be available at no cost to skip those hurdles and jump-start single family housing developments. This pro-active measure will also help address the housing demand while preserving the character and charm that makes our city unique.

Additionally, the City of New Albany recently entered into a partnership with the Urban Studies Institute at the University of Louisville to improve housing accessibility and make long-term housing plans and recommendations for the future of our River City. The result of that study is expected back in mid-September.

NEW ALBANY PARTNERSHIP TO IMPROVE HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Homeownership plays a vital role in building strong neighborhoods, improving city health, and providing long-term stability for growing families. That’s why Mayor Jeff Gahan and the New Albany Redevelopment Commission (NARC) are partnering with the Urban Studies Institute (USI) at the University of Louisville to improve housing accessibility and make long-term plans for the future of our River City.

“Over the past several years as our city continues to grow, many local developers have invested in apartments and rental units within the City of New Albany,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. “But now, it is time to focus on long-term home ownership for the people of New Albany, and provide new opportunities and pathways for first-time buyers and others to invest in a home. This partnership with the Urban Studies Institute is a great first step in planning for the future of housing in New Albany.”

USI will gather essential data and provide a comprehensive analysis of the City’s housing landscape that will help shed light on the current state of homeownership, provide an overview of the city’s rental market, and identify areas where the city can take action to improve homeownership opportunities.

The City’s partners at USI will begin the study immediately and results are expected back to the City by late September.

An Update on the Animal Shelter from Mayor Jeff Gahan

Tonight, we move forward with a new chapter for our city’s animal shelter.

For years, the City has operated under an “Interlocal Agreement” with Floyd County Government to share services and costs with respect to the Animal Shelter. The shelter services both the City of New Albany and outside the city limits in Floyd County. However, for the past several years, Floyd County Government has chosen to not fully fund their portion of the agreement.

We are now 6 months into 2023, and Floyd County Government has paid $0 towards animal care in our community. Throughout the years, Floyd County Government is behind over $1.3 million in payments.

Last month, I received a letter from the Animal Shelter Board of Directors’ President urging immediate action to terminate the Interlocal Agreement. After years of attempted negotiations with Floyd County officials, I agree with the board’s recommendation. At tonight’s City Council meeting, the council agreed and voted to terminate the failed Interlocal Agreement.

Tonight’s action by the City Council underscores the need for us to move forward to ensure the protection and wellbeing of animals in New Albany. It is in the best interest of the people of New Albany, the employees of the shelter, and the animals in our community for us to move forward by fully funding the Shelter this year. Additionally, the Shelter will continue to provide service outside the city limits in Floyd County through the end of 2023.

Our shelter is one of the best in the region. This step will ensure that the health and welfare of animals will remain a top priority for our River City.

-Mayor Jeff Gahan