John,

I hope you’re having a fantastic fall season!

I’m here to share another update with you on our work to deliver for New Yorkers, but before I do that, I wanted to share two important reminders with you:

• Election Day is Tuesday. No matter how you choose to vote, be sure to get out and make your voice heard in the general election. The best place to get accurate information is the New York State Board of Elections and your local board of elections. Visit the Board of Elections website to get all the information you need to cast your ballot!
• Applications just opened for this year’s Home Energy Assistance Program! This program helps New Yorkers pay for costs associated with heating their home. This year’s benefit provides up to $1,000 for eligible New Yorkers. See if you’re eligible and apply.

This month, we announced historic progress in driving down gun violence, took action to build more housing and make housing more affordable, spoke to WNBA Champion Breanna Stewart about the importance of supporting youth mental health, and more! Let’s get into it.  

The Latest From the Empire State 

Building more housing. To fight the housing crisis and make our state more affordable, we need more housing — and we’re getting the job done. As a result of our landmark housing deal, 71,000 new homes will be built in New York City!

Creating the jobs and tech of the future! New York has landed the first-ever National Semiconductor Technology Center facility. This won’t just create jobs, it will recapture Upstate New York’s legacy as the place that leads the nation and, yes, the world in manufacturing and innovation. This federal distinction wouldn’t have been possible without our champions in Washington, including President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Senator Chuck Schumer.

Making New York safer. Gun violence has reached historic lows in New York State! We’ve secured record levels of funding for local law enforcement and DAs across the state, and while these numbers are impressive, we’re not taking our foot off the gas.

Keeping kids and families safe on the road. I was honored to join loved ones of New Yorkers lost in preventable crashes to sign legislation expanding red light camera programs across the state. As governor and as a mom, I want nothing more than to make sure our kids are safe and protected — and we know red light cameras are proven to curb crashes and stop preventable tragedies.

We also announced…

• Updates on our work to make sure every New York voter can vote safely in the November elections
• $25 million to help volunteer firefighter companies across the state get the resources they need to do their selfless work protecting New Yorkers
• We’re getting the lead out! With the support of the Biden-Harris administration, communities across the state are getting funding to replace lead service lines
• The official launch of Empire AI, a first-in-the-nation consortium that will power critical research for the public good
• Record levels of funding to respond to intimate partner abuse and domestic violence
• The completion of Phase II of the Station Yards development, which will bring 1,400 new homes near transit on Long Island

New York Moments 

Ask the Gov! I answered your burning questions about affordability for seniors, reducing gun violence in schools, how to apply for storm damage support, and what we're doing to get ghost cars off the road:

Have a question for a future edition of "Ask the Gov"?
Submit your questions here.

TAP in to higher education. Our expanded Tuition Assistance Program is knocking down barriers to college. Meet Helen:

New York is the Land of Liberty! Take a look back at a parade for the ages as we celebrated the New York Liberty’s historic WNBA Championship win:

• I got to talk with Liberty star Breanna Stewart about stress and mental wellness
• I was proud to join leaders from across East Harlem to stand in solidarity with our Puerto Rican community
• The numbers are clear: Crime is down in New York State
• I was honored to sit with survivors of domestic violence and hear their stories
• With Empire AI, we are helping New York State lead the way in the technology and research of tomorrow
• Visit Little Haiti in Brooklyn and you will become family
• As always: Go Bills
  

News to Know

• Automatic acceptance for SUNY (WIVB): Under the SUNY Top 10% Promise Program, New York high school seniors graduating in the top 10% of their class will automatically be accepted to one of nine of SUNY’s top-notch universities!
• New homes in Kingston (WTEN): Coming soon: More affordable housing in the Hudson Valley.
• COVID Rent Relief (PIX11): New Yorkers were hit hard by the pandemic – we’re helping thousands of impacted NYCHA families stay in their homes.
• Smartphones and Mental Health (Newsweek): I joined Common Sense Media Founder and CEO Jim Steyer to discuss why, for the wellbeing of our kids, we must address the nonstop pressure of social media and smartphones.
• Olana’s New Visitor Center (Mid Hudson News): Amidst the beautiful fall foliage, we celebrated the grand opening of the Frederic Church Center for Arts and Landscape!
• Reimagining I-787 (CBS 6 Albany): Albany’s waterfront is blocked by I-787. We’re working with the community to reconnect New Yorkers on both sides of the Hudson.

Don’t let the rest of autumn pass you by, New York! Before it gets too cold, be sure to take some time to get offline, get outside, and enjoy the fall foliage in all its glory. And don’t forget to vote!

Ever Upward, 

Gov. Kathy Hochul 

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