Elmira, N.Y. (WENY) -  Governor Andrew Cuomo is working towards ending poverty across the state of New York through, "Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative." 

The Governor has targeted sixteen communities that have received a grant, with Elmira being one of them.

"Elmira received a one million dollar grant, of which two hundred was a planning grant. The eight hundred thousand now has been put into various strategies and programs, that the community group, that met for a number of months came up with," said Mike Krusen, President of Southern Tier Economic Growth. 

The goal of the program is to reduce poverty in communities and to allow people some social mobility. Southern Tier Economic Growth has come up with three strategies to end poverty in Elmira. The first strategy, is to help revitalize neighborhoods. The second, is to improve the employment outcome, moving individuals that are currently in poverty to great self efficacy. Lastly, to provide wrap-around services that will help them in terms of gainful employment, such as, transportation and child care.

Krusen added, "Part of that eight hundred thousand dollars will go into housing rehabilitation. Now, eight hundred thousand dollars is not a lot of money when you start talking about the magnitude of it, in particular the housing issues in Elmira." 

Krusen says, there's about 12 to 13 hundred vacant homes in Elmira, with a number of homes in disrepair and has been a real problem in the city of Elmira for a number of years. The money will go towards certain neighborhoods that have been identified as having a high level of poverty.

According to Krusen the city does have the number of right pieces in place to move ahead. However, it is going to take a community effort to see a difference.

"You would certainly hope by the course of the next couple of three years we will start to notice a subtle difference in terms of what houses will look like and you'll see people working on homes. You'll certainly see private sector and investment both in downtown as well as, the neighborhoods that are abut downtown," said Krusen. 

A part of the state money from E.S.P.R.I will also go towards, Chemung County Chamber of Commerce. The Commissioner of Chemung County Human Services, Jennifer Stimson said in a statement to WENY, "The Department is currently in the process of hiring three Community Navigators.  The Navigators will be placed in the community to assist residents in the application process and in connecting our residents with the needed resources in our community."