Local Communities and Community-Based Not-For-Profits Competed to Fulfill Critical Housing Needs
Albany, NY – May 20, 2014 – (RealEstateRama) — overnor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced 80 awards across the state to repair, rehabilitate and preserve housing for low- and moderate-income residents of New York State. These competitive awards, administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), are being made to municipalities, localities, and not-for-profit organizations to support critical priorities and highlighting the greatest needs within the state’s economic development regions.
“Every New Yorker should be able to live in housing that is safe, fair, and affordable,” Governor Cuomo said. “This funding will help not only those struggling with income, but provides services for seniors and the disabled. This investment in affordable housing will greatly improve the lives of families across this state and give more New Yorkers a place to call home.”
This funding is designed to allow counties, cities, towns and villages, as well as not-for-profit organizations to apply for new homeownership and housing rehabilitation funding to rehab moderately or severely substandard housing stock and bring it up to code. It covers three separate HCR programs: the NYS Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Housing Program, Access to Home, and RESTORE. More than $23 million in CDBG awards were made, leveraging an additional $5 million in public and private resources. Additionally, over $1 million in Access to Home awards were made, with every $1 in Access to Home funding leveraging $3 in additional funding. RESTORE awards totaling $500,000 statewide will leverage other State and Federal funds, such as Weatherization Assistance Program funds.
Darryl C. Towns, Commissioner/CEO of HCR said, “In addition to driving significant economic development, the awards announced today also advance some of the most important policy goals of the state, including preserving aging affordable housing stock and sustaining more livable communities. We will help our most vulnerable by funding emergency repairs for elderly homeowners so they can continue living independently, as well as funding accessibility improvements for the elderly, veterans and the disabled. HCR is proud to work in partnership with local municipalities and community-based organizations to preserve their housing stock for decades to come.”
The federally-funded CDBG program provides financial assistance to eligible counties, cities, towns, and villages to help develop viable communities by providing decent affordable housing and expanding economic opportunities. The grants are awarded through the Housing Trust Fund Corporation.
The second program, Access to Home, provides financial assistance to homeowners and rental property owners through municipalities and not-for-profit organizations serving as local program administrators, with the goal of making dwelling units accessible for low- and moderate-income persons with disabilities.
The RESTORE (Residential Emergency Services to Offer Repairs to the Elderly) Program awards funds through municipalities and not-for profit organizations serving as local program administrators. It pays for the cost of emergency repairs that eliminate hazardous conditions in homes owned by the elderly who are unable to afford to make repairs in a timely manner.
HCR’s awards made by region include:
By Geographic Region # of Awards Total Award $
Capital Region 7 $1,955,000
Central New York 9 $2,275,000
Finger Lakes 11 $3,795,300
Mid-Hudson 4 $1,200,000
Mohawk Valley 9 $2,625,000
North Country 16 $5,492,500
Southern Tier 14 $5,159,500
Western New York 7 $2,133,000
NYC 3 $350,000
Total: 80 $24,985,300
A complete list of awards can be found here.
New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) consists of all the State’s major housing and community renewal agencies, including the Affordable Housing Corporation, the Division of Housing and Community Renewal, the Housing Finance Agency, State of New York Mortgage Agency, Housing Trust Fund Corporation and others.
HCR is in the second year of the $1 billion House New York program, which creates thousands of new units over five years, and is the largest investment in affordable housing in at least 15 years. House New York will also preserve thousands of Mitchell-Lama units, extending affordability for 40 years. The House New York initiative builds on the successes of unprecedented efforts to protect more than two million rent-regulated tenants, with the greatest strengthening of the state’s rent laws in 30 years, and the creation of the Tenant Protection Unit which proactively audits and investigates landlord wrongdoing.
Contact Information:
Governor’s Press Office
NYC Press Office: 212.681.4640
Albany Press Office: 518.474.8418
press.office (at) exec.ny (dot) gov
