In this HF Briefing paper on 500mm the case is made for $500 million in additional State capital funding for affordable and supportive housing in the next State budget. Housing First argues that it can be a cost-effective, fiscally-responsible strategy for economic growth that will create thousands of jobs, leverage billions of dollars in new private investment, and help thousands of New Yorkers find apartments and homes they can afford.

New York State Rural Advocates will hold their annual meeting October 28-29, 2009 at the Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown.

More units of affordable, decent, safe housing for New York. Good news!

Warren County

AHC approved a $195,000 grant to the Town of Queensbury to renovate 13
single-family homes.

St. Lawrence County

AHC approved:

–A $300,000 grant to the Association for Neighborhood Rehabilitation,
Inc. (ANR) to renovate 25 single-family homes.

–A $300,000 grant to the St. Lawrence County Housing Council, Inc.
(SLCHC) to rehabilitate 50 single-family homes.
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Wow! The Upgraded Senate Website is just great!  Take a few moments and explore!  Add the rss feed to keep up!

The Senate is now planning public hearings in rural NY on the topic of affordable housing.  What do you want them to know? What specific issues do you want to address?

There WILL be a New York State Rural Rental Assistance Program to be used in application for the leveraged loan program with RD. While the Legislature was unable to overcome Administration resistance to restoring cuts to the Rural Rental Assistance Program (RRAP )which has been the key to New York’s success in leveraging federal Section 515 funds, Senate negotiators did succeed in including language that will allow new units of RRAP for the current year. Subsequently, funds to support the new units were provided through a $188,000 legislative add from Senator David J. Valesky (D-Oneida). As many as fifty new units can be supported by this funding in Rural New York.

Budget bills were introduced over the weekend based on an agreement between leadership, the “three men in a room”. The legislature is expected to vote on the bill this coming week. Of course, Senate Democrats still need to keep their slim majority together for the vote or there is a possibility the budget as it is written won’t pass.

Rural Advocates continue to play a significant role in the housing budget. Because of your efforts, the Preservation Program and Rural Rent once again remain more or less intact. If the budget passes as written, the Rural Preservation program will Continue reading →

It’s “crunch time” for the New York State Budget with efforts underway to complete it before the April 1 deadline. What can we report? The NYS Budget deficit has now grown to $16.2 Billion dollars. A significant gap to close The Governor is playing tough with the State announcing a layoff of 6% of the State work force if there is no effort to negotiate less generous benefits for new hires in a new State Tier as outlined in the Governor’s proposed budget Although we know that both the Senate and Assembly are working on the budget, there are no open meetings and less ability  to share any information at all.

We have heard that the legislature is considering some budget restorations and RPC/NPC looks “good”, but that no new programs are being considered. Although we are hopeful, we really can’t say with certainty if this means partial restoration or full restoration to last years funding. We are less hopeful about an increase in capital funds this year but certainly see the need for one to provide not only housing but true economic stimulus resulting in local trade and jobs.

We are hopeful that there will be an adequate allocation of Rental Assistance to support a new funding round of new construction of RD 515.

In early April there will be a notice of solicitation for applications for the RD 515 new construction program. NY always competed extremely well because it provided State Rental Assistance to leverage these funds. A State Allocation of Project Based Section 8 is not considered State Rental Assistance. Will NY have new Rental Assistance Units to use with this new 515 funding or will the federal money go to other States for the first time ever? With a timely budget and an allocation for State Rental Assistance, it is possible to leverage these federal rental housing funds for new units in rural NY.

http://www.pressrepublican.com/0100_news/local_story_074223337.html

For a story on the North Country RPCs and their impact on their communities