New York State DHCR Issues Housing Needs Study for Southern Tier Region

ALBANY, NY (02/18/2009)(readMedia)-- The State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) has released a report on the affordable housing needs of the Southern Tier, which includes Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga and Tompkins counties. The unprecedented study was largely derived from six focus group meetings held in the region which were attended by local officials, advocates, housing developers and social service providers who are involved in affordable housing and community development.

The Southern Tier Regional Affordable Housing Needs Study is one of nine regional reports prepared by DHCR, which is now compiling its Statewide Affordable Housing Needs Study - the first ever prepared by the agency.

Governor David A. Paterson has said the DHCR initiative "represents a new level of outreach to and coordination with local officials who best understand the needs of their communities. These reports will provide us with a powerful tool to help determine how New York State's affordable housing and community development programs can best be targeted to meet the needs of our residents."

DHCR Commissioner Deborah VanAmerongen said a regional approach was taken because "although the entire State is facing a shortage of affordable housing, the causes, effects and solutions are very different from region to region. These studies will help us to truly understand the housing needs of communities across the State."

VanAmerongen said DHCR is "reaching out and gathering first-hand information from local leaders and housing professionals about their priorities and their needs as they see them. That kind of outreach has never been attempted before."

Kathie Greenblatt, executive director of Catholic Charities of Delaware and Otsego Counties, said DHCR's 2008 meetings with local agencies and officials, and the study which came from those conversations, is an important step in moving the Southern Tier region toward comprehensive planning. As a long-time provider of SRO low-income housing in our area, Catholic Charities also advocates for a comprehensive plan for housing that addresses community and economic development, and provides a point of entry for homeowners and renters at every point in the housing spectrum."

Jerry Willard, executive director of the First Ward Action Council, Inc., also said the agency's outreach to local experts is an approach that will yield benefits. "I think it's great that DHCR took the time to meet with some us of who work in the trenches."

CONDITIONS, NEEDS AND ASSETS OF THE SOUTHERN TIER

The Southern Tier Affordable Housing Needs Study Regional Report indentifies a number of unique and varied issues and needs. Participants from Steuben and Schuyler Counties, for example, said the older housing stock, combined with absentee landlords who are sometimes negligent in making needed repairs, has created a shortage of safe and stable affordable rental housing.

Climbing foreclosure rates are also a concern in certain areas of the Southern Tier. To address the foreclosure crisis, DHCR last year implemented a new Subprime Foreclosure Prevention Program and has funded not-for-profit housing agencies throughout the region to help homeowners facing foreclosure to keep their homes.

There are also areas of the region where escalating home prices have outpaced local wages. Such is the case in Delaware County, where home prices have been driven up by the second home market and by New York City residents fleeing the city for a more rural lifestyle. In Tompkins County, the median sales price of homes is higher than in neighboring counties. Because of the higher home prices, 20 percent of the local workforce commutes from outside the county, according to estimates from study participants.

In the City of Binghamton, participants said more resources are needed for rehabilitation, preservation or demolition of vacant or blighted properties. The presence of lead-based paint and other environmental issues were also discussed. Participants also cited affordability issues, and said weatherization assistance is not always enough to keep a home affordable for low- income individuals and families.

DHCR will use the information gathered during the focus group meetings and contained in the report to better target resources based on the needs of the region, in order to enhance the efficiency of DHCR programs. The needs identified by participants include:

• Rehabilitation and modernization funds for improvements and repairs to both owner-occupied and rental properties;
• Very low- income rental housing for those being priced out of the rental market or living in substandard housing;
• Public transportation to serve residents in rural areas of the region;
• Affordable homeownership opportunities;
• Employment opportunities with living wages;
• Rental housing for the region's senior citizens;
• Flexible funding to allow for mixed use and mixed income development.

Participants also listed a number of assets which may help to attract investment in the region. These include:

• Committed not-for-profit and local government leaders focused on addressing housing issues;
• Natural beauty and small town quality of life;
• Historic residential and commercial architecture;
• Major employers, including Cornell University and Lockheed Martin;
• Relatively affordable housing market.

In addition to local officials from county and city departments (planning, community development, economic development and housing) in the Region DHCR also met with representatives from Neighborhood and Rural Preservation Companies and other not-for-profit organizations, social service organizations which have affordable housing as a stated mission of their organization and affordable housing developers from the private sector with regional experience.

DHCR staff also gathered information about the Region through site visits and tours with local officials. The Southern Tier Regional Report also includes U.S. Census and American Community Survey data intended to identify demographic and housing related trends.

All the regional studies are available on the DHCR website -- www.nysdhcr.gov -- under "key documents."

-30-