Governor Kathy Hochul hosted a community roundtable with local leaders and elected representatives in Central New York, led by administration officials, to discuss the New York Housing Compact - the Governor's comprehensive strategy announced in the Fiscal Year 2024 Executive Budget to address New York's housing crisis and build 800,000 new homes in the next decade. Elected representatives and local leaders voiced their support for the plan, which builds on the Governor's vision to make New York more livable, more accessible, and more affordable.
Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said, "The housing crisis facing Syracuse and communities around the state demands creative and determined action. That's why we launched the Resurgent Neighborhoods Initiative in Syracuse in 2019 to build new construction single- and two-family housing for the first time in decades at sites around the city. It's also why we're advancing nearly 2,000 more quality, affordable workforce, and senior housing units in major projects on the city's south, north, and west sides. Governor Hochul and her team have been strong housing partners to Syracuse. The roundtable discussions in Syracuse and other communities are critically important to engage local leaders, because we need non-profit partners and municipalities in cities, suburbs and rural areas working together to address the housing challenges we all face together."
Helen Hudson, Syracuse Common Council President, said, "I am very hopeful and excited that Gov. Hochul, is pushing forward with her housing initiative. It is far past time that we take a look at the substandard housing across NY State. Thanks to Gov Hochul we can start looking at quality affordable housing in a real way that will benefit renters and 1st time home buyers across the state. To look at housing in a comprehensive way will not only secure quality housing for families but it would also generate economic development in communities that would truly benefit from both."
Chol Majok, Syracuse Common Councilor, said, "I want to commend and support Governor Hochul for actively thinking and acting on the issue of quality and affordable housing shortage in New York. We need leaders with political will, like the governor, who dignifies our residents and help support local municipalities' fight against a growing and shrinking tax base."
Onondaga County Legislator Mary Kuhn said, "Governor Hochul's proposed housing plan is, I think, a good start in addressing the crisis our nation, and especially our community, is experiencing regarding affordable housing. The damage that income inequality has had on our citizens, amplified by the pandemic, is most visible in the explosion of homelessness we are now experiencing. People who have never been homeless before finding themselves on the street, in cars and shelters because they couldn't afford their rent increases. Because NYS is a home rule state, I know there will be pushback on her plan, but I hope she stays strong and that the Senate and Assembly will pass this important bill."
Onondaga County Legislator Peggy Chase said, "Housing is so important to our community. This was a great way, in a reasonable time frame, to give us enough information to represent the program intelligently. I hope we can continue these types of informational presentations."
Lynnore Fetyko, CEO of the Greater Syracuse Association of Realtors, said, "Central New York's REALTORS® applaud Gov. Hochul for addressing our state's housing housing shortage and committing to create opportunities for New Yorkers to have a home to call their own. Thanks to the governor's leadership, we have Micron investing in our region. This will help our economy and bring new jobs, but we must have impactful solutions such as hers to be able to house those coming to our area for this opportunity and deliver housing that will keep our current residents here."
Ben Lockwood, President of Housing Visions, said, "Expanding housing production throughout New York State is sound policy. Diverse housing options are a necessity to maintain vibrant communities that adequately serve residents."
Kerry Quaglia, CEO of Home Headquarters, Inc., said, "As a nonprofit, affordable housing developer and one of the leading home improvement lenders in Upstate New York, we know first-hand that we have a historic housing crisis in our state. Our community's housing suffers from years of disinvestment, often providing a disastrous combination of serious violations and health hazards that worsen every year they don't get addressed. We do not have enough safe and affordable housing, especially starter homes, for our existing population and we definitely do not have enough housing for new employers looking to call Central New York home. The Governor's ambitious housing plan will help Upstate New York invest in much needed new housing with new technologies, repair existing housing stock and better prepare our community for the future. We look forward to building better with Governor Hochul and the New York State Housing Compact."
Raquan Pride-Green, Executive Director, Blueprint 15, Inc., said, "On behalf of Blueprint 15, Inc, I am writing to express support for Governor Hochul's New York Housing Compact Program. Access to affordable, high-quality, healthy, and safe homes are critical to all communities in New York State. The lack of quality affordable housing is one of the most underrated reasons why people have left the state of New York over the past few decades. Jobs in New York State have beencreated at three times the rate of new housing units prior to the pandemic. The Housing Compact Program will help mitigate the rising cost of houses and rent by providing newer housing stock, making New York State a more affordable place to live. With a newer housing stock of approximately 800,000 units as proposed by the New York Housing Compact Program, the prices for housing will decrease, which will result in a reduction of New Yorkers paying over 30 percent of their income for housing, resulting in more New Yorkers staying in New York State andother New Yorkers returning as well as with new residents."
Katelyn Wright, Executive Director Greater Syracuse Land Bank, said, "For decades the Syracuse area has suffered a lack of affordable, quality housing. According to the latest US Census data, 87 percent of Syracuse households who rent are rent burdened - spending more than 30 percent of their gross monthly income on housing. With Micron coming to town and housing demand increasing in Onondaga County, we only expect it to become more difficult for Syracuse families to find affordable, quality housing. The Governor's Housing Compact and commitment to increasing the supply of affordable housing couldn't come at a better time. New units put into the marketplace will not only be affordable, but safe, healthy, and free of lead paint hazards. The Greater Syracuse Land Bank has been working for a decade to get site control and assemble sites for new construction and now with financial support from New York State, we and our affordable housing partners in Syracuse like Home HeadQuarters, Jubilee Homes, and Housing Visions, are ready to build."
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