Senate Resolution No. 2598

BY: Senator MANNION

COMMEMORATING the 25th Anniversary of Home
HeadQuarters of Syracuse, New York

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize that
the quality and character of life in the communities across New York
State are reflective of the concerned and dedicated efforts of those
organizations and individuals who would devote themselves to the welfare
of the community and its citizenry; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Home HeadQuarters of Syracuse, New
York; and

WHEREAS, Home HeadQuarters is a non-profit housing and community
development organization and certified Community Development Financial
Institution whose mission is to create housing opportunities in Central
and Upstate New York for individuals and families and improve the
communities in which they live; and

WHEREAS, Home HeadQuarters was founded in 1996, to address the
declining owner-occupancy rate and overall disinvestment in the City of
Syracuse; it also focused on implementing a home improvement lending
program and providing homeownership education to create new city home
buyers and maintain and improve city neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, In 1999, Home HeadQuarters joined the national
NeighborWorks America Network, and became a certified NeighborWorks
HomeOwnership Center; since then, it has become one of the leading
providers of homebuyer education and counseling in the country,
regularly ranking in the top 10 of all 240+ NeighborWorks organizations
nationwide; and

WHEREAS, Home HeadQuarters was the lead administrator of the
Syracuse Neighborhood Initiative (SNI) program created almost a decade
ago by Congressman James T. Walsh, and successfully delivered the
majority of SNI's $81 million in housing and neighborhood investment to
many neighborhoods and target areas and hundreds of families in the City
of Syracuse; and

WHEREAS, Programming included neighborhood planning and development,
resident capacity building, home improvement loans, mini-grants, home
equity protection, purchase and rehab grants, new construction,
substantial rehab, and demolition; and

WHEREAS, Today, Home HeadQuarters serves residents throughout
Upstate New York as well as acting as the primary housing delivery
agency in the City of Syracuse by substantially rehabilitating
distressed properties, building new homes for purchase by first-time
homebuyers and providing low to moderate-income families with Urgent
Care, Closing Cost Assistance and Syracuse Homeowner Assistance programs
made possible with federal Community Development Block Grants and HOME
Funding; and


WHEREAS, In addition, Home HeadQuarters works in conjunction with
the Greater Syracuse Land Bank by redeveloping their vacant properties
and providing purchase and construction financing to other homebuyers
and investors developing Land Bank properties; and

WHEREAS, As a neighborhood development organization, Home
HeadQuarters also includes affiliates CNY Affordable Realty, the only
non-profit realty in Central New York, and Opportunity Headquarters, a
full-service construction crew; and

WHEREAS, Currently, Home HeadQuarters is focusing on initiatives and
programs that work to create equitable housing and financing
opportunities for underserved people; end lead poisoning; fill gaps in
the lending market by providing financing for local investors, MWBE
certified contractors and other non-profits; create more affordable
rental opportunities; and develop vacant commercial and mixed-use
properties within the development model; and

WHEREAS, Home HeadQuarters is also the non-profit partner for the
Syracuse Financial Empowerment Center, which offers free, professional
financial counseling to any city resident; and

WHEREAS, Throughout its 25-year history, Home HeadQuarters has
played a major role in stabilizing and revitalizing Central and Upstate
New York neighborhoods by directly facilitating more than 4,000
homebuyers; providing more than $140 million in home improvement loans
and grants and $28 million in down payment assistance and first mortgage
financing; removing more than 525 derelict structures; rehabilitating
230 formerly vacant properties and constructing more than 70 new,
energy-efficient homes; and

WHEREAS, More than 18,000 people have come to Home HeadQuarters
seeking education and counseling on buying a home, building family
wealth, becoming credit smart or keeping their home from foreclosure;
and

WHEREAS, Home HeadQuarters is one of the leading lenders for
families looking to repair their homes in the City of Syracuse,
providing 65% of all lending activity to families of color and out
lending all other financial institutions combined; and

WHEREAS, For its steadfast and unremitting commitment to its
community, Home HeadQuarters has been the recipient of numerous awards
and accolades including the National Association of REALTORS Hope Award
Winner, the 2020 NeighborWorks America Top Home Improvement Lender
Award, and several LEED Platinum, Gold and Silver Development Awards;
and

WHEREAS, Home HeadQuarters received an Aeris A+ Performance Rating
and was named the Upstate Minority Economic Alliance (UMEA) Community
Organization of the Year; and

WHEREAS, Home HeadQuarters has earned certifications from
HUD-affiliated Local Housing Counseling Agency, Community Housing
Development Organization (CHDO), Community Development Entity (CDE),
Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), and Community Based

Development Organization; it is also a member of the Federal Home Loan
Bank of New York and U.S. Green Building; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the well-being and vitality of their community and have shown a
long and sustained commitment to excellence certainly have earned the
recognition and applause of all the citizens of this great Empire State;
now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Home HeadQuarters of Syracuse, New
York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Home HeadQuarters.