State program targets vacant Buffalo apartments with rehab incentive (The Buffalo News)
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More affordable housing units are coming to Western New York, if property owners take advantage of a grant program touted by a state lawmaker.
The homes won't be new construction − they will be located in existing buildings that are being renovated with the help of a state program supported by Sen. Sean Ryan. Ryan, a Democrat who represents part of Buffalo and its northern suburbs in the State Legislature, is also a Buffalo mayoral candidate.
Ryan held a press event Friday morning outside the Kerns Avenue Bowling Center in Buffalo to announce that the state's Vacant Rental Program, which offers property owners grants to renovate empty apartments, is in full swing.
“We were way better off in Buffalo when you had a choice of apartments to rent and a price range. Right now, the market is tightened up so much. It’s very difficult to find apartments, and that’s why we put so much effort and money into creating this program,” Ryan said.
The program seeks to keep housing ownership local, create more housing options at affordable rates and to create contracting jobs. By providing resources for community members to rent out their properties, the housing crisis will be assuaged without constructing new buildings at a higher cost, Ryan said.
To receive a grant, property owners must make their apartments available for the next 10 years at a rate at or below 60% of the local median income. Those with commercial properties connected to living spaces are encouraged to apply, Ryan said.
“Owners can apply for up to $75,000 grants to renovate vacant units that have fallen into disrepair. It's not a loan. It’s not a tax break. It’s a grant,” said Ryan. “Landlords who get the grants have to then agree to rent the apartments back into the community at an affordable price.”
There are over 4,000 vacant units in Buffalo, according to Ryan. The program has been funded with $40 million in each of the last two years, which, Ryan said, could help bring 1,200 affordable housing units back into housing markets across upstate New York.
Five local organizations were chosen to distribute the first $11 million to applicants. Business development specialist Essence Sweat of the Eastside Buffalo Development Corp. says that the project creates pathways for community-based development organizations. She also described Ryan’s offering of resources as “impressive and unprecedented.”
The first grant recipient is Dan Adams, who owns the Kerns Avenue Bowling Center, as well as two vacant apartments directly above it. Adams previously rented the space to tenants but had to leave it empty for nearly a decade because of the cost of repairs, he said. A new roof is currently under construction as part of the $144,200 building renovation.
Earnest Clark, who inherited his mother’s estate, was selected for a grant by the EBDC. With the funding, he is able to maintain familial roots that may have otherwise been lost, Clark said.
“This support is more than just financial assistance. It’s a powerful vote of confidence and my vision that enables me to continue on generational wealth and brings me one step closer to making a meaningful impact for my family and this community," Clark said.
The Vacant Rental Improvement Bill, sponsored by Ryan, would codify the annual program in law in cities across New York State with less than 1 million people. It was passed by the Senate on June 6 and now awaits Assembly approval.
