Ben Lockwood, president and CEO of Housing Visions (standing at microphone), speaks about Syracuse’s new housing strategy at a public hearing on Tuesday, July 30.Tim Knauss
Syracuse, NY – A public hearing is scheduled this week for residents of neighborhoods where the city plans to offer financial assistance to homeowners seeking to renovate.
Wednesday’s meeting is in response to Syracuse City Councilwoman Rasheada Caldwell’s attempt to block a vote last week in support of Mayor Ben Walsh’s proposed housing strategy. Caldwell said more outreach to residents on the city’s east side is needed.
A meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 21, at 5:30 p.m. at the Soule Branch Library, 101 Springfield Road, to provide an overview of the plan and gather feedback.
The Syracuse Housing Strategy was released in April, more than a year after a city-hired housing consultant released a study of the local market. The study found that Syracuse faces a dual crisis: a substandard housing stock in need of investment and a population that cannot afford the rent for upgraded properties. The strategic plan to address this problem was to focus initial investment on middle-income neighborhoods, where residents typically lack access to public assistance available in poorer areas.
Two areas that are first in line for targeted investment are the Salt Springs neighborhood on the east side and Tipperary Hill on the west side.
Walsh government officials are confident that the public meeting planned for this week will lead to council approving the strategy at its next meeting in early September.
Through a newly formed agency called Syracuse Housing Strategies Corp., city officials hope to raise $25 million for these investments. So far, about $7.5 million has been secured.
More information about the housing study and strategy can be found online at syracusehousingstudy.com.
You can reach city reporter Jeremy Boyer at [email protected](315) 657-5673, Þjórsárden or on facebook..
