Buffalo has joined three other Western New York cities and two villages in becoming certified as a “pro-housing” community by the state, making it eligible to participate in up to $650 million in state funding to incentivize housing growth.
The announcement from Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office Friday revealed that 162 cities, towns and villages across the state are now considered “pro-housing” communities, including major cities in every region. That’s an increase of more than 100 since late May, when officials announced the first set of participants.
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Besides Buffalo, the villages of Orchard Park and Angola are already certified in Erie County, along with Dunkirk, Jamestown and Olean in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties. Joining them are the Town of Mina in Chautauqua, the Town of Friendship in Cattaraugus, the Village of Wilson in Niagara County, the City of Batavia in Genesee County, and the Village of Attica, which crosses Genesee and Wyoming counties.
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Another 173 communities have applied for the certification to be recognized for a commitment to housing. Only those communities that are certified can participate in state funding programs such as the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, New York Forward, Regional Council Capital Fund, New York Main Street, Market New York, Public Transportation Modernization Enhancement Program and the Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund.
– Jonathan Epstein