8/14/17 - CITY NEWS - $473,400 grant will fix up South End homes

(As published by Cortland Standard, Evan Geibel reporting)

The city has been awarded a $473,400 grant to assist in the rehabilitation of 20 owner-occupied homes in the city’s 5th Ward to further the goals of the South End Strategic Plan.

The city applied for the state HOME grant in March through Cortland-based Thoma Development Consultants, program manager Rich Cunningham said Monday. He said potential recipients could begin to apply within the next couple of months.

Applicants must fall below 80 percent of the area median income, and live in substandard housing that they own, Cunningam said. For a family of four, the maximum income level is $40,800.

The grants cover the costs of the rehabilitation without any cost to the property owner, he said. The average amount disbursed would be about $20,000.

Cunningham said there are at least 29 eligible homeowners, and possibly more and that there will likely be marketing efforts to the survey respondents who qualify for the program.

The grant and the South End Strategic Plan as a whole, which outlines long-term ideas and hopes for the development of the South End, are targeted at the city’s 5th Ward.

The area is bounded by Tompkins Street at the north, extending down south Main Street until the city limits, encompassing Argyle Place, Frederick Avenue, Union Street, South Avenue, Crawford Street, Pine Street, Scammell Street and Denti Way.

The city is still waiting to hear back about a $650,000 state Community Development Block Grant application targeted at the south end; Cunningham said the awards should be announced within the next month.

Homeownership assistance is included in the CDBG grant, which would also be used to rehabilitate both owner-occupied and rental properties, fund more vigorous code enforcement, small business assistance and infrastructure improvements on Pierce and Winter streets and South Avenue.

Mayor Tom Gallagher said that the revitalization of the south end includes new businesses such as Cayuga Press and Cortland Plastics International, both off south Main St, as well as the $8 million rehabilitation of lower-income apartment units by Syracuse-based nonprofit developer Housing Visions.

“It adds to all the improvement that is going on in the south end. It can do nothing but enhance the living conditions and the improvement of the properties in that area,” Gallagher said this morning.

A $7 million reconstruction of south Main Street was completed in fall 2006, enhancing the area with new pavement, trees, more streetlights and decorative sidewalk borders.

That's great for the South End! Progress is happening as we speak to properties along South Main Street, and nearly $1 million is still on the tax rolls instead of being sucked up with more County facilities.

I only hope that Tom Gallagher sticks to a stance on issues rather than flop-flopping as has been done in the past on development in the City.