The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
In Utica, a housing model for New York
When most upstate residents hear about the state’s mounting affordable housing crisis, they likely think: That’s not happening here; that’s a New York City problem.
They couldn’t be more wrong.
The fact is that the crippling shortage of safe, affordable housing is a statewide issue, and one that is impacting renters right here in Utica. In fact, nearly half of all renters in Oneida County pay more than 30 percent of their income on rent each year, which classifies them as rent burdened. This is a serious and far-reaching dilemma that is only getting worse, and it requires a serious effort by every level of government to address.
The good news is that bills recently introduced in Washington, D.C. could, along with a robust commitment to housing in the final infrastructure deal reached on Capitol Hill, help address the local housing emergency. The Housing is Infrastructure Act of 2021 would authorize $45 billion in funding for the National Housing Trust Fund — a transformative sum that would help New York create the widespread network of affordable and supportive housing its residents both need and deserve.
The Trust Fund is so important because it is the only federal housing program aimed specifically at creating homes for the lowest-income Americans.
A significant capital commitment to the program will create housing for those who need it the most, fostering safer, more welcoming, and equitable communities in the process.
In Utica, we’ve already seen the power of the Trust Fund in the form of Starting Line Apartments, which opened its doors in October. The 60-unit residential complex is a shining example of the power of the Trust Fund. Half of the units provide on-site, services for vulnerable tenants who need them, and there are also 15 Americans with Disability Act compliant units and three Hearing and Visually Accessible units in the building.
Access to quality and secure housing can change lives. One Starting Line tenant, a grandfather, was able to secure custody of his twin grandchildren after moving into the new development. Building staff helped enroll his grandchildren into schools, secure the family public benefits, and get them on the Section 8 voucher waiting list. Now they are all thriving in a new and safe environment — all thanks to a critical investment in affordable and supportive housing.
This was only possible because of the National Housing Trust Fund, which provided just under $1 million dollars to fund Starting Line’s construction and development, and those dollars leveraged nearly $28 dollars in private, state, and local funding.
It is, in other words, a program that enriches local communities, provides housing security to vulnerable residents, and changes lives for the better. That means more stability and safety overall for the entire community. It is a model that should be replicated not just here in Utica, but across New York and the nation.
That is why we are so encouraged to see Congress considering such a transformative legislation. Legislators have an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of everyday New Yorkers and finally help mitigate a crippling emergency that is steadily worsening.
By passing the Housing is Infrastructure Act — and committing additional dollars to the Trust Fund in the final infrastructure package — Congress will be making a down payment on America’s future — and New York, along with the rest of the nation, will benefit. Lawmakers should not pass up this once-ina-lifetime chance to change our state for the better — one vulnerable life at a time.
Laura Mascuch is executive director of the Supportive Housing Network of New York. Mark Fuller is president of Depaul Properties, a non-profit organization with the core mission of creating and operating housing with support services for those who have been homeless or are aging or frail and assisting residents to be as independent as possible for as long as possible.
The fact is that the crippling shortage of safe, affordable housing is a statewide issue, and one that is impacting renters right here in Utica.