SYRACUSE — Construction crews have begun building six new single-family homes on Syracuse’s South side. The new homes are part of Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh’s Resurgent Neighborhoods Initiative (RNI), and the first projects approved by the state as part of the Affordable Homeownership Opportunity Program (AHOP), the City of Syracuse said. The City of Syracuse, […]
SYRACUSE — Construction crews have begun building six new single-family homes on Syracuse’s South side. The new homes are part of Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh’s Resurgent Neighborhoods Initiative (RNI), and the first projects approved by the state as part of the Affordable Homeownership Opportunity Program (AHOP), the City of Syracuse said. The City of Syracuse, Home HeadQuarters, New York State Homes & Community Renewal (NYSHCR), community partners, contractors, and residents participated in a Sept. 19 groundbreaking event for the new homes at 1604 S. State St. in Syracuse. Those participating in the ceremony included Walsh; Syracuse Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens; Syracuse Common Councilor Rasheada Caldwell; Ken Kinsey, owner of TKTD General Contracting; Brian DuMond, president of Geddes Federal Savings & Loan; and Kerry Quaglia, founder & CEO of Home HeadQuarters, per a city advisory on the event. “The groundbreaking of these six new houses on South State Street are among the more than 100 units of affordable single and two-family homes starting construction this year alone through our Resurgent Neighborhoods Initiative (RNI) program,” Walsh said in the city’s Sept. 20 community newsletter. “We are well on our way to meeting our goal of building 200 affordable, quality new construction homes in the City under the RNI — a number that hasn’t been seen in Syracuse in decades.” RNI is a citywide housing and business growth plan that aligns neighborhood investment planning and stakeholder engagement at a “block-level” in all four quadrants within the city. “The plan is designed to engage multiple City departments with neighborhood residents, business owners, and key stakeholders to more efficiently coordinate planning and revitalization efforts. This structure is aimed at promoting a more holistic framework that combines both short-term and long-term priorities for housing and commercial corridors,” per the city’s website. All six new houses are being built by New York State-certified minority-owned business enterprises and will be available for purchase to income-eligible first-time homebuyers, per the website of Home HeadQuarters. Many of the formerly vacant and derelict properties developed by Home HeadQuarters were purchased from the Greater Syracuse Land Bank. Home HeadQuarters says it expects to develop 40 properties in and around Syracuse with this round of the Affordable Homeownership Opportunity Program and the Resurgent Neighborhoods Initiative.