State announces funding for disaster-relief housing in Oneida, Binghamton

New York state has awarded housing projects in Oneida and Binghamton more than $10 million in funding following housing losses during Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee in 2011.

The same communities suffered losses in the severe storms and flooding that slammed the region last year.

The office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the funding last Thursday in a news release.

New York State Homes & Community Renewal and the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery in August announced that the two agencies would collaborate to “speed up” the review and award process for eligible projects in storm-affected communities, Cuomo’s office said.

In order to be eligible for an accelerated review, applicants needed to demonstrate a significant loss of housing within a one-mile radius of the proposed project; that the proposed project is “consistent” with a comprehensive community-rebuilding plan; and that they had control of the development site and were prepared to start work as soon as funding was secured.

Both multi-family housing projects are designed to coincide with community-rebuilding plans in each location. To ensure resiliency, each project has been “individually assessed to mitigate the threat of flooding,” Cuomo’s office said.

The Binghamton Gateway Homes project includes the rehabilitation of 11 existing buildings, and the construction one three-story, mixed-use building.

The project will generate a total of 37 apartments for occupancy, including 27 in the rehabilitated buildings and 10 in the new mixed-use building, Cuomo’s office said.

The City of Binghamton’s requested mixed-use building will also include two commercial storefronts “to maintain the commercial district” where the project is located, Cuomo’s office said.

First Ward Action Council, Inc. is developing Binghamton Gateway Homes and funding the project through more than $518,000 in low-income housing tax credits and more than $6.9 million in community development, block grant disaster-recovery funds from the governor’s Office of Storm Recovery.

Oneida Workforce Housing includes the construction of four, two-story residential buildings that provide 40 affordable housing units, Cuomo’s office said.

The project also includes the construction of a community building that will include a public space for the residents to use, along with a manager’s office, maintenance office, and fully furnished computer room.

Each of the housing buildings will also include laundry facilities, storage space, and 60 on-site parking spaces.

Additionally, Oneida Workforce Housing will include an outdoor pavilion, bike paths that are part of the Oneida rail-trail system, and sidewalks tying into existing city walks.

The project site is located at 106 N. Warner St. in Oneida, and is funded through $880,000 in low-income housing tax credits and a $2.2 million low-income housing trust-fund loan.

New York established the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery in June 2013 to coordinate statewide recovery efforts for areas ravaged by Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene, and Tropical Storm Lee.

Through its NY Rising housing recovery, small business, community reconstruction and infrastructure programs, the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery invests more than $4 billion, made available through the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, to “better prepare New York for future extreme weather events,” according to Cuomo’s office.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com