BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Hundreds of contractors, architects, developers and politicians from across New York filled the Buffalo Convention Center Thursday for the New York State Association For Affordable Housing's conference.
"The goal is to bring the industry together, not only to network and learn about network services...but to hear from elected officials and industry leaders about what’s really going on in Buffalo, and around the state that’s new and innovative," said the conference's CEO Jolie Milstein.
New York State Senator Sean Ryan was the keynote speaker. He focused on the $80 million he secured for the 2024-25 budget, to fill vacant lots with more affordable housing in Buffalo, and other New York cities.
"We don’t have any surplus apartment units, and people are stuck in sub-standard units," said Ryan. "They have no where to go."
According to Harvard University's most recent America’s Rental Housing report more rental households are cost burdened than ever before.
The report shows about half of renter households in the Buffalo area have cost burdens. That share is 42% in the Olean and Jamestown areas. All three locations have recorded median incomes between $28,000-$36,000.
"We're hoping with the program it will get doubles back online, it will make it so there's more of an outlet for people," explained Ryan. "They’ll be able to move out of sub-standard housing into safe affordable housing, and people living in doubles who can't afford buy a new house, we can get them into one of the new infill programs. It’s a start but we have to keep at this for several years."
