41 New Affordable And Supportive Apartments Completed In Elmira

[TTL News 308]

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced completion of Reynolds Way Apartments in the city of Elmira. The scattered site development converted four historic buildings into 41 apartments, including 13 with supportive services. Located within Elmira’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative target area, the development helps achieve the city’s goals of restoring historic properties and increasing housing options downtown.

“We are bringing new life to our communities by renovating the historic properties that define them – lifting up neighborhoods for residents and future generations,” Governor Hochul said. “The transformation of the Reynolds Way Apartments builds on years of state investment in downtown Elmira that is improving people’s lives and building a stronger community for all.”

In the last five years, New York State Homes and Community Renewal has created or preserved nearly 300 affordable homes in Chemung County. Reynolds Way Apartments continues this effort and complements Governor Hochul's $25 billion comprehensive Housing Plan that will create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes across New York, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes.

Reynolds Way Apartments consists of four previously vacant buildings, known as the Apartments, the Townhomes, the Warehouse, and the Stowell House, that are all located within one block of each other in downtown Elmira. All four buildings, which had been experiencing various stages of blight, have been completely rehabilitated.

The four buildings are within the Elmira Civic Historic District and both the Stowell House and the Warehouse are individually listed in the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

The development includes five studios, 30 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom apartments. All 41 apartments are affordable to households earning up to 60 percent of the Area Median Income.

13 apartments are reserved for families experiencing homelessness who will have access to supportive services and rental subsidies through an Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative award administered by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

The completed development, which utilizes highly efficient heat and air conditioning systems in all buildings, has obtained the EPA’s ENERGY STAR® Multifamily New Construction and Enterprise Green Communities certifications.

“I am very pleased to see the completion of the Reynolds Way Apartment project undertaken by Arbor Housing and Development," said Elmira Mayor Dan Mandell. "The transformation of once dilapidated properties into much needed housing for the community will have a very positive impact on this downtown neighborhood. The project aligns closely with the city’s planning efforts including our form-based zoning codes, updated under the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Many thanks to New York State Homes and Community Renewal; New York State Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation; NYSERDA; Empire State Development Corporation; and our many local development partners who helped make this transformative project a reality.” 

The developer and supportive service provider is Arbor Housing and Development.

State financing for the $20 million Reynolds Way Apartments includes $7.5 million in Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and $5.8 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal. New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation approved $5.7 million in State and Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority provided $41,000 in New Construction Housing Program incentives.

In addition to boosting the region’s Southern Tier Soaring revitalization plan, the new housing development is in sync with the State’s $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative investment in Elmira’s downtown, by helping the city meet a need for workforce housing.

[KarenK 383]

I get so confused about peoples attitudes on this.  First there is nothing but crying about no affordable housing & crying because the city keeps knocking down historic buildings.

So, they rehab 4 historic buildings and turn it into affordable housing and now everyone is crying because there will be nothing but riff/raff there.  Can't win can they?

I know Arbor takes Section 8 vouchers but low income doesn't necessarily mean people are dirtbags.  Hell I know rich people who are dirtbags.

[MsKreed 1,179]

Unfortunately “affordable” isn’t a concrete notion. To some, that means not having rental rates that are running 50-60% of the ‘median’ income of working families. To others, it may mean more of a focus on public assistance recipients.

I think the Town of Horseheads project off Gardner And Westinghouse falls into the former.....but some officials outside the Town (County & Village) fear-mongered that it would be the latter.

From this article, I’m not sure which it is. One thing that's not entirely explained is a full and clear account of what “support” and “support services” actually means. (Although the phrase is used repeatedly).  "Support/supportive" is a pretty broad term that "could" refer to anything from Mental Health advocacy to Aging services or Meal Delivery.

But, from the vagueness of the Press Release, I sort of get an impression that "support/supportive" means the concentration could be more welfare than working class. The closest reference is this part that encompasses "supportive" services under the NYS public assistant agency. 

6 hours ago, TTL News Bot said:

The development includes five studios, 30 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom apartments. All 41 apartments are affordable to households earning up to 60 percent of the Area Median Income.

13 apartments are reserved for families experiencing homelessness who will have access to supportive services and rental subsidies through an Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative award administered by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

It seems like a little bit of spin to have 13 units (31%) reserved for for families experiencing homelessness....but only six (15%) have more than one bedroom. So.....mostly homeless individuals and/or couples?