A push for housing through infill development, new policies (2024)

The push is on to build new homes on vacant lots in Buffalo.

The city is in the process of selling 46 vacant properties to the Buffalo Erie Niagara Land Improvement Corp., otherwise known as the local land bank− for construction of 47 single-family and two-family homes for purchase.

Scattered throughout the city and located in the University, North, Fillmore and Niagara Council districts, the properties are being transferred for $1, as part of the Affordable Infill Housing Initiative, under the American Rescue Plan Act.

The houses will be constructed under a $23.5 million partnership between the city, Erie County and the land bank, with the county contributing $13.5 million in ARPA dollars and the city $10 million.

The properties are located on Miami, O'Connell, Maryland, Whitney, Columbus Parkway, Connecticut, 14th, Jersey, Massachusetts, Normal, Prospect, Rhode Island, West, Austin, Calumet, East, Gordon, Hamilton, Hertel, Thompson, Bush, Howell, Laird, Amherst, Berkshire, Minnesota, Rounds, Shirley, Hewitt and LaSalle streets.

The goal is to meet the demand for "moderately-priced housing intended for first-time homebuyers, working families and/or people seeking smaller, energy-efficient housing," according to memos to the Common Council from the Office of Strategic Planning's Division of Real Estate.

"A significant amount of community engagement has been conducted," the memo continued. "Residents have shown their excitement and support for the project."

The purchase prices of the individual homes will vary, as they will be set for affordability at 300% of the federal poverty level of $31,200 for a family of four, subject to a homebuyer's savings. Buffalo Construction Consultants will be construction manager for the project.

"It's a significant number of infill houses that will be under construction," said Brendan Mehaffy, executive director of the Office of Strategic Planning.

The new homes come in addition to the 12 single-family homes that the local land bank is planning to build on Adams Street between Genesee and Sycamore streets, in a partnership with the city and Evans Bank. First unveiled in 2022, the Adams Street Infill Housing Initiative is designed to encourage developers to build homes in neighborhoods with vacant lots.

But it's been delayed because of rising interest rates and construction costs that drove up both project expenses and expected sales prices, causing the partners to rethink the plan and bring in a new contractor, Orchard Park-based Buccilli Custom Homes, with a low bid of $3.7 million.

What was originally envisioned as 10 homes, and then just seven homes, will now be 12. Construction is expected to begin shortly, Mehaffy said.

Add to that the houses already planned by private-sector or nonprofit entities, and Mehaffy estimated more than 100 new homes are coming to Buffalo.

"It's a huge jump in terms of what we're doing," he said. "That's definitely the wave of the future, the infill homes and the amount and quantity of activity. We've worked through a lot to get to this point, and I really see it continuing and building to even greater scale."

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Are you pro-housing?

Gov. Kathy Hochul's effort to encourage municipalities across the state to create more housing– instead of forcing it by mandate– is gaining traction, slowly.

The Pro-Housing Communities Program was launched last year as a voluntary initiative to increase the housing supply in the state, by recognizing and rewarding communities for taking steps to permit and even incentivize growth.

To participate, municipalities must apply to become certified as "pro-housing," by submitting housing and zoning data to the state and demonstrating they have adopted policies to encourage more residential development.

It followed a failed legislative attempt through the state budget to require municipalities to streamline their project permitting and approval process, and even to change zoning laws, by penalizing communities for failing to boost housing by a minimum percentage. Both came as a result of a need to fill a projected gap of over 800,000 housing units statewide, particularly for affordable housing, but political leaders rebelled against a mandate.

Instead, Hochul and legislative leaders agreed to make access to up to $650 million in state discretionary funding and grants subject to participation as a "Pro-Housing Community." That includes the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, New York Forward, Regional Council Capital Fund, New York Main Street, Market New York, Public Transportation Modernization Enhancement Program and the Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund.

So far, more than 213 municipalities have started applications for certification, while 61 have received approval. New York State Homes and Community Renewal is reviewing applications on a rolling basis, with decisions within 90 days.

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The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the region’s economic revitalization. Email tips tobuffalonext@buffnews.comor reach Buffalo Next Editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435.