Jamestown City Council voting session (May 22, 2023)

Jamestown City Council has approved reallocating $225,000 in previous years HOME program funds to a First Time Homebuyers Assistance Program.

The Annual Action plans for 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 had funds not fully expended, which Jamestown Director of Development Crystal Surdyk said the city could access through the amendment process.

The funding will go to Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corporation (CHRIC) for the First Time Homebuyers Program that they currently administer.

The $225,000 would provide $4,000 to an estimated 50 low-to moderate-income first time homebuyers between 2023 and 2026.

Council also approved contracting with Highmark Life Insurance for the city’s Annual Stop Loss Program. The agreement continues the same policy but is 37% higher in costs with a budget increase of $160,521 for next year.

Another resolution approved under new business was the award of $500,000 in American Rescue Plan funds to Southern Tier Builders Exchange for a Pre-Apprenticeship Program. The funding had been approved by the Jamestown Local Development Corporation on May 17 but as the amount was over the $100,000 threshold, it required council approval.

Southern Tier Builders hopes to receive its accreditation from National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCR) by July and start classes in the Fall.

Jamestown Director of Development Crystal Surdyk presents at public hearing (May 15, 2023)

A public hearing has been held on reallocating $225,000 in previous years HOME program funds to a First Time Homebuyers Assistance Program.

Jamestown Director of Development Crystal Surdyk said funds allocated in the 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 Annual Action Plans had not been fully spent in those years and an amendment to those action plans would allow the department to combine those funds for another program, “This funding will go to one of our Community Housing Development organizations, CHRIC, for the First Time Homebuyers Program that they currently administer. This is a great way for us to be able to spend those funds that we certainly don’t want to see go to waste and there’s definitely a need. CHRIC is ready to go.”

Surdyk said Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corporation has applicants in their program waiting for funding and that U.S. Housing and Urban Development has supported CHRIC’s program in the past. She said CHRIC would retain an additional $500 per recipient for administrative costs.

The $225,000 would provide $4,000 to an estimated 50 low-to moderate-income first time homebuyers between 2023 and 2026.

Surdyk said the homebuyers would use the funds as gap funding, “It helps with down payment and closing costs. It also requires its participants to participate in a program that lasts over, I believe, nine weeks. They learn all of the basics of being a homeowner, responsibilities that they have as a homeowner.”

Surdyk said homebuyers sign an anti-speculation agreement that they won’t sell their home for five years, or risk having to pay back funding they’ve received.

She said there is about $1 million total in unexpended HOME funds. City Deputy Director of Housing Policy and Development Kasie Foulk said the Department of Development just learned that Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME monies not expended in previous years could have the action plans amended to reallocate the funds for existing or new programs.

Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corporation

Congressman Nick Langworthy announced the funding is coming from NeighborWorks America.

He said in a statement that, “Affordable housing remains a huge hurdle for many that live in Western New York and the Southern Tier. I am excited to see these communities get the funding necessary to get some relief for those who are experiencing housing uncertainty.”

Since 1978, CHRIC has worked to improve Chautauqua County’s homes, neighborhoods, communities, and the lives of its residents.

NeighborWorks America is a public non-profit organization, established by Congress in 1978 as the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation. For nearly 45 years, NeighborWorks America has supported local solutions to community development and affordable housing challenges.

Jamestown Renaissance Corporation Neighborhood Project Director Mary Maxwell presents on “Paint Jamestown” program to the City Council Housing Committee

The Jamestown Renaissance Corporation‘s ‘Paint Jamestown’ program is looking for additional funding in order to expand.

Neighborhood Project Director Mary Maxwell presented on the program to the City Council Housing Committee.

She said the program started in 2019 where if homeowners painted their houses with historic color schemes, they could receive a 25%, or $2,500, reimbursement on costs, “So, so far, the total for three years – we’ve done seven properties, $34,000 has been invested, $27,000 was (home)owner (invested), and the Jamestown Renaissance paid $7,709, which is 22%. So we’re getting a good return on our money.”

Maxwell said 8 applicants are signed up for 2022. She said the reimbursement rate has been raised to 30%, or $3,000. Currently, the JRC has $15,547 of the $24,000 needed for the program.

Maxwell said the program is currently only happening in the target areas due to staff and financial shortages, “That is Allen Park-UPMC has one. We’re moving out of that and going into the northside, so we’re about to present it to the northside people. I don’t like to present this and the Renaissance Block Challenge at the same time. People get confused. What I would like to see is some American Rescue funds and take this all over the city.”

Those looking for more information on the Paint Jamestown program may contact Mary Maxwell at mary@jamestownrenaissance.org.

City Council also heard a presentation from Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corporation Executive Director Joshua Freifeld on home improvement grant programs.

Freifeld discussed the Restore program, Access to Homes program, and Access to Heroes program.

In order to qualify, Freifeld said the homeowner has to be current on the house’s mortgage and taxes, as well as have homeowner’s insurance. He said homeowners also must meet any income requirements required. A 3-year lien is also put on the property to prevent the homeowner from selling the house immediately after work is done.

For more information on CHRIC’s programs, call 716-753-4650.

Jamestown City Council

Jamestown Renaissance Corporation‘s Mary Maxwell will do a presentation of the Paint Jamestown Program at the Housing Committee meeting at 6:45 p.m.

Chautauqua Home Rehab & Improvement Corporation Executive Director Joshua Freifeld will present at the full work session about new housing grant programs.

The Public Safety Committee will review two special event permit applications including one by the City for the 74th Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Allen Park on Saturday, April 16. The other event permit application is from the Jamestown Community Learning Council for a “Roll and Read” event scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to noon on Friday, June 10. That event will feature groups of children and adults walking to various stations around the city and listening to stories read by a community volunteer.

The City Council committee meetings start at 6:45 p.m. with the full work session beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the fourth floor Police Training Room. The work session will be livestreamed and all meetings are open to the public.

Jamestown Director of Development Crystal Surdyk addresses City Council Housing Committee

The community’s opportunity to give input on the annual Community Development Block Grant and HOME funds plan will be expanded this year.

Jamestown Director of Development Crystal Surdyk said they plan to hold walking tours in each ward in addition to the two usual public input meetings, “We’re still working on finalizing the routes, but we will start each tour at either a park where there’s a pavilion and we can sit and have some discussion. And then we’ll take a short little walk and just talk about some things along with the community.”

Surdyk said the public will be invited to join in the neighborhood walks. She added the first part of those meetings will be stationary to accommodate those with mobility issues. Surdyk said the ward meetings will be an opportunity for residents to share their concerns about what’s happening in their neighborhoods.

Community Development Block Grants support community development activities and needs such as infrastructure, economic development projects, public facilities installation, community centers, housing rehabilitation, code enforcement, and homeowner assistance.

A public hearing on the CDBG/HOME action plan will be held the same day as City Council‘s June voting session before it’s submitted for review to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Surdyk said input meetings with stakeholders, such as housing agencies, were held on a HOME American Rescue Plan grant the City received. She said a rental rehabilitation program was developed based on that. A public hearing will be held on that program at the end of March. Surdyk emphasized that while the new rehabilitation program is for rental units only, homeowners can still apply to the regular HOME program for repairs.

Surdyk informed the City Council Housing Committee that the Department of Development is looking at reallocating a portion of HOME funds that they haven’t been able to expend due to lack of contractors.

She said as Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corporation, or CHRIC, and Citizen Opportunity for Development and Equality, or CODE, have already expended funds they have, the city would reallocate some HOME funds to them, “Try to spread it out and knowing those programs, they have waiting lists, they could really use the additional funding and they can get it out. So if all three organizations are working on getting those funds expended, the money is out in the community rather than sitting waiting for us to be able to do something with it.”

Surdyk said a resolution in regards to that re-allocation will likely come before City Council for consideration in April.