JAMESTOWN, NY – On May 25, WRFA continued its series of Community Conversations, this time focusing on poverty in Chautauqua County. The discussion involved challenges and barriers for those living in poverty or near poverty in Chautauqua County.

Our panel included:

• United Way of Southern Chautauqua County, Executive Director Amy Rohler
• Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc., Deputy Director of Housing & Community Development Amanda Straight
• Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union, Loan Officer Elia Sostre

It was moderated by WRFA Public Affairs Director Julia Ciesla-Hanley.

The discussion was broadcast live on WRFA radio, with video streaming available on the WRFA Youtube Channel.

Funding for the Community Conversation is made available by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s American Rescue Plan Act stabilization grant fund.

(left to right) Amy Rohler, Amanda Straight, Elia Sostre, and Julia Ciesla-Hanley

Renderings for proposed new Salvation Army ANEW Center

The Jamestown Planning Commission has approved a site plan for the Salvation Army’s ANEW center while tabling site plans for Chautauqua Opportunities‘ Women’s Homeless Shelter.

The site plan approval for the Salvation Army facility is contingent on approval by City Department of Development staff.

The Salvation Army received $3.8 million to relocate and build a new homeless shelter for women and children. The new two-story building will have seven units and 19 beds. This $4.8 million project will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, create six additional beds and allows services staff to have offices in the same building.

The money is being administered by the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance through the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program.

The Planning Commission, under staff recommendation, tabled COI’s site plan for 303 Lafayette Street until September in order to further review building plans.

The facility will be able to shelter 18 women. It’s being funded through a $2.49 million grant from the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

Chautauqua Opportunities Director of Housing Josiah Lamp, speaking at a City Council meeting in February, said the City of Jamestown also is providing a $110,000 match through Community Development Block Grant funds. He said operating funds will come from the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services as well as from Chautauqua Opportunities.

WATCH

The discussion was broadcast live on WRFA radio, with video streaming available on both WRFA’s Facebook Page and Youtube Channel.

A virtual Q&A was also available for audience members.

Funding for the Community Conversation is made available by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s American Rescue Plan Act stabilization grant fund.

Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. will receive $180,710 and the Dunkirk Housing Authority will receive $90,600.

The awards will provide funding to help individuals and families experiencing homelessness move into permanent housing with access to supportive services, with the overarching goal of long-term stability.

HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge said, “Access to stable housing is a basic necessity – the safety of a home is essential, especially as we continue to fight the COVID-19 virus. These Continuum of Care (CoC) program grants, coupled with the historic resources in the American Rescue Plan, will deliver communities the resources needed to ensure that every person in a respective community has the equitable opportunity to a safe and stable home.”

The CoC program is designed to promote a community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness. The program is the largest source of federal grant funding for homeless services and housing programs servicing people experiencing homelessness.

Director of Development Crystal Surdyk presents to Jamestown City Council Housing Committee

Jamestown City Council learned more about a proposed $1.227 million dollar Rental Rehabilitation Program at its work session Monday.

Director of Development Crystal Surdyk said while a home ownership program is a hot button program, the funding received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development office under the American Rescue Plan Act did not allow for that kind of use, “The possible activities included rental housing rehabilitation, tenant based rental assistance, supportive services, acquisition and development of non-congregate shelter, and non-profit operating and capacity building assistance. So, unfortunately this did not allow for the assistance in creating more home ownership.”

Surdyk said a meeting required by HUD between stakeholders including the Jamestown Housing Authority, Chautauqua Opportunities, Southern Tier Environments for Living, and other community based organizations resulted in the agreement that the creation of a Rental Rehabilitation program was the best action, “For a number of reasons, one of which being we have had a rental rehabilitation program in the past so we weren’t creating something that was brand new. It was something we already knew how to do and it’s certainly really a huge need as we all know.”

Council member Marie Carrubba asked if there was a way to not give funding to landlords who consistently did not keep their properties up to code and were consistently in Housing Court on code violations.

Surdyk said there will be a screening process and a 10% match required of landlords, “We can fund up to $15,000 per unit. There will be a limit on the number of units that any one landlord can apply for. And there will be a five year anti-speculation agreement so the landlord would not be able to then turn around and sell their new and improved property. If they do, they have to reimburse us for the full amount. And, in addition to that, there’s a property maintenance agreement that they have to sign.”

Surdyk said a complete housing inspection for code violations will be done for participants in the program with the landlords responsible for bringing the housing units up to code.

A public hearing on the Rental Rehabilitation Program will be held Monday, March 28 prior to the City Council Voting session.

Chautauqua Opportunities’ Director of Housing Josiah Lamp presents to Jamestown City Council

Jamestown City Council heard a presentation on the proposed homeless shelter for women to be located in downtown Jamestown.

Chautauqua Opportunities Director of Housing Josiah Lamp said the facility, which will be able to shelter 18 women, would be located at 303 Lafayette Street.

It’s being funded through a $2.49 million grant from the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Lamp said the City of Jamestown also is providing a $110,000 match through Community Development Block Grant funds. He said operating funds will come from the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services as well as from Chautauqua Opportunities.

Lamp said the first floor, which was formerly a laundromat, will be community space, “A lobby, there will be a secure entrance, and there will be a computer lab where the women can come in and look for housing, they can use that to look for employment. Then there will also be a laundry facility, storage facility, and then office space for our staff to work with them while they’re in shelter.”

Lamp said the second and third floors will have fully adaptable units with elevator access. He said the building will be secured through fob entry for the main entrance as well as for each unit. The facility also will be staff 24-7 by Housing Support Services employees.

Council member at Large Jeff Russell commented that there’s a definite need for this kind of shelter and that it’s long overdue. He asked Lamp if the women sheltered there would be just from Jamestown or from outside the area, including outside of the county. Lamp said the need is largest in Jamestown and that he doesn’t ever see anyone from outside the area being placed there.

The renovation of the Lafayette Street building is anticipated to begin this Fall with completion by July 2023.

Jamestown City Council

One resolution for $483,000 would replace water mains on May Street and Gwendolin Avenue.

Several other resolutions totaling $252,735 would provide back up generators for fire stations, new entry doors, new overhead doors, and the truck floor renovation at Station 5.

Council also will review resolutions to hire a Personal Computer Specialist in IT Department following the death of a city employee, a School Crossing guard agreement with Jamestown Public Schools, and a contract between Jamestown Police and Jamestown Psychiatric in Lakewood.

Several presentations are on the agenda including a presentation from Chautauqua Opportunities on the proposed homeless shelter for women in Jamestown, the West Third Street Redesign, and a presentation on Jamestown Urban Renewal Agency‘s Action Plan.

The work session takes place at 7:30 p.m. in the Police Training Room on the fourth floor of city hall.

WRFA’s Julia Ciesla-Hanley spoke with Chautauqua Opportunities Director of Housing and Community Development Josiah Lamp about a grant they received to bring a women’s homeless shelter to Jamestown.

A Salvation Army volunteer unpacks donation boxes in Jamestown.

JAMESTOWN – For the second week in a row, the Chautauqua County Crisis Response Fund has awarded grants to organizations on the frontlines of the coronavirus outbreak in Chautauqua County.

On Monday, the Fund’s Decision Committee awarded $76,400 to the United Way of Northern Chautauqua County, Salvation Army of Jamestown and Dunkirk and Chautauqua Opportunities.

Dollars will be immediately released to these organizations to provide flexible funding to help individuals overcome barriers to accessing essential resources, support for supplemental food and personal hygiene items to serve an increase demand of clients, and assistance to support center-based and school-age child care providers throughout the county that have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

According to The Salvation Army, as unemployment throughout the county increases, they are seeing an increase in clients utilizing their services which includes their food pantry for food and personal hygiene items, including diapers and formula.

The Salvation Army of Jamestown and Dunkirk have been working with both United Ways in Chautauqua County to secure volunteers to help unload donations, pack bags and deliver items. Individuals from Southern Tier Environments for Living, Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County and The Resource Center have been helping in these efforts as well.

“The needs of the community have changed and we have adapted very well to providing delivery of food to individuals and families in our community,” said Major Chris Ramirez, Dunkirk Salvation Army.

Additional funding requests will be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the current crisis and recovery phases. At this time, priority is given to requests for needs not served by other federal, state and local resources as it relates to food security, services for older adults, child care services, mental health and wellbeing, and basic human needs.

Since March 23, the Crisis Response Fund has raised nearly $870,000 of its $1 million goal from individuals, community organizations and local foundations. It has also awarded $203,484 to 11 organizations.

The fund is administered by the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County on behalf of a coalition of philanthropy, government and business partners including the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation and United Way of Northern Chautauqua County.

More information, including how community members can make online tax-deductible donations, can be found on the United Way’s website, uwayscc.org. Individuals can also give by mailing a check made payable to the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County to 208 Pine Street, Jamestown. Please include Crisis Response Fund on the memo line.

Prior to the full work session, the council’s Housing Committee will meet at 6:15 p.m. and is scheduled to hear from Chautauqua Opportunities to learn about housing programs it offers for the community. The Housing Committee will meet in the police training room on the fourth floor of City Hall.

In addition, the council’s Public Works Committee, Public Safety Committee, and Finance Committee will also meet.

All meetings take place on the 4th floor of city hall and are open to the public.  The full work session begins at 7:30 p.m.  For other meeting times or to view the committee agendas, go online the city council section of the city website at JamestownNY.net.