Governor Hochul Celebrates First Milestone for New York’s Pro-Housing Communities Program as More Than 80 Localities Launch Applications

 

Twenty Localities From Long Island, Mid-Hudson, Central New York, Western New York, Mohawk Valley, Southern Tier, North Country and Capital Regions Recognized for Their Commitment to Housing Growth – 81 Localities Have Started or Completed Applications to Date

Pro-Housing Communities Will Receive Priority Consideration Over Other Localities for Up to $650 Million in State Discretionary Funds; Under State of the State Proposal, Certification Would Be Required to Access These Funds

Builds on Governor’s Long-Term Strategy to Promote Housing Growth – Including 2024 State of the State Agenda to Increase New York’s Housing Supply

Governor Kathy Hochul today celebrated the certification of New York’s first Pro-Housing Communities as part of her long-term strategy to support local efforts to build more housing statewide. The state’s first 20 Pro-Housing Communities include localities in the Long Island, Mid-Hudson, Central New York, Western New York, Mohawk Valley, Southern Tier, North Country, and Capital Regions. The certification, first announced by Governor Hochul last year as part of a package of Executive Actions to increase the housing supply, recognizes localities committed to housing growth and gives them priority consideration over other localities for up to $650 million in state discretionary funding. As part of her 2024 State of the State, Governor Hochul proposed strengthening the Pro-Housing Communities program by making the certification a requirement for communities to access state discretionary funds.

“These 20 communities — and more than 60 others who have started their applications — are taking a stand to build a better, more prosperous, and more affordable future for New York,” Governor Hochul said. “The only way to solve the housing crisis is to build hundreds of thousands of new homes, and through the Pro-Housing Communities program, my administration is continuing to put its full-fledged support, including up to $650 million, behind communities that are serious about housing growth.”

Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “We are thrilled to announce the first localities to be certified as Pro-Housing Communities and congratulate our government partners for such a tremendous accomplishment. By directly linking up to $650 million in discretionary funds to certification, Governor Hochul is incentivizing municipalities to do more to ease the housing crunch being felt in every region of the state. HCR will continue to work closely with New York’s local governments on the certification process and we look forward to announcing additional certified communities throughout the year ahead.”

The 20 communities receiving Pro-Housing certification are:

• The city of Binghamton (Southern Tier)
• The village of Canajoharie (Mohawk Valley)
• The town of Canton (North Country)
• The village of Canton (North Country)
• The village of Croton-on-Hudson (Mid-Hudson)
• The village of Dryden (Southern Tier)
• The city of Dunkirk (Western New York)
• The village of Johnson City (Southern Tier)
• The city of Kingston (Mid-Hudson)
• The town of Lowville (North Country)
• The village of Mineola (Long Island)
• The town of New Lebanon (Capital Region)
• The city of New Rochelle (Mid-Hudson)
• The city of Newburgh (Mid-Hudson)
• The town of North Elba (North Country)
• The town of Plattsburgh (North Country)
• The city of Poughkeepsie (Mid-Hudson)
• The village of Pulaski (Central New York)
• The town of Red Hook (Mid-Hudson)
• The city of White Plains (Mid-Hudson)

Pro-Housing Community Program

In 2023, Governor Hochul signed an Executive Order to establish the Pro-Housing Community Program in order to recognize and reward municipalities actively working to unlock their housing potential and encourage others to follow suit. Localities that have successfully unlocked housing growth or committed to taking important steps to support housing, such as by streamlining permitting and adopting pro-housing policies, and that have applied and submitted critical housing and zoning data to the state, will receive a certification from New York State Homes and Community Renewal that will make them eligible for $650 million in state discretionary funding. The discretionary funding programs include:

• Downtown Revitalization Initiative, administered by the Department of State; 
• NY Forward, administered by the Department of State; 
• Regional Council Capital Fund, administrated by Empire State Development; 
• New York Main Street, administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal; 
• Market New York capital grants, administered by Empire State Development; 
• Long Island Investment Fund, administered by Empire State Development; 
• Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund, administered by Empire State Development; and 
• Public Transportation Modernization Enhancement Program, administrated by the Department of Transportation.

Localities who submit documentation that their housing stock has increased by one percent in the previous year or 3 percent over the previous three years (downstate) or by 0.33 percent in the last year or 1 percent over the previous three years (upstate) will qualify for the certification. Communities that have not yet seen housing growth can also achieve Pro-Housing Community designation by passing a resolution stating their commitment to Pro-Housing principles along with submitting the required housing and zoning data.

HCR is reviewing program applications on a rolling basis and will provide approval or denial within 90 days of submission. Applications are available on the program website.