Community Leaders Gather to Celebrate Lackawanna Homes Project

LACKAWANNA – On Saturday, September 28, 2013, New York State Senator Tim Kennedy and Assemblyman Sean Ryan hosted a community event celebrating the upcoming Lackawanna Homes project. The project, locally sponsored by Lackawanna Housing Development Corporation, will construct 48 single-family homes in Lackawanna’s First Ward. The project will be constructed by The NRP Group LLC, and the $12 million cost is funded by New York State Office of Homes and Community Renewal, the City of Lackawanna, and Erie County. The Lackawanna Homes project is set to start construction in April 2014.

In addition to the 48 homes, the project will construct a new community center in the first ward of the City of Lackawanna. Families earning between 30 percent and 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) will be eligible. Net rents will range from $310 to $725 per month. The homes will be leased to the residents for a period of 15 years, and then sold to those residents at a discounted price at the end of the 15 year tax-credit compliance period.

The community event featured speakers who discussed the specifics of the project. The list of speakers and attendees included: Lackawanna Mayor Geoffrey Szymanski, First Ward Councilmember Abdul Noman, Assemblyman Sean Ryan, Senator Tim Kennedy, Leonard Skrill of NYS Office of Homes and Community Renewal, Phil Lowrey of Lackawanna Housing Development Corporation, Vincent Clark of the Buffalo Urban League, Todd Vaarwerk of WNY Independent Living, and Rev. Mark Blue of the Second Baptist Church.

Senator Tim Kennedy said "New York State is making a substantial investment in Lackawanna with this important new construction project. The Lackawanna Homes project, which is set to start in April 2014, will lead to the construction of 48 single-family houses that will provide safe, reliable shelter for our neighbors. Comfortable, secure housing remains at the heart of the American Dream, and with this new development in Lackawanna, we'll help several local families move even closer to achieving their dream of owning a home. I'm proud to have worked with NYS Homes & Community Renewal to encourage this serious investment in Lackawanna's First Ward. As a result of our persistent advocacy, New York State is finally paying attention to the needs of Western New York and delivering significant resources to help our region rebound."

Assemblyman Sean Ryan said “The Lackawanna Homes project will be a game-changer for the First Ward. This type of investment has not been seen in Lackawanna for a very long time, and all residents of the First Ward are going to benefit from this critical investment. I thank Governor Cuomo and New York State for providing over $10 million for this project. The 48 new homes and the new community center will go a long way toward improving the First Ward, and I look forward to the start of construction in the spring.”

Phil Lowrey, Executive Director of the Lackawanna Housing Development Corporation said “The Lackawanna Homes Development is a critical component to an integrated and coordinated urban community revitalization initiative for the First Ward in the City of Lackawanna.”

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