Senator Sean Ryan Announces Vacant Rental Renovation Grant Application Now Open To All Small Landlords In Buffalo

BUFFALO – Today, March 4, 2025, New York State Senator Sean Ryan announced that small landlords in every part of Buffalo can now apply for grants to fund renovations to uninhabitable rental units. The grants are funded through the Vacant Rental Program, a new state housing program that Senator Ryan devised and secured $40 million in funding to create in last year’s state budget. Over $10.6 million in grants will be awarded in Western New York alone.

The grants are being administered by not-for-profit organizations and local governments across Upstate New York. Three entities will be distributing grants in the City of Buffalo. The City of Buffalo (via the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency) has now begun its grant application process, which has opened applications to every neighborhood in the city. Senator Ryan previously announced that Broadway Fillmore Neighborhood Housing Services and the East Buffalo Development Corporation were accepting applications for properties on Buffalo’s East Side.

The Vacant Rental Program (VRP) offers grants of $50,000 or $75,000 to responsible, local landlords who own buildings with five or fewer units. The grants may be used to renovate vacant units in exchange for a 10-year commitment to rent the units at affordable rates corresponding to each grant amount. More details are available at hcr.ny.gov/vrp.

Senator Ryan proposed the program in January 2024 as part of The City of Good Neighborhoods, his comprehensive plan to address the shortage of high-quality, affordable housing in Buffalo. He successfully pushed to get $40 million included in last year’s state budget to establish VRP as a pilot program across Upstate New York, including more than $10.6 million in grants for Western New York. In February, Senator Ryan announced he is working to get additional funding included in the upcoming state budget to expand the popular program.

Senator Sean Ryan said, “This program will increase Buffalo’s affordable rental stock and create new income streams for small landlords who don’t have the funds to fix up units that have fallen into disrepair. It will be an effective long-term tool to help reinvigorate Buffalo’s neighborhoods, but the first step is to show the state that people want to be part of this program. The more eligible applicants we get for these grants, the easier it will be to make the case for expanding the program in the upcoming budget and beyond.”