Senator Sean Ryan Highlights Upstate Housing Funding, Other Wins For Western New York In Senate One-House Budget

ALBANY – Today, March 13, 2025, New York State Senator Sean Ryan announced details of the one-house budget resolution passed by the Senate Democratic Majority. With a focus on affordability and economic opportunity, the Senate’s budget prioritizes housing, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and economic development, laying the groundwork for a stronger, more equitable future for all New Yorkers.

The proposed budget includes $150 million to expand a trio of housing programs originally proposed by Senator Ryan as part of The City of Good Neighborhoods, his plan to address the shortage of high-quality, affordable housing in Buffalo and across Upstate New York:

• $50 million for the Vacant Rental Program
• $50 million for the Block-by-Block Program
• $50 million for the Shelter Arrears Eviction Forestallment Program

All three housing programs were established using $90 million in funding from last year’s state budget and are currently active throughout Upstate New York.

The Senate one-house also includes $6.8 million to create the NY AFFIRMS Bilingual Educator Program at Buffalo State University and Queens College. Each college will use this funding to build out education programs to recruit, teach, and prepare multilingual future teachers. This program, championed by Senator Ryan during the budget process, would help address the shortage of teachers across the state equipped to teach multilingual students if funded in the final state budget.

Senator Ryan has been a longtime champion of the New York State Enhanced Services to Refugees Program (NYSESRP) and advocated to restore proposed cuts to the program in this year’s budget. Refugees are people who have legally come to America and they have contributed significantly to Buffalo’s first population growth in 70 years. In the wake of federal funding cuts, the Senate one-house provides $7 million for NYSESRP to ensure New York’s resettlement agencies can continue to provide support critical to integrating these new Americans into our society and our economy.

Other highlights of the Senate Majority one-house budget resolution:

Prioritizing Affordability
The Senate’s proposed budget expands the Working Families Tax Credit to provide families with children with up to $1,600 per child. It also strengthens the Earned Income Tax Credit for single adults by delivering more money to low-income earners.

Investing in Childcare and Education
The Senate’s proposed budget provides $150 million to expand Universal Pre-K and $180 million for after-school programs, and invests $500 million in the Workforce Retention Grant program to provide childcare employees with an annual salary enhancement in order to grow New York’s childcare workforce.

It provides full funding of Foundation Aid for New York’s school districts and funds universal school meals for all New York students, while also ensuring that more locally sourced food is included in breakfast and snack programs.

Supporting Higher Education
The Senate’s proposed budget extends loan forgiveness to attorneys serving indigent populations, creates a loan repayment program for youth mental health practitioners, and broadens student eligibility for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). It also creates a 5-year, $1 billion SUNY capital improvement plan to support campus modernization projects.

Backing Small Businesses
The Senate’s proposed budget provides grants for main street storefront revitalization, helping businesses renovate, modernize, and attract foot traffic. It also adds new incentives for local manufacturing and small-scale production, supporting businesses that create quality, local jobs.

Providing Pension Parity in Law Enforcement
The Senate’s proposed budget invests $76.9 million to provide forest rangers, park police, SUNY officers, and environmental conservation officers with a 20-year retirement plan, ensuring pension parity with their peers in other state law enforcement agencies.