Common Council approves use of ARPA funds to build affordable housing in Southside
Joe Zhao | Staff Photographer
In addition to the approval of plans to fund the development of more affordable housing for the Southside neighborhood, the Syracuse City Common Council discussed long-term city planning services provided by the Planning Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals and Syracuse’s Landmark Preservation Bank. The plans will establish more neighborhood and business development deputy roles.
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The Syracuse City Common Council approved plans for the Department of Neighborhood and Business Development to fund development of more affordable housing for the Southside neighborhood at its Monday meeting.
The funds, which will derive from the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funding, will offset construction costs for two new affordable rental units in the place of the former B & B Lounge at 310-312 South Avenue. The construction, which Home HeadQuarters, Inc. will oversee, will receive additional funding support from the Empire State Development Downtown Revitalization Initiative.
The council also moved forward with plans to amend the city charter to include support for long-term city planning services provided by the Planning Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals and Syracuse’s Landmark Preservation Bank. The plans also included an amendment to establish more neighborhood and business development deputy roles, as well as institute a deputy commissioners of both code enforcement and planning and sustainability.
The Council also authorized a new agreement between Onondaga County Planning and the city to create new city administrator positions, which will be a part of the city’s 2024 fiscal year budget allotments to support zoning and city planning. The agreement replaces a similar agreement from 2013 that is set to end on June 1.
Mayor Ben Walsh also presented his 2024 financial year budget, which the council will vote on May 8 after four weeks of deliberation and a period of public comment.
Other business
The council accepted Syracuse University’s donation of $10,000 to cover overtime work by the city’s hazardous material team resulting from Saturday’s Monster Jam truck show in the JMA Wireless Dome.
The council approved a program to have adult and youth education classes between May 1 and June 30 at the Everson Museum of Art in downtown Syracuse. The museum will provide all materials at a cost of no more than $800 for the city.
The council passed a resolution urging New York state to legalize automated enforcement technologies, or cameras that monitor speeding and other traffic law violations, within school zones. The cameras would only be functional during the academic year and for school events.
Published on April 11, 2023 at 2:40 am
Contact Rosina: rlboehm@syr.edu
