To combat homelessness, we need to create a state-run fund to renovate existing housing

BY JULIA A. OLIVER AND ADAM BALASIANO

With housing sitting firmly atop the political agenda in both Albany and City Hall, it appears that New York is taking serious steps to tackle the undersupply of new housing units that has led to affordability issues in the state. It is truly a historic opportunity that we cannot afford to miss.

Though these new housing proposals are primarily targeted on scaling up housing production, we cannot lose sight of the reality that much of our supportive housing portfolio is in danger of falling into disrepair without new investment from New York. Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Legislature should create a preservation fund for supportive housing before this crisis gets any worse.

Supportive housing, which provides a permanently affordable home equipped with on-site services, is critical in breaking the cy- cle of chronic homelessness for many because it helps individuals manage and treat physical, mental and behavioral health challenges in a safe home environment.

Aging facilities

Lawmakers at the state and city level understand the value of supportive housing and have invested historic amounts. Mayor Eric Adams’ Housing Our Neighbors plan commits to creating and completing 15,000 supportive homes by 2030, and the governor outlined her plan to create 3,500 supportive housing units for people struggling with severe mental illness as a part of her 2023 State of the State address. We applaud these efforts because new units are desperately needed.

We need more support, however, for the buildings that exist now. The earliest of the state’s supportive housing portfolio was created many years ago, often in older buildings that are today in need of major capital improvements.

That is often difficult for the undercapitalized nonprofit community, which in turn affects both the physical living conditions of chronically homeless New Yorkers and the services that nonprofits provide. In today’s economic environment, it can be challenging for nonprofits to secure the capital for major renovation projects that are needed to preserve older supportive housing.

A state-run preservation fund seeded with an initial $50 million that is replenished and increased would unlock a new funding stream and supplement the significant capital needed to maintain and make repairs so that supportive housing can be preserved and services can be offered in a safe, healthy environment for those most in need. Aging facilities are standing in the way. Such a fund would directly affect thousands of lives across the state. As part of a broader renovation initiative, Volunteers of AmericaGreater New York was recently awarded a $960,000 grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York to fund the replacement of aging structural beams at our Richard S Salyer House—a 146-unit facility that provides permanent support- ive housing to a mixed population of singles and families. Many in this population have aged in place and are now elderly, formerly homeless individuals. These funding opportunities are a lifeline to organizations such as ours and, more important, for the vulnerable people whom we serve every day. We encourage our leaders in New York to expand these funding streams and preserve this important supportive housing portfolio in the city and across the state. ■

Julia A. Oliver is chief operating officer and executive vice president for Volunteers of America-Greater New York. Adam Balasiano is assistant vice president of property management and real estate for Volunteers of America-Greater New York.