Cortland Housing Assistance Council Provides Update on Proposed Affordable Senior Housing Project – Now Competing With One Other Project For Funding

The City of Cortland Common Council and Mayor during last night’s Common Council meeting received and filed an update from the Cortland Housing Assistance Council’s River Street Senior Apartments. The project has been in the works for a number of years and still awaits funding through the State’s Homes and Community Renewal Program. 

The project, though, is not the only one in Cortland County trying to receive state funding. Reagan Development looks to build a mixed-use 4-story affordable housing project at 968 Route 13 in Cortlandville.

In the update provided, the Cortland Housing Assistance Council says they were recently awarded $2 million dollars towards the $20 million project at 30 River Street from the New York State Homeless Housing Assistance Program, or HHAP. Overall, the project would be funded from both public and private sources, including the NYS Homes and Community Renewal.

The development at 30 River Street would be 53 one-bedroom apartments for seniors aged 62 and older who also earn up to 60% of the area median income. The building would be three-stories tall with 6 units designated as fully accessible, 3 for those with hearing/vision impairments and 12 for seniors experiencing or are at risk of homelessness. 

Seniors who live at the apartment building will also benefit from services that will be provided by Catholic Charities. Those include a variety of social, health, and transportation services. Workshops and other wellness activities will also be offered, according to the update provided on the project.

X101 News had spoken to Cortland Mayor Scott Steve regarding the proposed project and its multi-year battle in receiving funding. Mayor Steve expressed frustration over the lack of funding from the Homes and Community Renewal administered by the state and added projects in Cortland County are competing with projects in Onondaga County; some which are not even shovel ready when compared to the River Street project.

Still though, if funding is given by the Homes and Community Renewal for the River Street Senior Housing project, construction could begin as early as summer 2025 with the project completed by fall of 2026.