Governor Hochul Celebrates Groundbreaking on Redevelopment of Commodore Perry Homes in Buffalo

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of work on the redevelopment of the Commodore Perry Homes in Buffalo’s First Ward neighborhood. The new all-electric development will include 405 affordable homes across 27 newly constructed buildings.

“Through this investment, we are transforming the Perry Homes site from a symbol of decline and decadence to one of rebirth and resurgence” » said Governor Hochul. “This community-focused development will open opportunities for residents and businesses, while increasing Buffalo’s cutting-edge affordable housing options.

Over the past five years, New York State Homes and Community Renewal has created or preserved more than 12,000 affordable housing units in Erie County. Commodore Perry Homes continues this effort and is part of Governor Hochul’s $25 billion comprehensive housing plan that will create or preserve 100,000 affordable housing units across New York State, including 10,000 with supportive services for populations vulnerable, as well as the electrification of 50,000 additional homes.

After many years of planning and work, the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority and development team have prepared a comprehensive transformation plan for the Commodore Perry Public Housing Development District. Perry Homes I is the first phase of this multi-phase transformation plan and involves the redevelopment of an 18-acre portion of the existing social housing development site.

The project began in mid-April with the demolition of 24 abandoned and vacant structures that had been closed for a decade. The demolished buildings will be replaced with 27 buildings, including three mid-rise mixed-use buildings with 9,000 square feet of commercial space and 24 two- and three-story townhouse-style apartment buildings.

Once completed, the new Perry Homes will include 405 high-quality apartments, all of which will be affordable to households with incomes at or below 60 percent of the area median income.. Of the total number of units, 284 will be covered by a Project-Based Housing Assistance Payment Contract (Section 8), administered by the Office of Multifamily Housing of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The redevelopment will also feature comprehensive on-site amenities including a centrally located property management office, maintenance room, mail and package rooms, two community rooms with kitchenettes, three fitness centers, shared laundry room at each floor and a bicycle storage room.

Residents will benefit from free high-speed internet service and Wi-Fi, as well as access to green spaces and outdoor amenities, such as four playgrounds, each designed to maximize children’s play. children aged 2 to 12; several groves of trees; rain gardens to support stormwater management practices; and two outdoor plazas with picnic tables, card tables, benches and a gathering and programming room.

On-site surface parking, including 30 electric vehicle charging stations provided through a partnership with Tesla, will be accessible throughout the site for residential tenants, business visitors and management staff.

Perry Homes I is designed to be a highly efficient all-electric project meeting Enterprise Green Communities 2020 Plus certification requirements and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home Version 1 program. As part of New York State’s Clean Energy Renewal Initiative, new buildings will feature high-performance windows, improved insulation, a combination of high-efficiency LED lighting mounted on the building to promote safety, and solar panels on each of the three mid-rise buildings. buildings. Each apartment will be equipped with inverter-powered air-source heat pumps for air conditioning and heating, electric water heaters, ENERGY STAR certified dishwashers, refrigerators, washers and dryers, and energy-efficient plumbing fixtures. Speed.

The site is located in the First Ward neighborhood in south Buffalo, and residents will have easy access to the New York Thruway via I-190 at Louisiana Street and Perry Street. Bus access, available along South Park Avenue and Perry Street, provides quick access to downtown and workplaces. There are many shopping destinations and healthcare facilities nearby, as well as adult and child daycare, a public library, and a community center.

The development team is Pennrose and Bridges Development, Inc., a nonprofit corporation affiliated with the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority. The Perry Homes redevelopment will use the federal Housing and Urban Development RAD program to convert vacant public housing into project-based rental assistance.

The $254 million development financing includes $21.9 million in tax-exempt bonds, $115.7 million in state and federal low-income tax credits and $83.1 million in UNHCR grants. Empire State Development provided $5 million in Restore New York funding. Additional funds include: $6 million in the BMHA Capital Funds Program; $1.1 million in Buffalo Community Development Block Grants; $5 million in RAD rehabilitation assistance payments; and $1.6 million in federal 45L tax credits.

UNHCR Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said: “The Commodore Perry Homes redevelopment is a transformative project for Buffalo, providing an opportunity to inject vitality into a long-dormant public housing complex. By creating more than 400 modern, energy-efficient apartments, we are demonstrating our continued commitment to creating more affordable housing opportunities and enriching Buffalo’s neighborhoods. We thank Governor Hochul and our local partners for their focus on using all available tools to build a more affordable New York for everyone.

NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said: “The start of construction on the all-electric Commodore Perry Homes is an exciting step toward creating more energy-efficient, affordable housing in Buffalo. Once completed, this transformational project will ensure residents benefit from healthier, more comfortable homes that maximize energy savings while integrating improved building performance.

Representative Tim Kennedy said: “The new Perry Homes will play an important role in providing high-quality, affordable housing for Buffalo residents. With more than $254 million invested in revitalizing this community’s housing supply, this initiative engages all levels of government to breathe new life into a historic neighborhood. This latest development is catalyzed by advancements including the successful reconstruction of Ohio Street and the planned reconstruction of Louisiana Street, delivering tens of millions of dollars in federal and state funding to revitalize Buffalo’s urban landscape and provide better quality of life to its residents.

Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said: “Congratulations to the residents of Pennrose, BMHA, Bridges Development and Commodore Perry on the groundbreaking of new affordable housing. These new residential units and commercial spaces will be fully electric, energy efficient and affordable. Everyone deserves to live in clean, safe housing. Without the support of Governor Hochul, Empire State Development and New York Homes & Community Renewal, none of this would be possible.

HUD Regional Administrator Alicka Ampry-Samuel said: “I am pleased that HUD is playing a major and ongoing role in the future of hundreds of Commodore Perry families by providing residents with monthly rental subsidies through project-based rental assistance. After many years of blight and great efforts by our partners, Commodore Perry will finally become new affordable housing for hundreds of Buffalonians and a safe community for this great city,” said Alicka Ampry-Samuel, Regional Administrator of HUD for New York and New Jersey. . HUD also provided $6 million in capital funds, $1.1 million in community development block grants, more than $5 million in rehabilitation assistance payments and $16 million in fund resources Housing Trustee through New York State. I commend the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority for its work with this centerpiece of Buffalo and look forward to returning to meet the families who will transform this site into an uplifting neighborhood.”

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz said: “Affordable housing is a critical need in our community and creating more of it is a high priority. The Commodore Perry Homes redevelopment will bring more than four hundred new affordable housing units to Erie County, all highly efficient and accessible to households with incomes at or below 60 percent of the area median income. This project invigorates the Perry neighborhood in South Buffalo and I thank Governor Hochul for his continued focus on the issue of affordable housing.

City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said: “We have worked hard to initiate the development of the BMHA Commodore Perry. This development will offer an excellent quality of life to residents of this neighborhood. I am proud of the work that BMHA and our Office of Strategic Planning have done to advance this development. My administration and our Office of Strategic Planning were successful in securing the funds needed for development. This includes $6.1 million in grants from the City of Buffalo through the ReStore NY and Community Block Grant programs; $6 million in BMHA capital funds; $5 million in RAD rehabilitation assistance from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and $1.6 million in federal funds for energy-efficient homes. I thank Governor Kathy Hochul for her important role in all of this and her continued support of my administration’s mission to continue to strengthen the City of Buffalo.