[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6242727,"mediaKeyId","3246702-b991ca731c91ef5660c5b442f6c15d1f","parentId",3246702,"title","Staff updates: three Habitat homes, Shared Kitchen ribbon cutting, BikeWalk Tompkins site visit, and encampment advisory report accepted by council","audioSeconds",258,"startMs",4561000,"endMs",4819000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3246702-b991ca731c91ef5660c5b442f6c15d1f&start=4561&end=4819","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3246702-b991ca731c91ef5660c5b442f6c15d1f/thumbnail_4561000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6242727/New-York/Staff-updates-three-Habitat-homes-Shared-Kitchen-ribbon-cutting-BikeWalk-Tompkins-site-visit-and-encampment-advisory-report-accepted-by-council","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6242727-9ff9c3aa6dab16fc38f4687268557312/orig.mp4?Expires=1775236711&Signature=fCxiU7KF7sq8U8g7XWoDBiaHYLA9MFmdiglNFmine2l-dTGiVZhdaO0o-veNFyIRUTdly3QQFKSRqYSRVPrcr~bikodVl84LhT76kvGAFrb5QKMZF7UyqGbEoN8L2Fid3MHYFq-4qn9USYwpg30AQi5~hauLErCjw1dIY3X8DWa9vkNJjFDTwgKrlK1WJYQQcgMsob4nITt~bQxD6YiOjNCgtMNDa7G9ueWNzPmZC~h1DkgNWql51ZSY51n6xJg8nP1VX1ZbL~poTq3Qck537TN2qjCqembTvc-NPBUNkXyuAs6EPQpyO2BaXTEqdhlo32psRHMiLB2adF1RsNTNuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Ithaca City","date","2025-05-09T12:31:21Z","article","Staff provided progress updates on several neighborhood projects funded or monitored through IRA and the Neighborhood Investment Committee.

Habitat for Humanity projects: Staff said 109 Morris Avenue is complete and occupied; Aurora Street (a historically significant property) is nearing completion with structural and historic‑restoration work in progress and a tentative house dedication planned for June 18; 312 Plains Street A&B had excavation and foundation work underway and the modular units scheduled for delivery and installation in June.

Shared Kitchen Ithaca: Staff reported a ribbon cutting took place the previous day. The facility includes commercial equipment (tilt sauté pan, convection ovens, blast chiller) and an online scheduling system for member microenterprises; staff said IRA provided subsidies for low‑ and moderate‑income microenterprises. Staff described plans for partnerships with local retailers and reuse packaging arrangements with GreenStar.

BikeWalk Tompkins: Staff attended a ribbon cutting and toured the facility. They described repair tools, kid‑bike stock, donated helmets, battery storage in concrete cubbies to reduce thermal/runaway risks, and a trailer used for outreach. Staff said BikeWalk had sought additional trailer support and was actively pursuing multiple funding sources.

Encampment advisory report: Staff summarized the city council’s acceptance of the encampment advisory committee’s report and the pilot administrative policy for managing homeless encampments on city property. The advisory report recommended continuing the pilot with modifications and urged the city to find a way to support a navigation hub offering outreach services, restrooms and showers, and service‑provider access. Council accepted the report and pilot administrative policy.

Staff said they will continue to monitor schedules and provide photos and invitations for upcoming dedications and public milestones.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","IURA Neighborhood Investment Committee","oneSentenceSummary","City staff reported construction and completion milestones on Habitat homes, shared kitchen ribbon cutting, BikeWalk Tompkins facilities, and summarized an encampment advisory committee report recommending a navigation hub; council accepted the encampment report.","taxTitle","Ithaca City, Tompkins County, New York","taxId",52738,"location","New York","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6242733,"IRA adjusts recommended CDBG/HOME allocations after CHDO set‑aside clarification for State Street project",176,3389000,3565000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3246702-b991ca731c91ef5660c5b442f6c15d1f&start=3389&end=3565","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3246702-b991ca731c91ef5660c5b442f6c15d1f/thumbnail_3389000.jpg","/articles/6242733/New-York/IRA-adjusts-recommended-CDBGHOME-allocations-after-CHDO-setaside-clarification-for-State-Street-project","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6242733-c1d4e4a3ed81d10daeb94a8889abe142/orig.mp4?Expires=1775236711&Signature=R9RVhr-QtjlzIyJWJ0xaUn6scK9nmuvsse6Uflt9Rl4EcmHZrodkLIrkVlbs8m8~mdgEqECkRe3my6oY7NtfJ12ty1n4JWaSwnuSRRxYHegxgQroCwRVCbqvBMibVhvDSFthy9K7WdUmFOwC21TEFPUG86Cu9dmBL8OTCP-Qc63757obC7yCVsTEzzHb9~2Zk3hv8YRtx~BPX749kxjd1jDaUNucgHNLoB4oxlOKLRzL4yOXYNI1xL0HoxOgeEchQCcMMoqNhM43MhQnPjhxx~Vs6MItQi~AE0hNUNWmlLCy0bWjV1EzpSbqb6sp8sx18O9yD-o38-ofEXv-CJg74w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff reported a technical correction to the Neighborhood Investment recommended plan after discovering a HOME program requirement: a CHDO set‑aside is required for projects led by a certified Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO). The requirement reduced available CDBG funds and prompted IRA to adjust allocations among projects.

Staff said the City of Ithaca has one CHDO (Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, INHS) and that HOME regulations generally require an entitlement community to reserve 15% of HOME funds for CHDO‑eligible activities. Because the matrix the committee reviewed did not include the CHDO set‑aside, the IRA made adjustments to ensure the CHDO requirement could be met for the 209 West State Street project.

As a result, IRA kept an earlier $100,000 commitment to the State Street project but split the funding between HOME and CDBG categories so the CHDO set‑aside requirement is met. To balance the budget, staff said IRA increased HOME funding for the West Court Street Habitat project and made modest reductions in other projects, such as security deposits and learning web support, to accommodate the required CHDO allocation.

Staff said they tried to keep IRA allocations as close as possible to the Neighborhood Investment committee’s recommendations while complying with the HOME rule. The staff report stressed these are anticipated numbers pending HUD award notification and that the final plan remains subject to the CDBG/HOME entitlement award and federal requirements.","Staff told the committee that a required HOME Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) set‑aside for an INHS project required reallocating funds among recommended projects, changing several line items in the draft plan.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6242737,"Committee raises concern after staff flags zeroed federal CDBG/HOME funding in presidential budget outline",869,3623000,4492000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3246702-b991ca731c91ef5660c5b442f6c15d1f&start=3623&end=4492","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3246702-b991ca731c91ef5660c5b442f6c15d1f/thumbnail_3623000.jpg","/articles/6242737/New-York/Committee-raises-concern-after-staff-flags-zeroed-federal-CDBGHOME-funding-in-presidential-budget-outline","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6242737-7dc3bb11936a8f1973712cb3827c79ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1775236711&Signature=l961USl1MMpAl0esFvv3P~EQwIJhsaNXCv1YADGJ1Z2qIB-4Wp~GxgQ9ZDcVvtnBA8VJMmKv3CzBRxTPJ~pzo7izH5-0Xo1eFd-cm6LH7kRT7w9dcgOS9LwjWgzXnK3ILt~rAdqoN5ypTic2k316M4kouAEd6VkC9w5nqnhong-qKVOS4R9-97U-VlR0Ti4E1kQ~MQAJqZVTWkbUdYpO96AeamHVougG3IU7AfIuXKFAQVbJI5F24fWXlLeKKXFjXxSiO~wQL7OoB4rn0qbQOc7H8J09BNHm~fTS3YbtQf46nL0CuPsR63hFRAQ-BCIYQhJdOptx9v83Fo3py~-Baw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff updated the committee on federal funding signals and urged caution as federal budget proposals could affect local Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME allocations.

Staff noted that the president’s discretionary budget discussion document for the coming program year proposed zero funding for CDBG and HOME; committee members responded that Congress and regional delegations will determine final appropriations. The draft 2025 plan remains on the city website for public comment and a public hearing was scheduled at the next Common Council meeting.

Committee members raised concerns about other federal housing programs as well. Participants said they had heard proposals to reduce funding for Housing Choice Vouchers and to limit the duration of some voucher programs; staff and members warned such changes would have immediate and acute impacts on housing stability and shelter demand. One member said: “That would be…disastrous consequences” if emergency housing vouchers or time limits on HCVs were imposed, echoing staff and participant concerns.

Staff also advised that HUD Region 2’s environmental review technical staff have taken deferred retirement, reducing technical assistance capacity in the region. The change means local teams may have less direct access to experienced HUD regional environmental reviewers for complex environmental or historic preservation questions.

The staff report reminded the committee that the draft annual plan and the CDBG/HOME application remain subject to federal award notifications; program year timing was described as beginning in August for the current application cycle. Staff said they will continue to monitor congressional action and regional HUD guidance and report back to the committee.","Staff told the committee that the president's discretionary budget framework shows zero funding for federal CDBG and HOME programs for the 2026 program year, prompting discussion of local impacts and uncertainty about future entitlements.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6242742,"Neighborhood Investment Committee discusses moving meeting time and nominates chair candidates",274,2263000,2537000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3246702-b991ca731c91ef5660c5b442f6c15d1f&start=2263&end=2537","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3246702-b991ca731c91ef5660c5b442f6c15d1f/thumbnail_2263000.jpg","/articles/6242742/New-York/Neighborhood-Investment-Committee-discusses-moving-meeting-time-and-nominates-chair-candidates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6242742-be8d07e059929e0505288b59e3f578e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775236711&Signature=BRFNXp6RZzQLgAjtGBFMWQ4KBIT-OgHbB9ssZzo5TJparJCth~ncpdfYIgIgPgcPrVg1I0K7S7NjC5opL0pMwOoa5ViDNk3sdOLij9ibpReVJQgt0hT2AAn2V-E7Ub2kGNmG~kOIgjLuQy3lLF5C2scBmKKEIgy3j2YQKPESdi3gPp0G4e0StXfd6RxrnDYHH~9X81yCwDlvFgUX8eu2mfW53jrO7hOxvZ3cGPArDz~d4wh8N9nNz4d1T0m5bGxHw4B~ikMmogQVDC7Z6NlDPxv-yzJ3FuDVPP8HZfPVT64I8dDGum85FIlQy0JOH0k8ifsD0B1v9nCkiJqebsQpmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Committee members on Friday discussed changing the Neighborhood Investment Committee’s regular meeting day and start time to accommodate a member who will be teaching in the fall, and the body opened nominations for chair and vice chair and forwarded recommendations to the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IRA).

Cheyenne (committee member) told the group she will be teaching next semester and asked whether the committee could move to Thursday mornings; she said, “I will no longer be…teaching during our meeting current meeting time,” and asked for consideration of a 9 a.m. start. Members generally expressed support for Thursday mornings and for a 9 a.m. start in fall. Several participants suggested starting the new 9 a.m. time in September to align with teaching schedules; others said they could try 9 a.m. during June–August to test the change.

The committee also opened nominations for officers. A member said they would nominate themselves for chair and another member seconded a nomination for vice chair. The committee discussed that one of the IRA board rules requires that at least one committee member serves as chair or vice chair and confirmed the committee will forward its recommended nominees to the IRA board for formal appointment.

Next steps: staff will circulate an updated meeting schedule and Outlook invites reflecting the proposed change and the committee will expect notification of the IRA board’s appointment decision.","Members debated shifting monthly meeting days and times because a member will be teaching in the fall, and the committee opened nominations and recommended chair and vice‑chair nominees to the IRA board.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6242746,"Planning staff outline FEMA Community Rating System and how new flood maps affect insurance costs",1450,111000,1561000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3246702-b991ca731c91ef5660c5b442f6c15d1f&start=111&end=1561","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3246702-b991ca731c91ef5660c5b442f6c15d1f/thumbnail_111000.jpg","/articles/6242746/New-York/Planning-staff-outline-FEMA-Community-Rating-System-and-how-new-flood-maps-affect-insurance-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6242746-cb2254fe79364f9841ff37b8fe9ecfd1/orig.mp4?Expires=1775236711&Signature=LGxvY0T~dCbfMcbtFYJNGE-lLpZI5mSFzy03RRfltVidlkZO2Lay-7-sBtOXb754elc9cxXndr0n0IvX-mPtmgJ-Gnn6-PPBQLnO0ftXjtgvmnYzaD9oamyFa52HshXXTOCLF77ZOTBnNXEY7O-dJfOPLdUoKD-uygHlHprM5l8VgdVJHSPRAgjcME0sPuQ6xRazCXx7hPwrn3VAJ1jaJAa3SYch43C7kOkWGWqSDYdDZTM5G6XFrvsqfPsImnXvQO9EymJsElFIAg53qiDg8yjGBkTNbtwb36CN-6lOSut2J~uT-Rs9DLee37YMpL1AKIIxfnagnm1XjwwDCOWzFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ithaca planning staff on Friday summarized the FEMA Community Rating System and presented a cost‑benefit analysis showing the city could likely qualify for CRS Class 8 or 9 — producing roughly 5–10% discounts on federally backed flood insurance premiums for policyholders — but that those savings may be small compared with staff time required to administer the program.

The Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary FEMA program that awards participating municipalities points for activities such as recordkeeping, public outreach, higher regulatory standards, infrastructure projects and open‑space preservation. Sam Quinn Jacobs, a planner in the city’s planning and development office, told the Neighborhood Investment Committee that CRS builds on the National Flood Insurance Program and “only offers discounts on federally backed flood insurance.”

Why it matters: FEMA has released updated flood maps that will change which properties are mapped in the 100‑year floodplain. Properties mapped in the floodplain with federally backed mortgages will be required to carry flood insurance; any discount from CRS only applies to insurance issued through NFIP. Jacobs said FEMA’s estimate for annual NFIP premiums for a single‑family home in the city is about $18.34, while other third‑party estimates committee members mentioned ranged between roughly $2,000 and $5,000 per year. Jacobs said the CRS discount applies only to the NFIP portion, which currently caps building coverage at $250,000.

The staff analysis, based on interviews with other planners and local staff, concluded Ithaca could likely qualify now for CRS Class 8 or 9 and therefore deliver roughly 5–10% reductions for affected policyholders. Jacobs said achieving Class 6 would be possible only with additional regulatory steps or more open‑space preservation, and that Classes 1–5 are not feasible given the city’s built conditions. The analysis estimated about $1.6 million in aggregate insurance premium reductions to residents over 20 years under a baseline scenario, but staff time to apply for and administer CRS would be significant.

A key uncertainty is the city’s flood hazard mitigation project led by Department of Public Works (DPW). Jacobs and committee members discussed that if the DPW mitigation work — which could include levees or dredging in flood control channels — successfully removes parcels from the mapped floodplain, the number of properties buying federally backed flood insurance could fall. Jacobs said that would reduce the pool of policyholders who would see CRS discounts and could change the cost‑benefit calculation: “If the flood hazard mitigation project was successful to the maximum extent, the participation of the CRS program would result in losses to the city, at classes 8 or 9.”

Committee members asked whether dredging or other infrastructure projects earn CRS points. Jacobs said they generally do not: “Those activities that really do reduce flood risk for residents... are not points‑based activities under the community rating system,” meaning infrastructure that reduces risk often does not translate directly to CRS points.

Questions from residents and committee members covered who must buy insurance, whether small corner encroachments trigger coverage for an entire building and what individual mitigation measures (for example, elevating utilities or raising a structure) can do to lower premiums. Jacobs and other participants noted that substantial improvement rules and local adoption of flood‑resistant construction standards will require new construction or improvements in the mapped floodplain to meet higher standards.

Next steps: Jacobs said staff will provide links to the DPW flood mitigation presentation and the new flood maps and that policy decisions about pursuing CRS would rest with the city manager, department heads and Common Council. “I think it’s in the city managers and the department heads and council’s hands at this point on what we do next,” he said.","City planning staff presented the voluntary FEMA Community Rating System (CRS), estimating modest discounts on federally backed flood insurance but warning that updated flood maps and an ongoing flood mitigation project could reduce the program’s local benefit.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Staff updates: three Habitat homes, Shared Kitchen ribbon cutting, BikeWalk Tompkins site visit, and encampment advisory report accepted by council

IRA adjusts recommended CDBG/HOME allocations after CHDO set‑aside clarification for State Street project

Committee raises concern after staff flags zeroed federal CDBG/HOME funding in presidential budget outline

Neighborhood Investment Committee discusses moving meeting time and nominates chair candidates

Planning staff outline FEMA Community Rating System and how new flood maps affect insurance costs