[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6190653,"mediaKeyId","5045784-324d16b2b54e9a8099500e16d3fc27d5","parentId",5045784,"title","Niagara Falls council approves sale of 10 city properties and waives $107,151 in back taxes for developer’s rehab project","audioSeconds",615,"startMs",711000,"endMs",1326000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5045784-324d16b2b54e9a8099500e16d3fc27d5&start=711&end=1326","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5045784-324d16b2b54e9a8099500e16d3fc27d5/thumbnail_711000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6190653/Niagara-City/Niagara-County/New-York/Niagara-Falls-council-approves-sale-of-10-city-properties-and-waives-107151-in-back-taxes-for-developers-rehab-project","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6190653-3e919407dda49ad5e6ffb4ed3590a744/orig.mp4?Expires=1773614619&Signature=P~eM3qJw6RDvpY~E7DkiYdQQTwSyRA0oWDMQzqPqbEeW6YQ4M7qFia~FYgaYga3~OSJZVHt~cfHKokm1PVvxiDmAbh3nqgatEsqGQFtlqM0hwD3hjnzcShKqOhErZsGhdvd1b0brPLMVYUnnhlHJVnTRoweH60pB0jtw0VgWRyLVOsMATqtv3uX2NshCPtiRwYE-7G64-I1bO380IFLL9Ejp-Tr79~qnvYPjexfms1GTwPA2LG8SOHd95qaHKQ2mLh5xXcQ~yB7F993IxSa4GWa1IRt8ZZG9o7rfcp1eB8mJIksiU1c2HMzKoFrrkTljfPCFo8bCXoGK7cwDbFDwLg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Niagara Falls City","date","2025-06-18T00:00:00Z","article","The Niagara Falls City Council on June 12 approved selling 10 city‑owned properties to Restore Niagara Falls LLC and waived $107,151 in unpaid taxes and fees on those parcels, council members said. The sale is tied to a state dollar‑for‑dollar reimbursement program the administration said could provide up to $1 million for full rehabilitation of the properties.

The vote matters because the properties have been city‑owned for years, several were on the city’s demolition list and the state program requires a single developer to complete all 10 rehabs before requesting reimbursement, city staff said. That structure, staff and the developer said, is meant to preserve housing stock rather than let the houses be demolished.

City staff told the council the unpaid taxes and fees on the 10 parcels totalled $107,151 and accrued over many years after foreclosure. “In New York, every municipality, the city included, is required to pick up the tax bill when a house that’s been foreclosed upon hasn’t paid their taxes,” the administration said during the meeting, describing how those amounts are handled. The administration also said the state reimbursement is paid only after project completion and that developers are reimbursed on a lag of roughly six to 12 months after submitting receipts.

Developer and resident Renee Moran, who identified herself as the owner of Red Door Real Estate, told the council she acquired the building that led to the project on the open market and proposed stabilizing, rehabbing and marketing the properties. “We are ready, willing, capable, and able, and have the experience to do this project,” Moran said during public comment.

Moran said her plan is to stabilize and manage six properties and list those on the open market, and to fully rehabilitate four properties, keeping two for short‑term rental and selling two to homeowners. She told the council the work is costly and the state reimbursement structure requires the developer to complete all 10 rehabs before seeking the dollar‑for‑dollar match.

Several residents and public commenters raised objections to the package. Janine Gallo said the sale and tax waivers created an appearance of favoritism and alleged a conflict of interest in prior property transfers, calling agenda item 4 “a continuation of the scam and the dirtiness of Niagara Falls.” Tanya Perrone asked whether appraisals had been completed and asked the council to publish the tax amounts being waived so the public could see monetary impacts. The council’s record of the meeting shows those questions were asked during the public comment period.

Councilmember Mayes said she had reviewed the developer’s work and voted in favor: “I vote yes on this,” he said. The council roll call recorded three ayes and the motion carried.

Council and staff responses during the meeting included procedural and contractual clarifications: the proposed deeds had not yet been drafted, staff said, and the administration noted the grant terms—requiring all 10 properties be completed by a single developer and that reimbursement comes after project completion—are significant incentives for a developer to finish the work, but also barriers that had limited interest from other developers.

The council did not adopt a separate clawback clause on the record; staff said a deed could be drafted to include recapture language but emphasized the program’s reimbursement structure itself creates a strong incentive to finish the rehabilitation.

The successful motion authorizing the sale, tax forgiveness and necessary deed execution came after public comments and questions from council members. The record shows the mayor’s recommendation memo dated 06/12/2025 provided supporting details for the transfer and the administration’s explanation of the state reimbursement terms.

Council members and staff said the sale aims to preserve structures that otherwise would be demolished and to return properties to the tax rolls after rehabilitation. The city clerk and planning staff will publish deed and closing details when they are finalized.

The council did not set a formal enforcement timeline in open session beyond standard deed and closing procedures; staff said more specific contract terms, including any enforcement or recapture provisions, would be drafted into conveyance documents before closing.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Niagara Falls City Council Meeting 6/18/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Niagara Falls City Council on June 12 approved selling 10 city‑owned properties to Restore Niagara Falls LLC and waived $107,151 in unpaid taxes and fees; the sale is tied to a state program that reimburses redevelopment costs dollar‑for‑dollar up to $1 million but requires completion of all 10 rehabs before reimbursement.","taxTitle","Niagara City, Niagara County, New York","taxId",56308,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6190645,"Council postpones vote to eliminate city forester position after union and public concerns",3360,617000,3977000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5045784-324d16b2b54e9a8099500e16d3fc27d5&start=617&end=3977","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5045784-324d16b2b54e9a8099500e16d3fc27d5/thumbnail_617000.jpg","/articles/6190645/Niagara-City/Niagara-County/New-York/Council-postpones-vote-to-eliminate-city-forester-position-after-union-and-public-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6190645-59b6fa9446f64f726f90a035ddd90acc/orig.mp4?Expires=1773614619&Signature=IlPtPXyKnq59oNCnu8Jk1Cmy2Bj0jpUYippvVTFO8c6CBHyCp2Hqi3gwxmC7w3c6QquCUG42~hdAO9LwFgUNEwLCeGZfDcFVMAmf8CetiOIz8NcDgLaAu0RUEISW-lKu9V0Nskw-YxcVgtSQib8rAKuSqRlmTFp7pFln4Uxzr6~X2LnEVS6JEUJbbK23PRGvLTTUS0qOXrMfUy3ub-cGezNbnmbpUOCwtMQ0aTNpOOBnRLuPBNSPN0SmQGMlFX-I~sJpOs73eO5QsyRKUKBxADmifd8dwstiwIY4CX2GOtCvCgWGlVhgmQfFJggTYzJG50b2rFnlWfDX57olzI5XIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Niagara Falls City Council on June 12 postponed a proposed reorganization that would have abolished the city forester position and combined its duties with a foreman role in another department. The motion to postpone was made during the legislative session and passed by a recorded vote.

The proposal drew criticism from public commenters and union‑aligned speakers who said the forestry workload and specialized duties do not fit neatly into a combined position. Tim Huether, a resident who said he works with related crews, told the council the forestry department had previously been understaffed and that eliminating the forester is a “bad idea.” He said the city had paid substantial legal costs in past litigation when the forester position was eliminated and later restored, and argued the city should avoid reintroducing similar disputes.

“I can assure you we are … in frank and binding 2 full time positions for 2 departments ... But anyway, that's a bad idea,” Huether said, describing historical staffing and litigation cost concerns. Public commenters also noted that residents have outstanding tree‑removal requests and that removing the dedicated forester could worsen service delays.

A councilmember moved to postpone the item to allow the administration to address questions about possible personnel changes and associated “perk charges.” The motion to table the reorganization passed by roll call with three recorded ayes.

At the meeting a councilmember added that multiple ash trees and other backlog work remained on the city’s list and urged postponement so the administration could present budget and staffing implications. The council did not adopt any personnel changes during the meeting and asked the administration to return with additional details and cost analyses before reconsideration.

","The Niagara Falls City Council on June 12 postponed action on a proposed reorganization that would have eliminated the city forester and folded the role into a foreman position after residents and council members raised concerns about staffing, backlog of tree removals and prior litigation costs.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6190648,"Council reallocates returned CDBG funds but rejects $90,000 extra grant to Habitat for Humanity",119,2402000,2521000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5045784-324d16b2b54e9a8099500e16d3fc27d5&start=2402&end=2521","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5045784-324d16b2b54e9a8099500e16d3fc27d5/thumbnail_2402000.jpg","/articles/6190648/Niagara-City/Niagara-County/New-York/Council-reallocates-returned-CDBG-funds-but-rejects-90000-extra-grant-to-Habitat-for-Humanity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6190648-ec290b4fe893d8f2f9018837bfa8915e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773614619&Signature=d5HTqhE473CEbxdIBocJh6x7LV2POYkcOdT0QBt0gVtJNafWsB7RDvFjMRQKWDHJ3Zt-NG2c2GSR7fDYJ~WUK0K5zTDZ2BhDIEBG48TpFiThZLXLUxiPS3iVXuvwaUQn~Mfci7hIE3wjiJ4WeHMaJEMx~4XFwo583hApzocdLOXfK9W7KlfMLLPDLOPUxxI8U63tB3ci8E8pm8WlDjUVbF-iOVMpmTcIXa7qkrRaHY-IFAY~F2K~TpgUFYstEvXhiPYgAr0lr4WUxOUqiJiypNO2MRr0336XhCFhTYW8aFy~EWActvEwO8bXpKCaWW2EADz1ifNs5XlFqAY~jm-xgA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Niagara Falls City Council on June 12 approved reprogramming up to $50,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds returned by the Community Corporation of Niagara Development Corporation (CCNDC) back to the city’s housing rehabilitation projects, but it voted down a separate motion to grant an additional $90,000 to Niagara Area Habitat for Humanity.

Councilmembers and staff said the $50,000 is existing CDBG money that had been returned and is being reallocated to ongoing housing rehabilitation work; the mayor’s recommendation memo dated 06/12/2025 supported the motion. The subsequent motion to increase the Habitat grant from $10,000 to $20,000 per unit (total additional $90,000) drew more discussion and ultimately failed on a 2‑to‑1 vote.

During public comment and council debate, speakers questioned the city’s budget choices. A resident objected that summer programming for marginalized children at Packard Court and the Doris Jones Community Center had been cut while funds were being reallocated: “The budget was cut for summer programming for marginalized kids ... I have a tough time understanding how that ... magically come up with an additional ... $40,000 now to give to [the grant],” the commenter said, asking whether the reprogramming would reduce youth program funding.

City staff answered that the reprogrammed funds were previously allocated CDBG dollars returned to Community Development and were not new city general‑fund dollars. Staff explained that Community Development would oversee the work and that actual per‑unit costs vary depending on unit condition.

The grant motion failed after roll call: Councilmember Dante Miles recorded a “No,” while two other council members voted “Yes.” The council clerk recorded the outcome as “The motion is defeated.”

The CDBG reprogramming motion passed by unanimous recorded aye votes (three ayes), and the funds were authorized to be used for housing rehabilitation projects under Community Development’s supervision.

Councilmembers asked staff to clarify funding sources and to publish more complete budget breakdowns and the amount of taxes or program funding affected by reallocations. One member said the administration should improve outreach and transparency about how returned HUD‑related or CDBG funds are advertised and reallocated.

","The Niagara Falls City Council reallocated up to $50,000 in returned CDBG funds to housing rehabilitation projects but rejected a separate proposal to give an additional $90,000 to Niagara Area Habitat for Humanity on June 12, after community members raised concerns about cuts to summer youth programming.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Niagara Falls council approves sale of 10 city properties and waives $107,151 in back taxes for developer’s rehab project

Council postpones vote to eliminate city forester position after union and public concerns

Council reallocates returned CDBG funds but rejects $90,000 extra grant to Habitat for Humanity