David West, Housing and Community Development Director in Tompkins County Planning and Sustainability, and Shauna Stevenson, Housing and Community Development Planner, briefed the Housing & Economic Development Committee on Aug. 6 about the department’s housing work, existing programs and a proposed update to the county housing strategy.

West said the department’s housing work is grounded in the county comprehensive plan and a housing strategy adopted in 2017 that projected needs through 2025. "We have fallen short of some of the metrics," West said, noting the county was behind on single‑family home targets and emphasizing the need for a more strategic push to move marginal projects to completion.

Stevenson reviewed six major initiatives: the Community Housing Development Fund (CHDF); the Housing Affordability and Supportive Infrastructure Grant (HASIG); the semiannual housing Snapshot report; planning support for municipal staff (including a countywide zoning analysis and local training for planning and zoning boards); CDBG‑funded healthy homes single‑family rehabilitation; and other technical assistance.

The CHDF oversight committee recommended approximately $1,350,000 in awards for Round 25. Stevenson summarized recommended projects including Varna Community Housing Trust (homes tied to the Creekside Crossing development), a Habitat for Humanity modular for‑sale home in the City of Ithaca, Village House acquisition to retain three youth‑focused affordable units, Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services (INHS) new construction of a 53‑unit senior building with ground‑floor daycare, and a set of modular for‑sale units on Sears Street. The CHDF has supported more than 1,000 affordable rental and for‑sale units to date and has awarded about $8.5 million, Stevenson said, "leveraging over $250 million in private, state and federal funding to support local housing development."

The planning department said it plans a formal update to the county housing strategy to identify concrete, finance‑ready interventions to close gaps. Staff said they plan to engage an outside consultant for market and finance expertise and that the county had applied for a $50,000 CDBG housing planning grant and advanced to the second phase of that application.

Staff also reported on recent IDA workforce housing receipts: since February 2023 the county has received roughly $3 million in IDA funds for affordable housing and expects about $550,000 in additional installments over the next two years tied to project payment schedules. Committee members praised the county’s approach of using local CHDF awards and IDA funds to leverage larger state and federal financing and noted the long timelines typical in housing development.