IURA hears funding pitches from local nonprofits as HUD allocations remain uncertain

Ithaca — At a March 7 special meeting, the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA) heard funding pitches from more than a dozen local nonprofits seeking city-administered Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME and other public-service dollars as agencies warned demand is rising while federal and state funding streams remain uncertain.

The presentations covered housing navigation and transitional housing, legal and immigrant support, food-subsidy and community-supported agriculture, job training and placements, transportation access, and programs that help people with criminal-justice involvement and people in recovery find work. Several presenters said they rely on a mix of grants, donations and program income and urged the IURA and its review committees to consider the programs’ continuity if HUD or other expected funds fall short.

Why it matters: many of the programs that presented provide direct services to low- and moderate-income (LMI) Ithaca residents — from housing case management and emergency assistance to food distribution and free bicycle repairs — and several presenters said they have waiting lists or growing demand that local funding would help address.

Most prominent asks and program highlights

- Finger Lakes Reuse (Remap): Robin Elliott, chief operating officer, said the Remap reuse materials-access program began in 2017 and now works with “over 40 partners,” provides materials and local delivery, and assists an average of about 75 households per month. Remap issues gift cards that Elliott and staff said range from about $180 to $360, determined by household size and material type, and the program seeks IURA support to meet growing referrals.

- Human Services Coalition / 2-1-1: John Mazzello, deputy director, and Nicole Ralston, contact-center manager, described a proposal to support core generalist staff (about 1.4 full-time equivalent in their ask) to maintain information-and-referral services and to operate as Tompkins County’s “one-call, one-click” transportation hub. Mazzello said 2-1-1 aims to support at least 2,750 people and to expand transportation volunteer-mileage reimbursement; staff said average volunteer trips are about 20 miles but can be much longer for medical appointments outside the county.

- Catholic Charities — A Place to Stay (transitional housing): A case manager described the program’s shared-housing model (women’s and men’s houses and scattered-site apartments). In 2024 the women’s program housed 13 women, with nine placed into permanent housing on discharge; the presenter said the lease on the women’s house will end in June because the landlord is selling, and staff have six months to find a replacement location.

- Learning Web (housing scholarship for youth): Michelle Nolan, deputy director, said the agency requested $36,786 to pay staffing for a housing scholarship program that would house up to five youth ages 21–24 for 12 months in scattered-site apartments. Nolan said the program has housed many youth since 2008; the agency reported $76,000 in matching funds already secured for the housing scholarship program but said distribution across related projects needs clarification.

- Catholic Charities — Immigrant Services: Sue Chaffee, program director, described legal immigration services (USCIS filings, Department of Justice accreditation for legal practitioners) and casework. She said her team filed more than 200 USCIS applications last year, including pro bono or low-cost cases that restored immigration status and access to benefits. Caseworker Francia described supportive services including benefits navigation, Section 8 recertifications, and employment referrals.

- Historic Ithaca — Work Preserve (job-readiness): Bethany Parisi and Jordan Govanali outlined a job-readiness program focused on soft skills and placement, and described a new Green Jobs Starter Kit assessment funded by the Park Foundation to accelerate onboarding and paid short-term placements that feed into longer training.

- Bike Walk Tompkins / Center for Community Transportation (community bike shop): Nikki Ray Isrealson said the community bike shop has seen steep growth (598 individuals served and a 189% increase in participation since last year), completed nearly 300 free assisted repairs, and distributes helmets and lights. The organization requested funding primarily to hire a full-time bike-shop manager to expand hours and open more clinics, plus a second outreach trailer to reach neighborhoods.

- Service and Unity (employment for people in recovery): Founder Scott Short described a staffing model that employs people in recovery as W-2 employees and provides short, low-barrier shifts for small businesses and nonprofits. Short said the pilot invoiced more than 300 hours of participant labor in nine months and that the model reduces hiring risk for employers while providing employment and on-the-job experience for participants.

- West Haven Farm (subsidized CSA / pantry shares): West Haven Farm requested funds to subsidize pantry-style and culturally tailored shares for Latino farmworker families and other low-income households. The presenters said the farm distributed more than $130,000 in free produce in 2024, and requested $79,200 to subsidize 2026 shares (noting some 2025 grant funding is paused and they are seeking alternatives).

- Ultimate Reentry Opportunity (Beyond the Box): URO representatives described an initiative to improve hiring and retention for justice-involved jobseekers, including employer technical assistance, employee trainings, and a proposed “navigational support specialist.” URO said it secured $15,000 from a private donor and asked the IURA to prioritize $21,875 to fund the navigator position while it pursues other grants.

- Black Hands Universal (trades pre-apprenticeship/career resources): Presenters described a paid field-training model and a one-stop career-resources program for trades and skilled labor, with wraparound services (IDs, tutoring, financial education) and partnerships with local unions and parole/probation contacts.

Questions and concerns raised by agency members

Agency members repeatedly asked presenters how programs would scale if the IURA awarded partial funding and pressed on sources of matching funds. Several presenters noted a dependence on HUD allocations, Park Foundation grants, county funding, donations and other contracts; presenters and agency members also discussed the city’s cap on public-service CDBG funding and the need to prioritize within available dollars. Board members asked for clarifications about lease terms (Catholic Charities), livable-wage impacts on staffing costs (Learning Web), and whether programs could accept SNAP or other benefit payments (West Haven Farm / CSA). Funding timetables and the effect of paused grant payments were also mentioned.

Process and next steps

Review committees will meet again. Neighborhood Investment Committee (NIC) will reconvene for a second review and the Economic Development Committee will also review requests. Committees will forward recommendations to the IURA board; the board’s recommendation will be posted for a 30-day public comment period before Common Council considers adoption. Staff said the proposed consolidated plan will be submitted to HUD by June 15; presenters and agency members repeatedly noted that final award amounts and program starts depend on HUD and other funders’ decisions.

Administrative note

The meeting included technical interruptions (livestream login problems) and several presenters appeared remotely. The board formally closed the public hearing and adjourned at the meeting’s end.

Ending

Committee leaders said they would seek to compile committee recommendations in advance of NIC and Economic Development Committee meetings so the IURA can present a draft plan for public comment later this spring.