Legislature hears landlords and residents call for housing solutions; members press for transparency on Homeless Commission and praise IDA arena work

Several residents and county legislators used public comment time at a Chemung County Legislature meeting to press for concrete steps on housing affordability and homelessness and to call for greater transparency about the county's Homeless Commission.

Rick Paul, 513 Jefferson Street, identified himself as president of the Landlord Association of Chemung County and told legislators landlords need more tools and county support to keep tenants housed and properties maintained. "We've also been dealing with the homeless," Paul said, describing informal partnerships with the city and the county Health Department. He said county social-service programs can help with rent for a year but that landlords can be left holding tenants who decline program assistance.

Paul described the financial risk for landlords: "Usually, when somebody takes and does a house, they do between 3 to 5 to 6 to $8,000 in damages," he said, adding an example of a recent tenant who "did over $35,100 damage" to a unit before being arrested. Paul invited legislators to the Landlord Association meeting (second Tuesday monthly, 5:30 p.m., North Presbyterian Church) and to a landlord-tenant coalition meeting held the third Thursday of every month.

Andy Manganaro, of 417 West Clinton, Elmira, said he works in entertainment and offered to help increase events at the county's arena. He also linked housing shortages to local wages and cited a federal figure for rents: "FMR, HUD says, a 2 bedroom in Elmira is $1,300," he said, arguing local median incomes and job availability do not match rents.

Several legislators asked for updates on the Homeless Commission established by the County Executive and for an Industrial Development Agency (IDA) update separate from arena discussions. A county legislator described a recent committee presentation by the commissioner of social services as "very, concise" on the commission's successes and challenges but said that the commissioner had told a reporter she was not permitted to speak to the media because of instructions from the County Executive.

"The county employees have been told that they are not to speak to the media," the legislator said, adding that he found the restriction "sad" and that taxpayers are entitled to information about how programs are working. The legislator asked the county to find a process that allows department heads to answer reporter questions while avoiding a "free for all," suggesting the committee system as one channel for inquiries.

Other legislators lauded recent work by the IDA and the management team at the county arena. One speaker said the facility had been neglected when the lease lapsed but that recent efforts have improved the physical plant and increased bookings.

The meeting did not produce any formal new county policy or budget action on housing or media access. Legislators asked staff to provide updates to the Legislature about the Homeless Commission and the IDA; the transcript records requests for those updates but does not show any binding direction or timeline for delivery.

Community context: speakers linked homelessness and housing instability to local labor-market patterns and social-service program design. Landlords described recurring property damage and questioned whether deposit and program rules sufficiently protect owners. Members of the Legislature voiced concern about limits on department heads' interactions with the media and asked for clearer arrangements so reporters and legislators can obtain information from those who run county programs.

Looking ahead, legislators requested a report back on the Homeless Commission and an IDA update (excluding arena-specific financials) at a future meeting.