IURA hears 19 applications and public comment; no funding decisions at part one of the hearing

The Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency convened part one of its two-part public hearing on proposed 2026 HUD (CDBG/HOME) funding and heard a broad slate of presentations and public comment.

Agency staff said about $1.0 million is available for allocation (presenters used $845,000 as an anticipated figure while noting HUD allocations remain pending), 19 total applications were filed, and requests total roughly $1.6 million. Presenters included affordable-housing developers, nonprofit service providers and park-access advocates.

Process and disclosures: The vice chair, Carl Graham, presided in Mayor Rob Canelmo’s absence and staff outlined the hearing format (commenter three minutes; presentations 12 minutes including questions). Disclosures were read and written comments were included in the board packet. Reviewers noted that formal decisions will not be made until the board has had time to review written comments and the full funding packet.

Selected applicants who presented: Patrick Pinkerton summarized the Citizen (59-unit affordable project) and requested $100,000 in local capital support; Lynn Truame presented INHS’s Henry St. John renovation with unit-mix changes and relocation assurances; Reach Medical proposed a combined medical-respit and supportive-housing conversion at 618 West State Street with a ~$4.4M budget; Friends of Stewart Park and Wharton Studio supporters urged funding for ADA connections and improved paths to the waterfront trail; the city planning department presented Floral Avenue raised-crosswalk proposals.

Closing: The public hearing portion of the meeting was moved closed by a board motion; the IURA will resume the public hearing next Thursday at 1 p.m. for part two and will consider funding decisions after packet review and deliberation.