ALBANY, NY (Erie News Now)--Monday GOV. KATHY HOCHUL CUT THE RIBBON ON AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT IN WESTERN NEW YORK.  

THE GOVERNOR SAid THIS PROJECT IN PARTICULAR—WHICH CREATED 28 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS AND A FREE CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM IN THE SAME BUILDING in the city of buffalo, IS A MODEL FOR OTHER PROJECTS AROUND THE STATE.  
 
“I’m pointing to this project and what we’re doing—integrating education for children in a place where families can live, the same building. This is how you change people’s lives,” said Hochul. 
 
THE GOVERNOR STRESSED THAT BUFFALO WAS JUST ONE OF MANY CITIES IN NEW YORK – THAT FOR A TIME – WAS A HUB FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.  
 
BUT DUE TO INCREASING COSTS IN RECENT YEARS IT IS NOW ONE OF MANY AREAS IN THE STATE STRUGGLING TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO ITS RESIDENTS.  
 
“The supply hasn’t kept pace with the demand and therefore prices go up and that’s the crunch we’re in not just here but all over the state,” said Hochul. 
 
INCREASING COSTS IN NEW YORK ARE LARGELY DUE TO INFLATION AND LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, ESPECIALLY FOR RENTERS.
 
ACCORDING TO A 2024 report FROM THE STATE'S COMPTROLLER, FROM 2012 TO 2022 MONTHLY HOUSEHOLD COSTS GREW 39 PERCENT FOR RENTERS COMPARED TO 28 PERCENT FOR HOMEOWNERS.
 
THE REPORT ALSO RANKS NEW YORK AS ONE OF THE HIGHEST COST-BURDEN STATES IN THE COUNTRY.
 
GOV. HOCHUL EMPHASIZED THE $650 MILLION IN STATE FUNDING CAN HELP ADDRESS THESE BURDENS .
 
SHE HIGHLIGHTED BUFFALO'S STATUS AS A CERTIFIED PRO-HOUSING COMMUNITY AND ADDED THAT IF OTHER NEW YORK municipalities FOLLOW SUIT THEY WILL BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR THESE STATE DOLLARS.
 
“Communities had to step up, like the city of Buffalo did. Mayor, thank you, you’re a proud pro-housing community, a model for others to say that ‘we’re stepping up, we’re going to have targets, we’re going to be able to look at zoning in a different way, create opportunities but also be eligible for programs like this,” she said. 
 
CURRENTLY THERE ARE 162 CERTIFIED PRO-HOUSING COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE AND 336 IN THE PROCESS OF BECOMING CERTIFIED INCLUDING 51 IN THE SOUTHERN TIER.