Just five months ago, Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon made a pledge that vacant city-owned lots in the Masten Park and Hamlin Park neighborhoods would be turned into new housing opportunities.
Scanlon has followed through with that pledge as he announced that five different developers - a mix of public and private sector interests - have been selected to turn 51 Masten Park and Hamlin Park vacant lots into homes for those in the affordable demographic categories .
Construction could start within the next 12 to 18 months.
"This is a new chapter for how Buffalo builds for the future," Scanlon said.
Buffalo has more than 10,000 vacant lots scattered around the city with at least 6,000 of them city-owned.
The Masten Park and Hamlin Park homes could serve as blueprint for similar initiatives in other city neighborhoods.
Nadine Marrero, Buffalo Office of Strategic Planning executive director, said look for similar RFPs to follow such Buffalo neighborhoods as the lower West Side, Seneca-Babcock and Genesee-Moselle.
While Scanlon is leaving the mayor's office on Dec. 31, he hopes Mayor-elect Sean Ryan keeps the Legacy Cities program moving forward.
"Put in this way," said Masten District Councilwoman Zeneta Everhart. "The houses are coming."
The 51 Masten Park and Hamlin Park homes will be developed by: Five Star Roofing Consultants & & Services; Belmont Housing Resources for WNY; Ellicott Development; Habitat for Humanity Buffalo; and PUSH Buffalo.