Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Community Action Organization of Western New York was allocated $100,000 in funding from the New York Department of State to help 100 families establish housing security.
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"This money will allow them to provide additional case management and rental and mortgage assistance directly to 100 families and individuals in East Buffalo, preventing evictions and helping these families stay in their safe, stable and permanent housing. We know how important housing is to achieving self sufficiency and financial empowerment. And when families progress, our entire state moves forward," said New York Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez.
"$100,000 is gonna go a long way for those 100 families," said President of the Community Action Organization of WNY, Thomas Kim.
"And as the Secretary have mentioned, that housing insecurity is a fundamental base that we have to work towards. Not only [starting with] 100 families, but other work that we are doing with affordable housing education, our drug treatment program, and our youth services. To integrate a service is great, and a partnership with the Resource Council and others are great, but when people are struggling to stay in their home, to make a rental payment, then all of the other services become very problematic."
For those to 100 families to qualify for the $1,000 grants, they must be residing in the 14208 or 14209 area code, have a source of income and earn 200% or below the federal poverty level, according to Vice President of Adult Services for CAO WNY, Brandi Haynes.
The program went live about two weeks ago. About 40 applicants have applied so far and about 10 families have completed the application process, they could start receiving payments in as early as two weeks.
Kim added that this funding is not only a great indirect way to help strengthen the other programs that the CAO of WNY offers, like their Drug Treatment Program, Youth Services and efforts to address food insecurities, but help partner with other nonprofit organization to help sustain a continued strategic investment in the community, as opposed to just "doling" out the funds.
"Buffalo has some of the oldest housing stock in the country, with apartments going to market rate or 10% above market rate," notes Brandi Haynes.
"A lot of low income households, those families cannot afford to move or they can't afford afford to sustain themselves right now. This issue was exacerbated basically, by the pandemic. New York had a two and a half year moratorium, where renters were not allowed to be evicted, which was a saving grace for a lot of people. But it did also exacerbate the issue. In some cases, people were are not able to catch up on rent, they fell behind during the moratorium. So that's the case is for most people, a lot of our clients are disabled and they are the head of household. There are a lot of seniors living alone or seniors raising grandchildren with unexpected expenses. So that's the story for a lot of our clients. They're just really trying to just make it day to day."