West Side Homes
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Project Updates
- Spring 2022 – Construction breaks ground on West Side Homes development project!
- Fall 2022-Winter 2023 – Construction continues on WSH properties.
- Summer 2023 – Expected completion of first 22 units.
- Fall 2023 – Expected completion of construction on all WSH properties.
About the Project
What
- 49 affordable rental apartments, including:
- 13 supportive housing units
- 33 affordable housing units
- 14 renovated or new-builds
- 1 substantial rehabilitation of a vacant building
- 13 new construction buildings
- Designed to fit into the neighborhood fabric
- Sites and affordable housing use determined by community members.
- Meets neighborhood needs: PUSH, on its own, has over 600 households on its waiting list
- Sustainability features:
- All electric, rooftop solar and energy efficiency beyond code
- 625 West will be net-zero (uses as much renewable energy as the building consumes)
- 625 West and 146 Rhode Island will meet Passive House standards
Who
- PUSH Buffalo’s housing development arm, the Buffalo Neighborhood Stabilization Company Inc (BNSC), is the developer
- BestSelf Behavioral Health will provide supportive services to 16 households who qualify as either homeless or at risk of being homeless and also have a diagnosis of a substance use disorder or serious mental illness.
- Cornerstone Property Management will be the property manager
- Residents will primarily already be in the West Side, though people from all over are welcome to apply and live in the new homes.
Where
- Within and adjacent to PUSH Buffalo’s Green Development Zone, a 25-block area on the West Side designated for targeted affordable housing reinvestment and community building initiatives.
Please see below for frequently asked questions. Thank you for your interest!
About the Project
General Information
- The Buffalo Neighborhood Stabilization Company Inc (BNSC), the housing development arm of PUSH Buffalo, proposes to develop 49 units of high quality affordable rental housing development on Buffalo’s West Side. The project was conceived to align with BNSC and PUSH Buffalo’s organizational missions to create sustainable housing, community facilities, and living wage jobs for West Side residents. Through a planning process that began in 2017, community members identified these sites to be returned to use as affordable housing and have been directly involved in the planning and conception of the project. The project is strategically situated within and adjacent to PUSH Buffalo’s Green Development Zone, an area on the West Side that PUSH and BNSC have designated for targeted affordable housing reinvestment and community building initiatives.
- The project is expected to include 2 substantially rehabilitated and 14 newly constructed buildings, which will consist of 2 family homes and some small multi-family buildings on 11 sites.
- BNSC has also partnered with Best Self Behavioral Health to designate 30% of the apartments for homeless individuals and families with a substance use disorder or serious mental illness.
- PUSH and BNSC have extensive experience with developing and managing quality affordable housing and community spaces. BNSC uses a variety of strategies to create a safe, decent, and viable neighborhood on the West Side of Buffalo. This Project fits directly within the creativity, vitality, and spirit of Buffalo’s Massachusetts Avenue Corridor Green Development Zone (GDZ) and the vision that its residents have for its future. The GDZ was founded by PUSH in 2008. It is a place-based initiative anchored in a 25-block section of the city’s West Side that includes green affordable housing construction, community-based renewable energy projects, housing weatherization, green jobs training and urban agriculture.
- The best plans and the ones with the highest likelihood of success build on the assets currently available and address the daily needs of those currently living on the West Side. This new project proposes a strategy that meets these local needs, reinforces the positive work that has been going on for several years, and works toward a comprehensive and sustainable neighborhood with opportunities for all who live here.
- This project builds on PUSH’s previous development work based on a large need in the community for affordable housing. We have over 600 households on our waiting list and new families fill out applications every day. As such, we are committed to creating high quality, sustainable, affordable housing in a way that meets community need and fits with the fabric of the neighborhood.
About the new buildings at West and Rhode Island
- PUSH is proposing to build two new buildings – one at West Avenue between Rhode Island and Massachusetts and one at the corner of Rhode Island and Fargo (625-635 West and 146-148 Rhode Island).
- 625 West will include 6 1BR apartments and 9 2BR apartments, as well as a meeting room for tenants. The building will include 7 parking spaces for tenants
- 146-148 Rhode Island will include 4 2BR apartments. The building will include 3 parking spaces for tenants
- PUSH is working very much within the green code on this to project, and PUSH has requested zoning variances for the building on West.
- PUSH will request a variance for a small increase in allowable density – 2 additional apartments at 625-635 West
- PUSH will also request a variance to create balconies in the side yard.
- These variance requests directly respond to community feedback on a desire to have balconies, porches, and other outdoor space for the apartments
- PUSH needs these variances to make the overall project budget work – to create apartments the neighborhood needs, to create doubles in addition to small apartment buildings, and to create sustainability features.
About the new buildings planned at Congress and Delavan
- After hearing feedback from many neighbors, PUSH changed plans at this site.
- PUSH will no longer build at 160 Congress and will work with neighbors/youth to find an appropriate alternate use for the property that prioritizes something for the youth in the neighborhood.
- PUSH is proposing to build a new building at 225 W. Delavan that will include four 3-bedroom apartments.
- The building will include 3 parking spaces for tenants
About the new buildings planned at 297-301 Parkdale
- PUSH is proposing to build two new buildings at 297 and 301 Parkdale Avenue
- Each building will include four apartments – 1 1-bedroom, 1 2-bedroom, 1 3-bedroom, and 1 4-bedroom.
- The building will include 8 parking spaces for tenants
PUSH Buffalo is developing new affordable rental housing units to be built on the West Side.
Next Meeting
These meetings are open to the public.
We encourage you to join us.
Addresses: 217, 223 and 412 Massachusetts Avenue (rehab of existing building), 625 West Avenue, 146 Rhode Island Street, 172 Hampshire Street, 176 and 178 Congress Street, 297, 301, 338 and 340 Parkdale Avenue, 225 West Delavan Avenue, 422 14th Street, Buffalo, NY
Planned construction start: Spring 2022
Planned construction completion: Fall 2023
- Construction will be phased, with buildings starting and finishing at different times throughout the construction process. This timeline is for the entire project.
- Construction should be isolated to the immediate house in which we are working. There will be an occasional increase of cars parking on the streets during that time, for the duration of the specific project. Some disruptions may arise as temporary blocking of the street (special occasions/deliveries), noise between typical construction hours, and a possibility of weekends during the same times.
- Applications for West Side Homes are being accepted now through January 8, 2023. (Applications must be postmarked before January 8, 2023.)
- A lottery of applications will take place on January 28, 2023 at 12 p.m.
- The property management team at Cornerstone Property Management will go through the list in that order to reach out and get complete household information in order to determine if someone is eligible for an apartment. Once all apartments are filled, a waiting list will be created.
- The property management team at Cornerstone Property Management will go through the list in that order to reach out and get complete household information in order to determine if someone is eligible for an apartment. Once all apartments are filled, a waiting list will be created.
- Applications are available by contacting the West Side Homes temporary rental office:
- In person or by mail at 43 Mortimer St., Buffalo, NY 14204
- By phone at 585.424.1400 ext. 333
- Please return all applications by January 8, 2023 to the West Side Homes temporary rental office located at 43 Mortimer St., Buffalo, NY 14204 (between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.).
- This project will have a new application and waiting list. Even if you have already a submitted an application for a PUSH apartment, you must fill out a new application to be considered for West Side Homes.
- For the 16 apartments set aside as supportive housing and with supportive services from BestSelf Behavioral Health, please use the following resources: BestSelf Housing Referral Form and Housing Generic Consent
- No, PUSH members do not get a preference in the application process, nor does anyone need to be a PUSH member to apply for and live in one of the apartments. PUSH members will receive information about the apartments and when they are available.
- There will be an initial date by which all applications will be received, after which there will be a lottery. Applications will be considered based on the list from the lottery, and all applications received after the lottery date will be considered in the order they are received.
Anticipated rents are as follows:
- $610 for a 1BR
- $730 for a 2BR
- $825 for a 3BR
- $950 for a 3BR
All utilities, including heat and electric, are included in the rent.
- Cooling
- Electricity and heat cost are included in the rent.
- Buildings will be all electric, with rooftop solar on each roof. No fossil gas will be incorporated in the buildings.
- The apartments will all have increased energy efficiency beyond what building codes required.
- 625 West will be net zero, which means it uses as much on and offsite renewable energy as the building consumes.
- 625 West and 146 Rhode Island will be designed to Passive House standards
- 16 apartments will be set aside as supportive housing. These will be for households who qualify as either homeless or at risk of homelessness and have a diagnosis of a substance use disorder or serious mental illness.
- BestSelf Behavioral Health will provide each household with a specific and tailored set of supports including rental assistance, case management, home visits, and linkages and referrals to other services.
- BestSelf Behavioral Health is WNY’s largest community-based behavioral health organization. They take a housing first approach, meaning that they see housing as the first step in approaching care. In doing so, they provide innovative and evidence-based services, along with a personal and caring approach that will help their clients feel respected, valued, confident and hopeful.
- Many of these individuals and families already live on the West Side, and these apartments will provide safe, high-quality permanent housing for them. Having an environment that is safe and promotes recovery is an overall housing goal for those BestSelf services in their programs.
Please use the comment box above or email westsidehomes@pushbuffalo.org and we will get back to you!
The buildings will be owned by a subsidiary entity of PUSH Buffalo called West Side Homes LLC. PUSH intends to own the buildings for the long term and maintain them as affordable housing.
Please direct all questions about applications to westsidehomes@rcgltd.net