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Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA)
Mission Statement
The Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency secures and manages resources to improve the social, physical, and economic characteristics of the City of Ithaca by expanding access to quality affordable housing, strengthening neighborhoods and the local economy, and supporting other community development activities. View complete Mission Statement: IURA Mission Statement & Performance Goals (PDF).
INLET ISLAND REDEVELOPMENT
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (RFEI)
Deadline Expired
The IURA is seeking conceptual proposals to redevelop underutilized public lands on Inlet Island. An approximately 2.65-acre waterfront project site is available for potential acquisition and development. The IURA seeks urban renewal projects that improve the physical, social and economic characteristics of the project site and surrounding area, and advance goals and objectives of PlanIthaca, the City’s comprehensive plan and its Waterfront Plan chapter adopted in 2019. These plans encourage the following land use objectives: Mixed-use development; housing opportunities at all income levels; public access to the waterfront; better multi-modal connections; and vibrant waterfront. The goal of the RFEI process is to identify if any respondent’s schematic plan and development program will gain conceptual approval from both the IURA and Common Council as the basis for a proposed urban renewal project to redevelop the project site. A successful project may advance for further negotiation on proposed binding terms for property conveyance and a development program when more extensive pre-development expenses will be expected to be incurred. The complete RFEI (including contact information) can be viewed via the link below.
Inlet Island: Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) (3/3/21)
Proposals Received, Scoring Sheet, & Meeting Schedule
Finger Lakes Development
Visum Development Group
Waterfront Alchemy (32MB)
Waterfront Alchemy (reduced-size)
Program Year 2021
HUD Entitlement Grant Program
2021 Action Plan &
2021 CARES Act CDBG-CV-3 (COVID-19-specific) Activities
The City of Ithaca’s adopted 2021 HUD Entitlement Program Action Plan and plan for CARES Act CDBG-CV-3 (COVID-19-specific) activities can be viewed below. A more detailed chart is also accessible using the following link:
2021 IURA Action Plan & CDBG-CV Funding Chart (PDF)
2021 ACTION PLAN | ||
Project | Sponsor | Amount |
HOUSING | ||
110 Auburn St. Homeownership Project* | Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. (INHS) | $24,999.00 |
Homeowner Rehab | Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. (INHS) | $100,020.80 |
Minor Repair Program | Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. (INHS) | $33,475.00 |
State Street Apartments | Visum Develop. Group & Providence Housing Develop. Corp. | $100,000.00 |
511 S. Plain St. For-Sale Duplex* | Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. (INHS) | $77,850.00 |
Housing Scholarship Program | The Learning Web | $75,600.00 |
Security Deposit Assistance for Vulnerable Households | Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga Counties | $74,000.00 |
Security Deposit Assistance Delivery | Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga Counties | $2,500.00 |
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | ||
ReUse Job Training for Career Pathways | Finger Lakes ReUse, Inc. (FLRU) | $90,000.00 |
Work Preserve Job Training: Job Placements | Historic Ithaca, Inc. | $67,500.00 |
Hospitality Employment Training Program (HETP) | Greater Ithaca Activities Center, Inc. (GIAC) | $100,643.06 |
Economic Development Loan Fund | IURA | $160,000.00 |
PUBLIC FACILITIES | ||
Great Neighbor & Essential Resource | Ithaca Community Gardens, Inc. | $41,200.00 |
Urban Bus Stop Upgrade Project | TCAT | $17,100.00 |
New Gym Renovation | Greater Ithaca Activities Center, Inc. (GIAC) | $100,000.00 |
PUBLIC SERVICES | ||
2-1-1 Information & Referral | Human Services Coalition of Tompkins County, Inc. (HSC) | $25,000.00 |
Work Preserve Job Training: Job Readiness | Historic Ithaca, Inc. | $20,000.00 |
Immigrant Services Program (ISP) | Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga Counties | $30,000.00 |
A Place to Stay | Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga Counties | $15,000.00 |
ADMINISTRATION | ||
CDBG Administration (20%) | IURA | $136,152.20 |
HOME Administration (10%) | IURA | $33,471.50 |
2021 DRAFT PLAN FOR CARES Act CDBG-CV Activities | ||
Health & Wellness: Smoothies, Food Services, & Yoga | Black Hands Universal, Inc. | $18,001.60 |
On Call Office Subdivision | Advocacy Center of Tompkins County | $5,720.00 |
Online Market Discounts for LMI/SNAP Customers | Ithaca Farmers Market | $19,068.00 |
HVAC Upgrade | St. John's Community Services | $20,300.00 |
TOTAL: | $1,387,601.16 | |
This list includes the allocation of anticipated CDBG, CDBG-CV, and HOME awards in the amounts of $680,761, $63,089.60 and $334,715, respectively, and allocation of $309,035.56 from anticipated repayments of prior-year economic development loans and other funds. Questions can be submitted via e-mail at: amendizabal@cityofithaca.org or 108 E. Green St., Ithaca, NY 14850.
BACKGROUND
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Entitlement Programs provide Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to more than 1,100 localities and state governments. These flexible sources of funding offer local governments, with citizen participation, the opportunity to fund certain projects, programs, and public services that meet specified national objectives. The City of Ithaca became an Entitlement Community in 2004 and has since provided financial support to dozens of local projects that principally benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) people by providing decent housing, suitable living environments, and/or expanded economic opportunities. The Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA) administers the City of Ithaca’s Entitlement Grant program, on behalf of the City. The IURA invited interested organizations, agencies, businesses, community groups, and individuals to submit applications for projects to be funded for the 2021 Program Year. A chart listing all the applications received can be viewed at the following link as well as schedule information:
2021 IURA Funding Applications Chart
Green Street Garage Redevelopment Proposals
Western & Center Sections
Disposition & Development Agreement (DDA) w. Attachments (9/5/19)
The Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA) solicited proposals to redevelop the Green Street Parking Garage site for a project that increases housing choices and retains sufficient parking to meet current parking utilization, as well as additional parking demand created by the project. Other preferred uses include ground-level active uses on Green Street and a conference center. The IURA is authorized to negotiate the property sales price and the development program, subject to final City of Ithaca Common Council approval. The IURA seeks fair market value for the property, but expects deductions in consideration of community benefits provided by the project (e.g., below-market housing; reconstruction of public parking at developer’s expense).
The IURA Economic Development Committee (EDC) initially reviewed and discussed the applications at its August 21, 2018 meeting. On September 14, 2018, the Committee reviewed and numerically ranked the four applications, which formed the basis of its recommendation to the IURA Board. The IURA Board reviewed and discussed the rankings at its September 27th, 2018 meeting (including a Public Hearing), and subsequently ranked the four applications on October 25, 2018 (see image of table further below), recommending the top two projects to Common Council for discussion: Vecino Group New York, LLC and Newman Development Group, LLC. A joint Common Council-IURA Board meeting was held on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 to discuss the project and the two top-ranked proposals. On December 13, 2018, the IURA Board met, reviewed additional documents from the applicants, listened to additional public comments, and unanimously adopted a resolution designating Vecino Group New York, LLC as the preferred developer and “qualified and eligible sponsor,” authorizing entry into an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) period with the sponsor for the purpose of structuring a proposed Disposition and Development Agreement. The Disposition and Development Agreement shall be subject to approval by both the IURA Board and the Common Council:
Disposition & Development Agreement (DDA) w. Attachments (9/5/19)
Green St. Garage Redevelopment: Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) (4/11/19)
Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH)
The AFH is an updated approach to looking at the fair housing landscape in order to set locally determined fair housing priorities and goals (e.g., are Ithaca residents able to achieve their housing goals; have Ithaca residents ever been treated unfairly in regard to housing; what could improve Ithaca residents' housing situations). The Assessment of Fair Housing is available for review via the following link: http://www.cityofithaca.org/DocumentCenter/View/6952. You can also view the Assessment of Fair Housing Goal Summary Table via the following link: http://www.cityofithaca.org/DocumentCenter/View/7134. Please contact the following person with any questions:
Anisa Mendizabal
Community Development Planner
AMendizabal@cityofithaca.org
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Data & Mapping Tool
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule requires cities and towns receiving HUD funding to examine their housing patterns for evidence of housing discrimination. To facilitate this process, HUD created the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Data and Mapping Tool (AFFHT), a publicly accessible interactive web site for conducting the fair housing analyses required by AFFH. AFFHT is a public-facing application, so there are no user registration or access requirements. All users have the same basic permission to use the site. You can access the AFFHT by clicking on the following link:
https://egis.hud.gov/affht
Once you land on the AFFHT web site, you’ll see an introductory pop-up window, where you'll be asked to select the state and jurisdiction you’re looking for, and whether you want to view just that specific jurisdiction’s map, or a map of the entire region. You will then be taken to a subsequent screen where you'll be asked to select a type of map (e.g., "Race/Ethnicity," "Housing Choice Vouchers & Race/Ethnicity," "Demographics & Job Proximity, "Demographics & Environmental Health"). Once you find the type of map you're looking for, click on the "Go to Map" button located at the bottom-right of the application wizard. Depending on the type of map you select, you may then be asked to choose a specific data set for the map (e.g., "Race/Ethnicity Trends, 1990" or "Race/Ethnicity Trends, 2000"). For more detailed information about each map, including illustrated instructions on how to use the mapping tool, please refer to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) User Guide at the following link: https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/AFFH-Data-and-Mapping-Tool-User-Guide.pdf.
You can also click on the following link to go to a page containing tools, guidance, training, data/mapping, and other resources related to the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/affh/resources/#tools-for-fair-housing-planning-under-the-affh-rule.
Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) Data Tables
- AFH Data Table: Table 1 - Demographics (5/31/17)
- AFH Data Table: Table 2 - Demographic Trends (5/31/17)
- AFH Data Table: Table 3 - Racial/Ethnic Dissimilarity Trends (5/31/17)
- AFH Data Table: Table 4 - Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty (RECAPs) (5/31/17)
- AFH Data Table: Table 5 - Publicly Supported Hsng. Units by Program Category (5/31/17)
- AFH Data Table: Table 6 - Publicly Supported Households by Race/Ethnicity (5/31/17)
- AFH Data Table: Table 7 - RECAP/Non-RECAP Demographics by Publicly Supported Hsng. Prg. (5/31/17)
- AFH Data Table: Table 8 - Demographics of Publicly Supported Hsng. Develpts. by Prgm. (5/31/17)
- AFH Data Table: Table 9 - Demographics of Households w. Disproportionate Housing Needs (5/31/17)
- AFH Data Table: Table 10 - Demographics of Households with Severe Housing Cost Burden (5/31/17)
- AFH Data Table: Table 11 - Publ. Supp. Hsng. by Prgrm. Cat. - Units by No. Bdrms.-Child. (5/31/17)
- AFH Data Table: Table 12 - Opportunity Indicators by Race/Ethnicity (5/31/17)
- AFH Data Table: Table 13 - Disability by Type (5/31/17)
- AFH Data Table: Table 14 - Disability by Age Group (5/31/17)
- AFH Data Table: Table 15 - Disability by Publicly Supported Housing Program Category (5/31/17)
- AFH Data Table: Table 16 - Homeownership/Rental Rates by Race/Ethnicity (5/31/17)