Southern Hills Preservation Corporation was incorporated in 1986 to promote affordable housing and community revitalization in Southern Onondaga County. Our service area includes the Towns of Fabius, LaFayette, Marcellus, Pompey, Onondaga, Otisco, Skaneateles, Spafford, and Tully; and the Villages of Fabius, Marcellus, Skaneateles, and Tully located within these towns. Southern Hills works to meet to the needs of the communities we serve through:
 
** Our Home Improvement Program (HIP) that provides grants of up to $30,000 to income-eligible homeowners to make necessary repairs on their homes. Funds can be used for up to 60% of total project costs. Homeowners are responsible for the remaining 40% of the project costs. Homeowner funds can come from a gift, other grant programs, or a loan, including our Homeowner Rehab Loan (see below).
 
** Our First-Time Home buyer (FTHB) Program that provides grants of up to $30,000 to income-eligible buyers toward the purchase of their first home. The funds can be used to make necessary repairs on the home and to “buy down” the mortgage amount (note that funds cannot be used for down payment and closing costs). At least 51% of the total funds must be used for necessary repairs, with remaining funds used to reduce the mortgage to keep payments more affordable.
 
** Our Homeowner Rehab Loans that offer low interest, flexible loans that help income-eligible homeowners make needed repairs on their homes.
 
** Our housing counseling services that include individual counseling to help with budgeting, credit repair, preparing for homeownership, becoming a stronger homeowner, and tenant rights and responsibilities. Our education includes First-Time Homebuyer Classes offered online through eHome America. For 2016, we are adding Financial Literacy Workshops, Tenant Workshops, and Homeowner Workshops. Please contact us for details!
 
** We also provide Information, referrals, and assistance to help residents access housing-related programs available at other local agencies.
 
In addition, Southern Hills works with elected representatives and private partners to identify and address housing-related needs in the communities we serve. To date, the agency has partnered to develop eight rental housing projects with a total of 267 apartments to create help affordable rental housing in Onondaga County.

Syracuse United Neighbors, Inc. (SUN) is a membership organization incorporated in 1978 who's mission is to organize people living on the south, southwest and near-westside of the city of Syracuse into a group of active, knowledgeable, and involved citizens who strive for: homes that are affordable and in good repair; access to quality public and private services to improve neighborhood; and a crime and drug-free community.

SUN works to improve the housing stock in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods. They advocate for better city services, improved code enforcement, well-paved streets, expanded community policing, and removal of unsafe vacant homes.

SUN counsels, makes referrals and can complete applications on the following: public and private funds for home improvement, HEAP, Weatherization, State's property tax exemptions, and negotiate settlements with some financial institutions on predatory loans and foreclosures.

SUN works with private and public financial institutions to increase funds for housing rehabilitation, purchase and construction in our service area.

SMNC is a private, not-for-profit organization established in 1972. Its mission then was “to improve blighted neighborhoods, preserve demographic diversity and foster self-sufficiency in targeted neighborhoods in the City of Syracuse.” Over the last 30 plus years, SMNC has built and sold 130 new homes to owner-occupants. These homes were built for ourselves, Jubilee Homes, University Hill Corporation and Pioneer Development. It has absorbed 3 other struggling housing agencies, assuming their property management and sales responsibilities. It has purchased, rehabilitated and sold 136 existing homes for owner-occupancy.

Today, SMNC owns and manages 232 units in 99 buildings. This represents a real estate portfolio worth approximately five million dollars. The housing stock includes residential housing and several shelter units. SMNC’s rent structure is geared toward low-income residents. This work has taken place in cooperation and collaboration with government and community groups including other housing and community development organizations.

The Spanish Action League of Onondaga County Inc. is a not-for profit, bilingual (Spanish-English) organization incorporated in 1969 to provide comprehensive services to the Latino community and to address the unique needs arising from language and cultural barriers.

The Spanish Action League offers First Time Home Buyer Workshops to the community at no charge. Our First Time Home Buyer Workshops consist of an 8 hour training where clients receive information from different agencies invited to explain different procedures and applications required to obtain a certificate of participation. These trainings are offered by a Home Buyer Educator accredited by NeighborWorks America Institute. Clients that complete these workshops are eligible to receive a grant that assists client with $3,750 towards down-payment and closing costs.

The Spanish Action League is also beginning Landlord/Tenant Education Workshops, where we meet with local property managers, landlords and home owners to discuss tenant's rights and education.

The agency is also in the process of developing home repair workshops and home repair contractor fairs. These workshops will be detrimental to the crisis seen around Syracuse that homes fall into disrepair. We are hoping to see data that shows that these education workshops contribute to the prevention of this crisis. <

The Northeast Hawley Development Association, Inc. (NEHDA) is a community housing development organization in the City of Syracuse. The organizations efforts are focused on the northeast side of the city. The fundamental mission at NEHDA is neighborhood revitalization through enhanced homeownership opportunities for low to moderate income individuals and families.

NEHDA focuses on home-ownership marketed towards low-moderate income qualified first time home owners, further strengthening our neighborhoods and putting residents on the path to stronger financial stability.

They have prioritized two northside areas for planned redevelopment. Within these areas they work with several key partners involving affordable housing, home ownership, business enhancement, and financial assistance/programming for the community. SHARP Grants to qualified home owners for façade improvement projects. Landbank side lot, mow to own program.

They facilitate individuals into several other programs involving Lead Programs, larger home improvement projects, emergency assistance, and Landbank Purchases. Through contractual agreements they are also able to advocate in the areas of Foreclosure Prevention, Down Payment & Closing Costs Assistance and Home Buyer Education Programs. Advocacy on behalf of stakeholders on a variety of topics including Interstate 81, Consensus, and Nuisance Abatement.

They currently oversee two NY Main St Projects as well as a newly created Syracuse Main St Project as well as a property database and facilitation for business space & entrepreneurs, Business Association Administration/Strategies, and Workforce Development facilitation. They have developed a monthly neighborhood meeting to discuss crime issues, positive developments and all issues affecting the community members.

Housing Visions Unlimited, Inc. was incorporated in 1990 to significantly improve the quality of housing and the quality of life in the greater east Genesee Street neighborhood in the City of Syracuse. A successful neighborhood revitalization model was created and with its affiliates housing visions has expanded its boundaries throughout New York State. Housing Visions purchases substandard multifamily buildings in "critical mass" groupings and substantially renovates the properties or newly constructs buildings, providing quality affordable housing to low-to-moderate income families who, in turn, accept responsibility for their surroundings and sustain the neighborhood revitalization. Housing Visions has successfully renovated and placed into operation 111 buildings in the city of Syracuse providing a total of 404 housing units to eligible persons of low-income, 90 buildings in the city of Utica for 265 units of housing, 8 buildings in the city of Binghamton totaling 22 units, 19 buildings in the city of Auburn for 47 units, 8 buildings in the city of Cortland for 30 units, 11 buildings in the city of Rome for 33 units, 27 buildings in the city of Oswego for 169 units, 9 buildings in Lockport for 30 units and 16 buildings in buffalo for 46 units of quality affordable housing. In addition, there are 47 buildings with 250 units are under construction throughout NY and PA. Operations include: obtaining project financing, purchasing properties, managing the construction, leasing to and assisting residents, maintaining and eventually selling the buildings to qualified residents.