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Housing Discrimination Complaint Data in the Buffalo Region

Sarah Wooton, Steven Haagsma — May 12, 2022

This fact sheet is a snapshot of housing discrimination complaints reported to HOME between 2003 and 2020 in Erie and Niagara counties, with a focus on the City of Buffalo.

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Tool Libraries: Hammering Equity Home

Daniel White — Nov 30, 2020

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FB Community Land Trust Fact Sheet

Sidney Malia Waite — Jul 19, 2019

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Rental Housing Costs in Buffalo

Sarah Wooton — Oct 15, 2018

With the renewed popularity of urban living, along with substantial public and private investment in the city, the value of property throughout Buffalo is on the rise. Certain neighborhoods, including Downtown, Allentown, Hertel/Parkside and areas on the West and East sides, are becoming hot markets – with many homes worth double or triple what owners paid for them. As property values rise in cities, rents do too.

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2017 Erie County Homelessness Brief

Homeless Alliance of Western New York — Jul 10, 2018

The Homeless Alliance of WNY publishes reports of homelessness in the five-county region that we serve. The information is from HMIS, departments of social services, and providers. HMIS serves as the primary data source and nearly all agencies in the five-county area who are not on HMIS provide aggregate counts. Increased coverage of HMIS has led to an improved understanding of homelessness in Western New York. This summary zeroes in on Erie County. If you have any questions about the …

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2017 Homeless Alliance Summary Brief: Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties

Homeless Alliance of Western New York — Jul 10, 2018

The Homeless Alliance of WNY publishes reports of homelessness in the five-county region that we serve. The information is from HMIS, departments of social services, and providers. HMIS serves as the primary data source and nearly all agencies in the five-county area who are not on HMIS provide aggregate counts. Increased coverage of HMIS has led to an improved understanding of homelessness in Western New York. This summary zeroes in on Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties.  If you …

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2017 Homelessness Summary Brief

Homeless Alliance of Western New York — Jul 10, 2018

The Homeless Alliance of WNY publishes reports of homelessness in the five-county region that we serve. The information is from HMIS, departments of social services, and providers. HMIS serves as the primary data source and nearly all agencies in the five-county area who are not on HMIS provide aggregate counts. Increased coverage of HMIS has led to an improved understanding of homelessness in Western New York.  If you have any questions about the annual report, please …

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2017 Niagara County Homelessness Brief

Homeless Alliance of Western New York — Jul 10, 2018

The Homeless Alliance of WNY publishes reports of homelessness in the five-county region that we serve. The information is from HMIS, departments of social services, and providers. HMIS serves as the primary data source and nearly all agencies in the five-county area who are not on HMIS provide aggregate counts. Increased coverage of HMIS has led to an improved understanding of homelessness in Western New York. This summary zeroes in on Niagara County. If you have any questions about the annual …

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Life on a Nickel's Edge: Struggle and Dignity in Buffalo's Fruit Belt

John Marsland — Jun 1, 2017

This purpose of this fact sheet is to give a brief overview of the Fruit Belt neighborhood on Buffalo’s East Side in relation to community demographics, development, and efforts to control land use through the creation of the FB Community Land Trust. This fact sheet has three parts: an introduction to the 2016-2017 Humanities New York public humanities fellowship project; information gained from the conduct of that fellowship; links to other work that has been done in relation to the …

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Fruit Belt Neighborhood Asset Inventory

Sara Alpert — Oct 27, 2016

The Fruit Belt is bordered by North Street on the north, Jefferson Street on the east, the Kensington Expressway on the south, and Michigan Street on the west.  The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) lies directly west of the Fruit Belt, across Michigan Street.  Historically, the neighborhood was much larger, encompassing the area where the BNMC is now located, and stretching from Main Street in the West to Best Street in the north, and Genesee Street in the east.  However, …

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Credit Unions and Banks Near Downtown Buffalo

Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc. Jul 6, 2016

Fact Sheet outlining credit unions and banks near Downtown Buffalo.

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Vacant and Abandoned Housing in Buffalo

Marc Masson — Dec 1, 2014

Buffalo has the oldest housing stock in the nation, with the largest percentage (67%) of homes built before 1940.  In Erie County in 2013 there were 275 cases of elevated lead levels in children.  The City of Buffalo has three of five zip codes in state with worst lead poisoning levels and accounts for roughly 95% of county lead cases.  As of 2008, 13%-22% of children in the City suffered from asthma.  In 2006, the City received 7,460 calls regarding housing violations and …

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Housing Segregation, Inequality, and Poverty in Buffalo-Niagara

Gabriella Agostinelli Apr 17, 2013

The Buffalo-Niagara metropolitan area is slowly losing population and growing more diverse.  From 2000 to 2010, the metro population fell from 1,170,111 to 1,135,509, a loss of 34,602.  During those ten years, the Hispanic population rose 36.7%, multi-racial rose 38.1%, and Asian rose 68.7%, while white population fell 6.4%, black fell 0.2%, and American Indian fell 0.2%.  In 2010, the metropolitan area was 79.5% white, 11.8% black, 4.1% Hispanic, and 2.3% Asian.  As of …

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Habitat for Humanity Buffalo

Aikeem Cooper — Apr 1, 2012

Habitat for Humanity Buffalo (HFHB) is a non-profit ecumenical Christian housing organization.  It was founded in 1985 by a group of concerned citizens including Ron Talboys, who had visited the Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Americus Georgia.  The Buffalo affiliate of HFHB was the 101st affiliate to be started in the United States.  Over the past 26 years, HFHB has worked in all nine council districts of Buffalo and in nearby Lackawanna.  The goal of HFHB, and all …

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The Matt Urban HOPE Center and the Housing First Model

Justine Miller — Apr 1, 2012

Housing First successfully addresses homelessness by giving chronically homeless people permanent housing.  Once in a Housing First program, chronically homeless people get a permanent place to live immediately, despite possible untreated drug, alcohol, or emotional health problems.  Matt Urban Hope Center operates one of the first Housing First programs in the Buffalo region.  Housing First is permanent housing, while shelters are only temporary, meaning people are only allowed …

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The Buffalo Urban Development Corporation

Heather Anderson — Jun 9, 2010

The non-profit corporation is run by a Board of Directors, which consists of the members of the Corporation.  The By-laws of the BUDC set forth how the members/directors are to be selected. Although the Officers may have salaries, at this time, none of the Officers are compensated for their services.  The By-laws provide that there are to be eighteen members/directors of the corporation, and that the members/directors are to be elected or appointed.

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Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority

Marnie Smith — May 3, 2009

To assist our residents in attaining and maintaining a high standard for their quality of life.  The Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority will provide services and opportunities associated with affordable, desirable, and secure housing to individuals and families.  We will provide customer service, programs and amenities which are the best possible.  The BMHA also has a number of goals: to provide safe, clean, affordable housing to residents of the City of Buffalo that will be …

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Artspace Buffalo: Buffalo Artists Residence & Gallery

Gary Phillips — Nov 20, 2008

Located at 1219 Main Street in Buffalo, New York, Artspace Buffalo provides affordable housing and work space for artists and their families, and commercial space for arts organizations and arts-related businesses.  Even though the project is relatively new, American Style Magazine, in its April 2008 issue, named Buffalo the top "Arts Destination for Mid-Sized Cities." Among the attractions and facilities that the magazine noted was Artspace Buffalo, which it said added to the city's …

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Community Development Block Grants and Buffalo

Amy Kaslovsky — Nov 16, 2008

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program is a federal program run by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  CDBG grants are provided to state and local governments for the purpose of addressing community needs such as affordable housing, job creation, and retention and expansion of business activity.  Grants are available for projects lasting from one to three years.  Seventy percent of the funding must be used for the benefit of low and …

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The Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency

Karen Andolina-Scott — Nov 16, 2008

BURA was created under New York State’s General Municipal Law Article 15-B §639.  This statute directly states who should compose the board of BURA.  It states that BURA shall be composed of the mayor of the city of Buffalo and eight other members including Buffalo’s president of the common council, chairman of the urban renewal committee of the common council, minority leader of the common council, corporation counsel, commissioner of urban renewal, commissioner of …

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Catholic Church Closings

Karen Andolina-Scott — Nov 7, 2008

The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo was established on April 23, 1847.  It serves the following counties in New York State: Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, Chautauqua, Wyoming, Cattaraugus and Allegany.  The Diocese covers 6,455 square miles and has a Catholic population of 702,884.  In June 2005, Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, the bishop of Buffalo, initiated a “parish-based strategic plan and spiritual revitalization initiative” called “Journey in Faith and …

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Easy Ways to Lower your Utility Bills

Sam Magavern Aug 7, 2008

The average home in Buffalo can expect energy bills of $2,267 per year.  An energy-efficient home in Buffalo will have much lower bills – only $1,451 per year.  That is a savings of $816.  Here are some simple steps you can take to start saving money on your energy bills.

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