About a quarter of all homeowners in the City of Buffalo earn less than $35,000 a year. For many low-income property owners, keeping homes up to code is difficult due to the high cost of repairs. While property taxes in Buffalo are relatively low compared to other New York State communities, many homeowners still struggle to stay current on taxes, user fees, and sewer rent bills.

City Hall can take several proactive steps to help low-income homeowners maintain and build equity in their homes. These include creating a centralized home repair network, expanding property tax exemptions, reinstating payment plans, and strengthening protections during the in rem tax foreclosure process.