Pulaski among first 20 places in New York designated as pro-housing communities

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul touted her housing plan during a visit to Syracuse, Feb. 6, 2023. N. Scott Trimble | [email protected]

Pulaski in Oswego County is among the first 20 municipalities in New York to win state certification as a “pro-housing community,” making the village eligible for extra state funding.

Pulaski is the only municipality in Central New York to make the initial list announced Wednesday by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The municipalities will now receive priority over other cities and towns when competing for up to $650 million in discretionary spending from state programs like the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward.

Hochul came up with the incentive program last year as part of her executive actions to increase the state’s housing supply.

The governor took action after failing to gain support for a more aggressive approach that would have allowed the state to override local zoning decisions. Hochul wants to address New York’s housing shortage by building 800,000 new homes over the next decade.

The state is reviewing the applications of 60 other municipalities that have applied to be certified as pro-housing communities.

To be certified, downstate communities must document that their housing stock increased by at least 1% in the previous year or 3% over the previous three years. In Upstate New York, communities must increase housing by 0.33% in the last year or 1% over the previous three years.

The list of the first 20 communities includes the cities of Binghamton, Dunkirk, Kingston, New Rochelle, Newburgh and Poughkeepsie.

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