FOCUS Forum, March 14th
FOCUS Forum and Thursday Morning Roundtable
Syracuse Citizens Review Board Chair Peter McCarthy and CRB Administrator Ranette Releford will discuss the board’s role and relations between citizens and police in Syracuse at the next FOCUS Forum.
The combined FOCUS Forum and Thursday Morning Roundtable will be 8 to 9 a.m. Thursday March 14 on the 4th Floor of the Nancy Cantor Warehouse of Syracuse University, 350 W. Fayette St., Syracuse, NY.
Join in the conversation over morning coffee at this free event open to all. Learn more about forums at www.focussyracuse.org.
You can register for the event and ask a question HERE .
Interested in Joining Onondaga Earth Corps?
Onondaga Earth Corps is currently looking to fill the following seasonal Crew Leader positions and permanent Staff positions.
Crew Leaders for Green Infrastructure Maintenance and Tree Programs
Youth Program Coordinator
Personal Development Team Leader
Office Manager
For the position descriptions and more information, Please visit their website www.onondagaearthcorps.org and/or contact at
onondagaearthcorps@gmail.com
(315) 565-3797
100 New St.
Room 239
Syracuse, NY 13202
The Office of Accountability, Performance, & Innovation: Crowdfunding Survey
A Message From: Samantha Linnett, Innovation Design Lead
Back in November, the City of Syracuse posted an RFP as part of the Startup in Residence Program (STIR) with a list of city challenges to be solved. STIR is a program that started at the City of San Francisco and is now an independent nonprofit that works with governments to match them with startups across the country to solve city challenges. The City works with these startups for a 16 week design period, at the end of which a solution has been developed. If the City likes the solution, we can move forward into contracting with the startup. If not, we have no obligation to contract.
One of the challenges the City submitted is in regards to residents needing short-term access to emergency housing funding. The startup we are partnering with is proposing a peer-to-peer crowdfunding solution. This program would allow community members with financial means to contribute money to a pool that residents-in-need could access to cover emergency housing expenses. These expenses could include a security deposit, one month's rent, utility bills, or moving costs.
We are asking for your help! We need to get an estimate of a “funder” market in order for this solution to have potential. While potential funders could definitely include local businesses and philanthropy, they also include you! Below is a link to a short survey. It should take no longer than 5 minutes. We would love if you could fill it out by 5pm on Monday, February 11, and share with your colleagues, friends, and neighbors! All responses are anonymous and will not be shared.
Take the survey here!
Mayor Walsh has made it a priority to improve housing stability and reduce transiency of Syracuse residents. Based upon qualitative research, security deposits or other emergency expenses are a major contributing issue to housing stability challenges.
The City of Syracuse has a law in place which states that landlords have up to 21 days to return security deposits or tell tenants that they will not receive a refund. Currently, when low-income renters move, they need start-up capital to cover their new security deposit and their first month’s rent. They rely upon their previous security deposit being returned. However, many landlords take the full three weeks to return this money. This means that renters either move into poorer quality housing where they can afford the start-up costs (which leads to housing stability issues), or they couch surf for a month until their previous security deposit has been returned (which leads to transiency issues).
If the City of Syracuse was able to help with security deposit and emergency housing fund challenges for renters, it would help reduce transiency, which impacts school performance, job security, health, and other social issues.
Thank you in advance for all of your help! Please feel free to reach out with questions.
Best,
Samantha
Samantha Linnett
Innovation Design Lead
Office of Accountability, Performance, & Innovation
City of Syracuse
slinnett@syrgov.net
315.448.8583
Neighborhood and Business Development Office: Fifth Annual Action Plan for the City of Syracuse
Please click here to find the Fifth Annual Action Plan for the City of Syracuse and funding recommendations for HUD’s 45th Program Year (May 1, 2019 – April 30, 2020). This Plan contains recommendations for funding programs and services that were vetted through our volunteer Risk Analysis Committee in conjunction with Neighborhood and Business Development (NBD) staff.
We hope you find the information within the Plan document helpful in understanding the housing and community development needs faced by our city. Today marks the beginning of a 30-day public comment period in which this Department seeks input on the Plan from any and all interested stakeholders. Two open, public forums will be held for which you are invited to discuss the contents of the Plan. Please contact our office if you require any special accommodations to make your participation possible.
§ NBD will be holding a Public Hearing on Wednesday, February 20th at 5:00PM in the Common Council Chambers in City Hall, 233 East Washington Street, Syracuse, 13202
§ The Common Council Public Meeting is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, March 6, 2018 at 5:00PM, also in the Council Chambers
Written comments can be mailed to the address below and/or emailed to nbd@syrgov.net. Please share this information to any interested stakeholders.
Thank you for your interest in this process and for your continued commitment to strengthening neighborhoods and families in our community.
