Mayor announces plan to fill vacant homes in Buffalo

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown touched on several major topics during Thursday’s ‘State of the City’ including the critical issue of housing in the city.

Mayor Brown is calling it the ‘Complete Community Initiative’ – a push to make fair and affordable housing available for everyone.

The mayor says he’s been working on developing a new program that will allow families to own a home and fill abandoned properties.

As housing prices go up, the mayor says he wants to make sure lower-income families are protected.

Under this program, single and double family homes will be eligible for a new type of mortgage that covers the cost of owning and repairing the home.

If the repair cost on the house exceeds the cost of the mortgage, money in a new fund would be used to cover the difference.

“The Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency will lead a community engagement strategy that tailors solutions to neighborhood needs. The ‘Complete Community Initiative’ is the next step in the Housing Opportunity Strategy,” said Mayor Byron Brown.

The mayor says this initiative will work with the $60 million state commitment to Buffalo’s east side.