A multi-year strategy for improving housing conditions in Syracuse is on hold after a common councilor objected to the plan. Council chambers was packed as Councilor Pat Hogan introduced the measure at Monday's meeting, telling his fellow councilors that after 18 months of meetings and discussions they now have a clear template for stabilizing housing in Syracuse.
“The housing crisis is real, and solving it will take persistent efforts by this administration and the next one and the council," Hogan told his colleagues. "[It's] a plan that was thoroughly vetted by an ad hoc committee of over 30 people from every sphere of the housing community, a solid program plan that deserves support from all of us.”
The 70-page proposal highlights everything from cracking down on slumlords and lead abatement to aggressive code enforcement.
But it didn't have the support of councilor-at-large Rasheada Caldwell, whose objection automatically removed it from consideration. She says not everyone has had a chance to weigh in.
“The upper east side of Salt Springs neighborhood and community has been reaching out asking what's going on," Caldwell said. "And I think in order for us to make a housing strategy that is effective to everyone, we have to make sure that everyone it's going to affect needs to know about it and I think we have not done that yet.”
That echoes the concerns of George Lynch who spoke at a public hearing last month. He said a strategy is great, but the process is lacking public engagement.
“Obviously we have experts who come in, but they don't live here, so they don't understand the actual things taking place,” Lynch said.
Jocelyn Richards agreed. She's with the Syracuse Tenants Union.
“Consultants, when they come to Syracuse, they see the same distressed neighborhoods that we see when we are door talking with tenants," Richards told councilors at the July 30 hearing. "The difference is we are speaking with people directly with your constituents and we are learning their needs.”
Councilors could revisit the housing strategy in as little as two weeks.
