BUFFALO, N.Y. — Hundreds took over the Buffalo Convention Center for the Upstate New York affordable housing conference.
The goal is to find solutions to the state's housing crisis.
Jolie Milstein, CEO and president of NYSAFAH said the housing stock is deteriorating and new build costs are high.
"There is a critical shortage, not just in New York State, but nationally. New York has led the country in some of our innovative ways to finance and build housing. We're still not able to build enough housing. People are doubling up couch surfing. People are living out of their cars. People are paying way too much of their income, half their income in rent."
All day there were sessions featuring discussions about housing, including one on the government's role in creating housing and the obstacles they've encountered.
Brendan Mehaffy works for the city of Buffalo. He said "All the private developers come to us and say look at this big empty street, I can build all of the houses, but there are no neighbors and when there's no neighbors, there's typically no amenities. There's no mass transit."
He said affordable housing is not just about the house, and rent, "but it is the ability of an individual to access other wealth-making opportunities. Housing is a part of solving this problem. Location and access is so critical for those individuals living in the house, which is one of the reasons for the team at the Mayor's Office of Strategic Planning."
People Inc. president Anne Mccaffrey was excited to talk about two projects her organization has underway.
"One in East Buffalo that is a co-partner project with Mount Olive Baptist Church. It will be 65 units of senior housing on the east side of Buffalo. It will open next fall. We also have 93 units of affordable housing in the village of Williamsville on Evans that's under construction," she said.
And she says there is a waiting list.