Catholic Charities closes on new affordable housing units

Two homes in Ilion are among the first in a campaign for Catholic Charities of the Albany Diocese to provide 60 affordable housing units across several counties.

The $5.5 million “Campaign for Catholic Charities” began in 2017 to mark the agency’s centennial. In addition to funding emergency assistance, a mobile food program, property improvements at other Catholic Charities sites and a “CC Cares” volunteer program, the campaign seeks to raise $3.5 million toward the purchase and renovation of properties for low-income tenants.

Affordable housing is a serious challenge in the Albany Diocese, noted Paul McAvoy, director of marketing and communications for diocesan Catholic Charities.

Spending more than 30 percent of one’s monthly income on rent is considered a “rent burden,” he said, but it’s costing many low-income people in the Diocese 50 to 70 percent of their earnings just to keep a roof over their heads.

Working and poor

Materials on the campaign note: “Unfortunately, the working poor don’t qualify for supportive housing; nor are they eligible for, or able to access, subsidized housing through programs like Section 8, the government’s low-income housing assistance program. When unexpected emergencies occur, such are serious healthcare issues or transportation problems, eviction becomes a harsh reality for many.”

Catholic Charities already has a handful of what are called “family apartments” spread across Albany, Schenectady and Rensselaer Counties. The agency itself is the landlord for these properties, and rent is below the market rate. But there are just 37 apartments, and there’s a year-long waiting list for prospective tenants.

That’s why Thomas Coates, associate executive director for Catho­lic Charities’ Housing Office, was delighted to learn through a Catholic Charities board member about two houses in the village of Ilion that were on the market.

The Campaign for Catholic Charities is focusing on providing housing in rural areas, specifically for low-income, working families. Schoharie, Rensselaer, Greene and Washington Counties are all areas being targeted for affordable housing, Mr. Coates said.

Perfect fit

Purchased 25 years ago by a Utica-based community action agency, the two Ilion homes had been rehabilitated using state funds from the Homeless Housing and Assistance Corporation (HHAC) and didn’t need a lot of repairs. One home is on East Clark Street, the other on West Street.

“That’s exactly what we’re looking at,” said Mr. Coates.

In addition, Catholic Charities already has a presence in the area — and Ilion is one of many Mohawk Valley locales that is sorely in need of aid. The Data USA website cites a poverty rate of more than 20 percent in the small village.

Catholic Charities was able to purchase both houses for far below market rate. Mr. McAvoy pointed out that buying the houses outright means there is no mortgage to pay.

The closings were a couple of weeks ago. Now, the agency is lining up contractors to do repair work, painting and, at one house, taking down two 30-foot white cedar trees that are too overgrown to save.

Mr. Coates noted that Catholic Charities tries to use local contractors for such work. “If we’re going to spend money, we should spend it right here, where the houses are,” he explained.

Larger issues

Creating affordable housing is also part of a larger effort to connect people in need to the services Catholic Charities provides. Mr. McAvoy pointed to another goal of the campaign: the “No Wrong Door” initiative, through which clients asking for food assistance will be connected with a mentor to help solve short-term problems and find longer-term solutions.

“All of us in the non-profit world have to get better around technology, communication and interconnectedness of programs,” Mr. McAvoy said.

A few decades ago, he explained, someone who approached Catho­lic Charities might be dealing with one straightforward need, like a few months of food aid after a job loss. Today’s clients tend to have more complex issues: Mental illness, substance abuse, unemployment, financial need and more may all be connected.

Addressing affordable housing is a significant step toward addressing those issues.

“It’s big,” Mr. McAvoy confirmed. “It’s what the campaign has been designed around.”

Hopefully, he said, the Ilion housing units will be “the first of many. We need to start to make a dent in the challenges for the people we serve.”

When they’re finished in late September or early October, each of the Ilion homes will house two families, whose rent will be kept below the market rate.

That means four families won’t have to struggle so much or relocate to a city just to find affordable rental housing, Mr. Coates said: “We’re hoping this helps families stay right in their area, their neighborhood, their school district, their parish.”

Current tenants in other Catho­lic Charities housing have told him, “If it weren’t for having affordable housing, we’d be homeless.”

More to come

The Campaign for Catholic Charities is set up so that donors contribute monthly toward the amount they have pledged, so Mr. Coates is now waiting for the campaign to amass enough funds to purchase more homes — possibly by August.

In the meantime, he said, every home he passes is scanned with an eye toward whether it would be a good fit for Catholic Charities housing.

“You look at everything as potential,” he remarked, adding: “We’re pretty excited about having our first tenants.”

(The Catholic Charities Housing Office will manage the homes. Applications are available online at www.cchoalbany.org, or call 518-459-0183 for more information.)