Syracuse Urban Renewal Agency Meeting - August 4, 2025
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Syracuse Urban Renewal Agency Regular Meeting
Date: August 4, 2025 Time: Meeting called to order at approximately 2:24 PM.
Board members present: Mayor (unnamed, chair), Councilor Pro Tem Hogan (representing Council President Hudson), and Commissioner Canazaro. Staff present: Meg (agency staff) and Michelle Spansky (Deputy Commissioner of Neighborhood Development). The meeting approved prior minutes, adopted two resolutions, and authorized a subcontractor arrangement.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes from May 27, 2025 – Approved unanimously (motion by Councilor Hogan, seconded by Mayor).
Discussion Items
Resolution 3469: Agency Agreement with Syracuse Housing Strategies Corporation (SHSC)
- Proposal: Authorize SURA to enter into an agency agreement with SHSC to award financial assistance and administer the new Syracuse Housing Strategy Implementation Urban Renewal Plan, using previously authorized $2.5 million in city funds.
- Discussion: Meg explained that SHSC will act as SURA’s agent; initially funds will support the Block Challenge Program, but can also cover administrative expenses (up to $250,000 for insurance and similar items, without creating new positions). The board added an amendment requiring approval by both SURA’s counsel and SHSC’s counsel as to terms, form, and execution.
- Vote: Motion by Councilor Hogan, seconded by Mayor. All in favor (3-0). Carried.
Resolution 3470: Pro-Rata Tax Payment and Claim for Property at 110 University Avenue
- Proposal: Authorize Commissioner Collins as SURA’s contracting officer to execute an application for pro-rata payment of taxes ($16.63) and a claim for payment ($11,550) from the state for a portion of SURA’s property taken via eminent domain for I-81.
- Discussion: The state notified SURA on June 20, 2025 of the amounts; execution of forms is required to receive compensation.
- Vote: Motion by Councilor Hogan, seconded by Mayor. All in favor (3-0). Carried.
Additional Item: Authorization of Subcontractor for Housing Strategies Corporation
- Proposal: Following the agency agreement (Resolution 3469), the board discussed authorizing SHSC to use Home Headquarters as a subcontractor for the Block Challenge Program, with a $70,000 not-to-exceed amount for the current fiscal year. The program provides one-to-one matching grants (up to $2,500 per property) for groups of three homeowners. Home Headquarters would handle back-office administration and direct reimbursements; Neighborhood and Business Development would manage application intake and project sign-off. SHSC waived competitive bidding based on Home Headquarters’ unique experience.
- Discussion: Board members expressed comfort after thorough review at a prior meeting. The arrangement is intended to launch programming before year-end.
- Vote: Motion by Mayor, seconded by Councilor Hogan. All in favor (3-0). Carried. Staff will draft a formal resolution to document the decision.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes approved (May 27, 2025).
- Resolution 3469 passed – Authorized agency agreement with SHSC, including amendment for dual counsel approval.
- Resolution 3470 passed – Authorized Commissioner Collins to execute tax payment and claim forms for eminent domain compensation.
- Subcontractor authorization approved – SHSC may engage Home Headquarters for the Block Challenge Program; formal resolution to follow.
- Meeting adjourned by unanimous consent.
Meeting Transcript
All right. I'm gonna go ahead and call the regular meeting of the Syracuse Urban Renewal Agency to order. I will note that uh Councilor Pro Tem Hogan is uh is in attendance uh on behalf of Council President Hudson. So thank you, counselor, for joining, uh as well as myself and uh and Commissioner Canazaro. So uh all three board members are present. I will note that proof of notice is the uh listed on the second page of our packet. And uh we will move to our minutes from May 27th, 2025. So make our way back to those, um, which are uh separate uh stapled packet underneath the uh the meeting packet. Um just give everybody a quick chance to flip through it, especially since this is Councilor Hogan's first meeting. So I won't vote on this minutes. Okay. Um all right. Well then um I'll entertain a motion to approve the minutes. So moved. I will second it. All in favor. Aye, aye. Opposed, carried. Um all right. Next up we will go to our new business, and we have two resolutions, so turn it over to Meg. Thank you, Mayor. Um, this first resolution number 3469 is authorizing SURA to enter into an agency agreement with the Syracuse Housing Housing Strategies Corporation um to award financial assistance and administer the newly adopted Syracuse Housing Strategy Implementation Urban Renewal Plan. Um this is in connection with um the funding agreement that's our previously authorized to enter into with the city for the 2.5 million dollars. So now the those funds will be used for the Syracuse Housing Strategies Corporation to implement the new urban renewal plan. So and they will the housing strategies corporation will be acting as SERIS agent, so that's what necessitates this agreement. And right now um the housing strategies corporation has um one tier, if you will, of funding that they have um dedicated the block grant block grant program. Um so right now the agency agreement will be specific to that, well with the understanding that the 2.5 million would be used beyond that. It's not gonna all be spent. I I don't um anticipate on just that portion of the programming. So this board will probably be considering extensions, but since that's all that the housing strategies corporation has um solidified so far, um, I want to ensure that SURA since the money will be flowing through Surah has some oversight here to ensure that the funds will be used um in accordance with the urban renewal plan. Right. Okay. Um I know most of us were um at the housing strategies corporation meeting, but anything for public record that you want to um summarize from that meeting as it relates to this agreement. I think we just acknowledge the the need for both council for housing strategies corporation and Sura to sign off on the final language. Um which as typical in the I I can add it to the resolution that right now it just has any terms. Um actually we can go to it just to make sure I'm quoting it directly. It's gonna be on page three of resolution number 3469, um starting with now, therefore be it resolved. Um let's see. Fourth line down, subject to the approval of the agency's council as to terms form and execution. Right. Um we can also add in there um subject to approval by Syracuse Housing Strategies Corporation Council. That makes sense. Good. All right. Will that be noted with like there's an amendment when we vote or what? Within the yeah, I think we'll just make sure it's reflected in the motion. So then when um I draft the official resolution with you know the vote um that will be reflected. I will add that in if that's what the motion um is considering. All right. Any other questions?
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