Syracuse City SURA Budget Hearing - April 15, 2026
Syracuse City SURA Budget Hearing - April 15, 2026
The Syracuse Common Council held a budget hearing for the Syracuse Urban Renewal Agency (SURA) on April 15, 2026, at 6:22 PM. Commissioner of Finance Diane Nestry presented the FY27 budget, detailing staffing, funding sources, and alignment with the city's overall budget. Councilors raised questions about employee positions, budget presentation clarity, grant stability, and the Main Street program.
Discussion Items
- SURA Budget Overview: Commissioner Nestry explained that SURA is a public benefit corporation established in 1962, operating under a three-member board (Mayor, Council President, Finance Commissioner). The FY27 budget includes 88 full-time and 13 part-time positions, a net reduction of 7 positions from FY26 (108 to 101). Councilors noted the difficulty in tracking SURA employees across departments and requested clearer presentation showing departmental allocations.
- Staffing and Position Changes: Discussion focused on eliminated positions (e.g., 14 police cadet positions saving approximately $340,000), new positions (e.g., data analyst, lead coordinator), and movements between SURA and city departments. Councilor Moore highlighted that positions moved to SURA can make city department budgets appear smaller, urging a more comprehensive view. Commissioner Nestry agreed to improve cross-references.
- Grants and Funding Sources: SURA relies on federal grants (CDBG, ESG, HOME, lead grant, opioid settlement) and support from SEDCO, SIDA, and Housing Strategies Corporation. Councilors expressed concern about grant continuity, especially for the API program where a procurement grant ends in September 2026. Staff confirmed the lead grant is five-year, and opioid funds are scheduled for several years, though the formula is unpredictable.
- Property Sales and SURA Holdings: SURA has about 11-13 remaining parcels, mostly vacant lots (two parking lots). No appraisals or sales occurred in the current year. Councilor Hudson inquired about a picket fence property and the Washington Street parking lot; staff indicated no sale is expected this year.
- Main Street Program: Brianka Hill, Director of Business Development, reported that of 14 projects, three are completed (Dunkin' Bright, Salvation Army, Rama Clinic with fence and signage). The program is county-funded and expected to be completed by end of 2026; Valley Plaza facade improvements are set to finish within 60 days.
Key Outcomes
- Commissioner Nestry committed to providing a clearer presentation linking SURA positions to city departments and identifying new vs. existing positions.
- Council requested a list of SURA property holdings and an update on hybrid/remote work arrangements for SURA employees.
- No formal votes were taken on the budget; the meeting was adjourned by motion.
Meeting Transcript
Surah in budget hearing. Go ahead. All right. Again, thank you. Um continuation of MBD. We have our Sora budget meeting. Um we a couple of people ran out for a second, they'll be back. But we we have Helen, uh Counselor Hudson, Counselor, I think Aaron Reich, uh, Counselor Moore, Counselor Nave, Counselor Claudwell, myself, Counselor Jones Rousser, President Piniagua, Counselor Monto Williams Left. Is he coming back? He's gone. Okay. He's here in spirit. He's in spirit. Okay. All right. So we are now joined by um MBD and our Sora? You aren't what's your title again? Uh Commissioner of Finance. Commissioner of Finance. Okay. Okay. All right. How are you guys? Anyway, and I can got a lot of budget here. She's just happy to see you all. Okay. All right. So again, I'm Diane Nestry. I'm the Commissioner of Finance for the City of Syracuse, and I help put together the budget for the Sura entity. Um okay, so Surah, it's not a traditional. Oh, you need a magnetic time. No, it's okay. Okay. I'll work on the printing for next time. I apologize about the small text. Um, but I just want to open up with explaining that Surah is not a traditional operating department. It is a public benefit corporation that was established in 1962. It allows the city to deliver housing and redevelopment initiatives with greater flexibility. Uh it operates under a three-member board consisting of the mayor, the president of common council, and the commissioner of finance, which is why I'm here. Um so you know, in practice, we um have Surah staff that operate within city departments to support the core functions, and uh key priority is continuing to align how this activity is presented to you guys. So, you know, the small print will improve that. I do want to map out how this ties into the city's budget for you all. Um that analysis is not in your packet this year. Um, so I'll have to follow up with that because there are variances that I'd like to look into why before I present you with information that I don't I can't explain. Okay. Um so I know like last year they had broke out the um employee, the Sora employees um per department, um, which helped us out a lot. Um looks like you did it again this year, but is very small. How many employees are actually under Sora? So that's in the summary page, the last page in the packet. Uh for fiscal 27, we are budgeting 88 full-time employees or roles and 13 part-time.
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