Broome County Developing Homelessness “Plan of Action”

A new initiative is designed to develop solutions to address the challenges posed by homelessness in Broome County.

As the unhoused population in the Binghamton area has grown in recent years, the county has been paying millions of dollars to provide shelter for families and individuals in motels.

Broome County Executive Jason Garnar says the current system is "not sustainable." On Tuesday, he announced the county is issuing a request for proposals to seek an entity that will come up with short-term and long-term ways for a better response to homelessness.

The cost of housing homeless people in Broome County in motels during the first four months of this year was $6 million. Garnar wants to put an end to "motel shelter housing."

The county is prepared to spend up to $200,000 to hire an organization that will develop detailed plans to address a wide array of issues to better assist those who are unhoused.

The county is expected to work with local landlords to increase the number of available apartment units for those seeking housing.

Steps also will be taken to develop more affordable housing in the Binghamton. That could include the construction of "tiny home villages" that might house several dozen people.

Garnar is hoping for support from the state that could include more funding for housing initiatives and a quicker approval process for existing state programs.

WNBF NEWS VIDEO: Broome County Executive Jason Garnar discussed an initiative to address homelessness on May 26, 2026. 

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or call (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @bobjoseph.bsky.social on Bluesky or @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.