Grant Program To Help Revamp Uninhabitable Broome County Rental Properties

Today (March 4, 2025) City of Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham, Broome County Land Bank Executive Director Jessica Haas, Broome County Executive Jason Garnar, Land Bank Board Members, and other officials met to announce a new vacant rental program.

According to the announcement, the Broome County Land Bank with assistance from the New York State Homes and Community Renewal, is implementing a new Vacant Rental Program designed to assist Broome County mom-and-pop style landlords with necessary repairs to uninhabitable and/or unmarketable rental units.

Repairs and improvements determined by the Land Bank as necessary to rehabilitate vacant units that are eligible include health and safety improvements, correction of code violations, updating spaces to meet residential standards, accessibility modifications, and environmental remediation, among other improvements.

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While there are several existing homeowner repair programs in our area, this is the first opportunity to assist local private rental property owners with small grants to bring vacant, blighted units back online in an effort to increase the housing stock in our community. I would like to thank New York State Homes and Community Renewal for this funding opportunity and the Land Bank is looking forward to directly assisting our community’s mom-and-pop landlords. - Jessica Haas, Broome County Land Bank Executive Director

According to the Land Bank of Broome County, the Land Bank was awarded $1.11 million to assist in the renovation of 15 to 20 rental units throughout Broome County by the end of 2026, with mom-and-pop landlords having the option to select the $50,000 or $75,000 per unit rehabilitation incentive. 

Expanding access to quality housing is a priority for Broome County and this program will help bring much-needed rental units back into use. Thank you to New York State Homes and Community Renewal for investing in our community and to the Broome County Land Bank for the continued commitment to improving housing for our residents. - Broome County Executive Jason Garnar

For more information, an application, program materials, and eligibility guidelines, visit the Broome County Land Bank’s website.