Governor Hochul Announces Completion of $30 Million Senior Afford...

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of Hooper Road Apartments, a $30 million, 80-unit senior affordable housing community in the hamlet of Endwell within the town of Union, Broome County. The project's accessibility features and on-site supportive services will help older residents live independently. Under Governor Hochul's leadership, New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has created or preserved more than 1,200 affordable homes in Broome County. Hooper Road Apartments is the latest in this portfolio and part of the Governor's $25 billion five-year Housing Plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

"Hooper Road Apartments is providing affordable and accessible homes for seniors, especially those in need of supportive services," Governor Hochul said. "Thanks to our partners in the Southern Tier, this development will give residents the long-term stability they need to live independently and with dignity."

The apartment building, developed by CDS Monarch, is open to residents 62 and older whose households earn up to 60 percent of the Area Median Income. There are 40 supportive apartments reserved for residents experiencing homelessness with on-site support services, including case management, transportation and recreational and health/wellness programming, provided by the YWCA of Binghamton and Broome County. The supportive apartments are supported by an Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI) award provided through the New York State Department of Health.

The entire building is visitable for people with wheelchairs or mobility devices, and all units are adaptable for full accessibility. There are eight units to accommodate individuals with mobility disabilities and four units adapted for residents with sensory disabilities. All units include grab bars and emergency pull cords.

Hooper Road Apartments is an all-electric building featuring Energy Star appliances, LED lighting, low-flow plumbing fixtures and electric-vehicle charging. There is also a community room with a kitchen and an open communal patio area. The site is conveniently located two miles from a senior center and post office.

Financing for the project includes nearly $12 million in equity raised through the allocation of HCR's Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program and $3.9 million in State Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity, along with nearly $13 million in HCR subsidy. Project funding also includes $440,000 from the Clean Energy Initiative (CEI), a partnership between HCR and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Broome County also contributed $400,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Senator Charles Schumer said, "Every senior in the Southern Tier deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. I'm proud that the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, which I worked to protect and expand, has delivered millions to help build 80 new apartments for seniors in Endwell. Hooper Road Apartments includes support that will allow our seniors to live independently and with dignity. I commend Governor Hochul for creating and preserving more homes statewide, and I will continue fighting for federal resources for New York."

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, "I am proud to have helped secure over $1.3 million in federal funding for this project through the HOME Program and the American Rescue Plan Act. Seniors are a crucial pillar of communities across New York, and we must ensure that they have a safe, accessible, and supportive place to call home. Hooper Road Apartments will help address the growing threat of homelessness among older adults by creating 80 affordable and supportive apartments for seniors in Broome County."

U.S. Representative Josh Riley said, "Everyone deserves a safe and comfortable place to call home - especially our seniors. This exciting project will help older folks in Broome County access affordable housing and get connected to the services they need to keep living independently. I look forward to continuing to work with our state and local leaders to address Upstate New York's housing crisis and deliver important investments like this one."

New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, "Too often, older New Yorkers fall through the cracks of a supply-strained housing market that fails to meet their affordability and accessibility needs. This modern, sustainable 80-unit development in Broome County is Governor Hochul's latest effort to combat that problem. Hooper Road Apartments' new residents, including formerly homeless seniors, will now receive the support they deserve to age with dignity and stability. We are incredibly grateful to CDS Monarch, the YWCA of Binghamton and Broome County and every other partner who brought this ambitious $30 million project to the finish line."

New York State Chief Disability Officer Kim Ridley said, "True inclusion begins with accessibility, but it is realized through thoughtful, universal design. The Hooper Road Apartments represent a shining example of what modern, supportive housing should look like in New York State. By ensuring that the entire building is visitable for wheelchair users and integrating high-level accommodations from day one, this development does more than just provide a place to live, it ensures that our older New Yorkers and people with disabilities can live with full dignity, autonomy and community connection. I applaud HCR and all the partners involved for setting a benchmark for accessible, supportive housing in Broome County."

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, "The completion of Hooper Road Apartments demonstrates how energy efficient building solutions can support affordable housing by reducing energy usage, improving overall building performance and creating more comfortable homes for residents. Beyond expanding housing opportunities for seniors, this project is an investment in infrastructure that strengthens the resilience of our communities and supports New York's evolving energy system."

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, "This investment will support older residents living in Broome County to ensure they are able to live independently in a safe environment with access to supportive services that meet their needs. Stable housing is an essential social determinant of health that contributes to good overall health, and everyone deserves to have a place to call home."

New York State Office for the Aging Acting Director Greg Olsen said, "Completion of the Hooper Road Apartments is a win for Broome County's older adults and clearly shows Governor Hochul's continued commitment supporting age-friendly affordable housing across the state. With accessibility, on-site support services and community areas, older adults have full ability to live healthy, active and social lives. Helping to keep older adults in communities of their choice is a top priority for the Governor and NYSOFA and is a primary recommendation in New York's Master Plan for Aging."

State Senator Lea Webb said, "Affordable housing for our seniors is a significant need in our community. The new development at Hooper Road Apartments is providing comfortable and safe residences that allows seniors to have a place to call home. The apartments are energy efficient, designed to achieve LEED-Gold certification, which is a globally recognized green building standard. This project gives an example on how we can continue to provide quality, affordable housing that also incorporates sustainable practices which helps to protect the environment. Thank you to all of the partners that helped to make this project possible."

Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, "Today marks the successful completion of a new housing development, one that will make a big difference for the seniors who now call Hooper Road Apartments home. Living nearby, I watched every phase of the construction, knowing that modern, affordable, and accessible housing with additional supportive services would be coming to Endwell. I appreciate the Governor and my colleagues for their investment in numerous housing initiatives across the state, knowing that the need is great and growing each year."

Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said, "Quality, affordable housing is essential to keeping Broome County a place where people can thrive at every stage of life. Hooper Road Apartments expands housing opportunities for older adults while transforming a long-vacant property into a vibrant community asset. Thank you to CDS Monarch, New York State Homes and Community Renewal, the town of Union and everyone who helped make this project possible."

Union Town Supervisor Robert Mack said, "Projects like this help create a healthy, full-circle housing cycle within our community and represent an important investment in our future. By providing safe, attractive and professionally managed housing options for seniors, they help free up existing homes for young families and first-time homebuyers. This supports a sustainable and vibrant housing market for residents of all ages while strengthening our community for generations to come."

CDS Monarch Executive Director Andrew Sewnauth said, "Housing is more than a place to live. It provides the stability and security people need to thrive. This project advances our mission to expand access to affordable, supportive housing and create communities where older adults can age with dignity, maintain their independence and remain connected to the resources and relationships that matter most."

Governor Hochul's Housing Agenda

Governor Hochul is dedicated to addressing New York's housing crisis and making the State more affordable and livable for all New Yorkers. Since FY23, the Governor has worked to increase housing supply to make housing more affordable by launching a $25 billion five-year comprehensive Housing Plan, enacted the most significant housing deal in decades and implemented new protections for renters and homeowners. Under Governor Hochul's leadership, HCR has created new programs that jumpstart development of affordable and mixed-income homes for both renters and homebuyers. These include the Pro-Housing Community Program, which allows certified localities exclusive access to up to $750 million in discretionary State funding. More than 420 communities throughout the state have been certified Pro-Housing.

Governor Hochul's "Let Them Build" agenda will speed up housing and infrastructure development while lowering costs through a series of landmark reforms. Common-sense changes to New York's Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) in the FY 2027 Enacted Budget as well as executive actions will expedite critical categories of projects that have been consistently found to not have significant environmental impacts, but for too long have been caught up in red tape and subject to lengthy delays.

The enacted FY27 Budget completes the Governor's current five-year Housing Plan to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. More than 81,000 affordable homes have been created or preserved to date. The Budget also invests $250 million in capital funding to accelerate the construction of thousands of new affordable homes. The enacted FY27 budget also further reinforces critical protections for tenants and homeowners.