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Andrew M. Cuomo , Governor I RuthAnne Visnauskas , Commissioner and CEO  
A Look Back at 2019
As the new year begins, now is the perfect time to thank you for making 2019 a year we can all be proud of.

More low- and moderate-income individuals and families have a home this year because of your partnership and support. We could not have accomplished so much in 2019 without all of you.

We wish you a happy New Year and look forward to continued success in 2020!
The Opportunity to Thrive
Last year, HCR created nearly 9,500 new affordable multifamily rental homes in New York.
 
This included the completion of the Ida Yarbrough Homes Redevelopment in Albany's Arbor Hill neighborhood, which replaced outdated public housing with modern affordable homes for families.
“My family and I were chronically homeless. My son attended five different schools by the time he reached the eighth grade because we were always moving. At the time I was offered affordable housing, I was spending 89 percent of my gross income on rent and utilities, and avoiding homelessness was my top priority. Since securing an affordable apartment, I was able to enroll in college and I am now one semester away from earning my bachelor’s degree. Additionally I was able to secure full-time employment doing work I love at an organization that values my lived experiences.” 

Lauren, resident at Ida Yarbrough Homes in Albany 
Walnut Hill Apartments
In October, HCR announced the completion of a $10.7 million rehabilitation of Walnut Hill Apartments in the village of Penn Yan. The project preserved affordability for 59 existing apartments and included the new construction of an additional two-story building with eight apartments.
The Pride of Homeownership
HCR’s  State of New York Mortgage Agency  (SONYMA) has been making homeownership possible for low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers and veterans since 1970.

More than 1,300 families spent the holidays in a new home this year thanks to SONYMA.
Kathy purchased a home in Long Island with a SONYMA mortgage. Kathy said, “I feel different being a homeowner. I feel more stable and I can contribute to the neighborhood. Its nice feeling part of a community.”
This year, we also introduced the new  Manufactured Home Advantage Program  and the  Manufactured Home Park Program . These two programs are designed to help residents purchase their manufactured homes and improve the quality of manufactured home parks. 

HCR helped residents of Brittany Terrace in Orange County convert their manufactured home park into a resident-owned community.
Community Revitalization
HCR's New York Main Street Program had another busy year supporting small businesses and local communities with the financial grants they need.

Our Buffalo Main Streets Initiative helped transform this historic property at 1225 Niagara Street into a mixed-use development with commercial space and three apartments on the upper floors.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Schenectady
Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul celebrated the grand opening of the $13 million state-of-the-art Adeline Wright Graham Boys & Girls Clubs of Schenectady . The new facility will allow Schenectady County's leading youth organization to expand their services and triple daily attendance to more than 300 children and teens every day. 
Enforcing New York's Rent Laws
Signing 2019 HSTPA
In June, Governor Cuomo signed the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 , which enacted the strongest law protecting tenants in our state’s history. The Act permanently closes loopholes in New York’s rent-stabilization system, allows the system to expand to the entire state, and offers eviction protections to renters and manufactured-housing residents everywhere in New York.

We also launched NYS Rent Connect earlier this year. This new online service simplifies New Yorkers' interaction with the rent regulation system by providing quick access to forms and information for tenants and building owners of rent-stabilized and rent-controlled apartments and buildings.
New York State Homes and Community Renewal | www.hcr.ny.gov