

The Office of Community Renewal provides funding to local governments and not-for-profits to support public infrastructure projects, job creation and small business development, and to create and preserve affordable housing.
Join us for “OCR Office Hours” on the first Wednesday of every month at 1:00 PM, when representatives of all OCR programs will be available virtually via WebEx to present a specific topic and offer a casual opportunity for program administrators or interested applicants to meet OCR staff, ask questions, and discuss project ideas.
Click here and join via this WebEx link (No registration required)
Office Hours Recordings
2/5/2025 - OCR Updates & HOME Homebuyer Development
OCR administers the following programs:
Access to Home
Access to Home provides financial assistance to property owners to make homes accessible for low-and moderate-income persons with disabilities.
Access to Home for Medicaid Recipients
Access to Home for Medicaid provides financial assistance to property owners to make homes accessible for low- and moderate-income persons receiving Medicaid and living with a disability. The program has a secondary goal of lowering health care costs over the long-term.
Access to Home for Heroes/Veterans
Provides financial assistance to property owners to make dwelling units accessible for low- and moderate-income veterans living with a disability.
Affordable Housing Corporation
The Affordable Housing Corporation provides grants to support homeownership through the Affordable Homeownership Development Program. This program provides funding to eligible municipalities, municipal housing authorities, and other not-for-profit and charitable organizations that develop affordable housing or assist homeowners in funding necessary repairs.
Buffalo Main Streets Initiative
Modeled on the New York Main Street program, BMSI is one of two initiatives developed as part of the Buffalo Billion’s Better Buffalo Fund (BBF) to revitalize Buffalo. The BBF dedicated $30 million to support projects that enhance the development of vibrant, mixed-use, neighborhoods and “Main Streets” in the City of Buffalo.
Community Development Block Grant
The Community Development Block Grant program partners with local governments to increase economic opportunities. The program supports activities that create job opportunities for low- and moderate-income persons; prevent or eliminate blight; provide affordable housing; or address issues that threaten the community’s health or welfare.
HOME Local Program
The HOME Local Program provides funding to local governments, Housing Authorities, and not-for-profits to acquire, rehabilitate, or newly construct single-family and small project rental housing. Eligible activities include homeowner rehabilitation, homebuyer assistance, manufactured home replacement, homebuyer development, rental rehab and rental assistance.
Mobile & Manufactured Home Replacement Program (MMHR)
The Mobile & Manufactured Home Replacement Program provides funding to local municipalities or not-for-profit organizations to help homeowners to remove and replace dilapidated mobile or manufactured homes with new, energy efficient manufactured, modular or site built homes.
Neighborhood and Rural Preservation Programs
HCR provides financial support for not-for-profit community-based housing corporations, known as Neighborhood Preservation Companies and Rural Preservation Companies, to perform housing and community renewal activities statewide.
New York Main Street
The New York Main Street program provides funding to communities to strengthen the economic vitality of the State’s traditional Main Streets and neighborhoods. Main Street grants support targeted improvements such as façade renovations, interior commercial and residential building upgrades, and streetscape enhancements.
RESTORE Program
The Residential Emergency Services to Offer Repairs to the Elderly (RESTORE) provides funding to make emergency repairs in homes owned by the elderly.
Small Rental Development Initiative
SRDI funds the acquisition and rehabilitation or the new construction of residential rental housing that consists of 5-20 units. The buildings must be owned and operated by the developer-owner as HOME-eligible rental housing for low-income households. Eligible projects may consist of 1 or more buildings on a single site or multiple sites under common ownership, management and financing.
Targeted Home Improvement Program
Grants to complete a wide range of critical repairs and rehabilitation projects in owner-occupied homes for low- and moderate-income households.
Grants to complete rehabilitation projects in smaller-scale buildings that turn vacant and unusable housing units and buildings into quality rental units that are attainable for low- and moderate-income renter households.