Overview
How to Participate
Awards have been made to not-for-profits and municipalities that will serve as local administrators and make funding available to eligible participants in the area they serve. Review the list below to determine if your area is served by a local administrator. The local administrators will open applications for grant assistance to property owners in early 2025.
Overview
The Vacant Rental Improvement Program (“VRP”) is a grant program funded by the State of New York and administered by the Housing Trust Fund Corporation’s (HTFC) Office of Community Renewal (OCR), to support repairs and rehabilitation of vacant rental units and other vacant spaces to increase the supply of critically needed apartments for low- and moderate-income renters outside of New York City. The program aims to help owners of rental properties bring vacant units and spaces in small-scale properties back into productive use to create safe, quality, and affordable long-term rental units.
Eligible Applicants
Organizations incorporated under the New York State Not-For-Profit Corporation Law that have been providing relevant services to the community for at least one year prior to application. Partnerships between municipalities and not-for-profit organizations are encouraged to bolster administrative capacity. HCR may accept applications from municipalities with justification related to experience and administrative capacity.
Eligible Areas
All areas of the State outside of New York City are eligible.
Eligible Participants
An eligible participant must meet the following criteria:
- Ownership: must be the legal owner of one of the following:
- 1-5 unit residential property
- Mixed-use building with up to five (5) housing units
- Other buildings that will be converted to one of the above
- Compliance Period: A 10-year Regulatory Period will be required during which the owner must be willing to execute an agreement and rental covenant on assisted units that will subject units to rent limits and other requirements.
Eligible Activities
Funding may be used to improve and rehabilitate vacant housing units and other vacant spaces, including commercial spaces, that are currently uninhabitable or unmarketable into safe, quality, and affordable rental units. These repairs and improvements may include health and safety improvements, correction of code violations and/or updating spaces to meet residential standards, accessibility modifications, environmental remediation, and other repairs determined by the local program administrator as necessary to rehabilitate vacant units.
Local Program Administrators
| Local Administrator | Service Area | Award Amount | Estimated Units to be Assisted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onondaga County | Onondaga County | $2,000,000 | 30 |
| Better Community Neighborhoods Incorporated | City of Schenectady | $3,750,000 | 60 |
| Franklin County Community Housing Council, Inc. | Franklin County | $1,200,000 | 21 |
| East Buffalo Development Corporation | City of Buffalo East Side | $1,349,040 | 20 |
| Preservation Buffalo Niagara | City of Niagara Falls | $1,800,000 | 27 |
| RUPCO Inc. | Counties of Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster, Westchester, and Sullivan | $5,000,000 | 80 |
| City of Buffalo | City of Buffalo | $2,497,500 | 35 |
| Belmont Housing Resources for WNY, Inc. | Counties of Erie and Niagara | $2,500,000 | 37 |
| Broome County Land Bank Corporation | Broome County | $1,110,000 | 20 |
| Home HeadQuarters | City of Syracuse | $5,000,000 | 75 |
| Broadway Fillmore Neighborhood Housing Services | City of Buffalo East Side | $2,500,000 | 35 |
| PRIDE of Ticonderoga DBA North Country Rural Development Coalition | Counties of Essex, Washington, and Warren | $2,000,000 | 30 |
| Ontario County Economic Development Corporation | Ontario County | $2,000,000 | 30 |
| City of Elmira | City of Elmira | $953,460 | 16 |
| Allegany County Community Opportunities and Rural Development Inc. | Allegany County | $750,000 | 13 |
| City of Glens Falls | City of Glens Falls, Town of Queensbury, Town of Lake Luzurne, and Town of Lake George | $1,090,000 | 18 |
| City of Jamestown | City of Jamestown | $2,000,000 | 24 |
| City of Rochester | City of Rochester | $2,500,000 | 37 |
Forms & Instructions
| General Grant Administration |
|---|
| Administrative Plan - VRP |
| File Maintenance |
|---|
| Program File Checklist |
| Project File Checklist |
| Participant Forms |
|---|
| LPA – Property Owner Template Agreement |
| Template Property Owner Application |
| M/WBE & SDVOB |
|---|
Contractor Bid Solicitation Plan |
| Commitment and Disbursement of VRP Funds |
|---|
Authorized Signature Form for Disbursement Requests |
| Declaration of Interest in Property |
|---|
| Declaration of Interest Template - VRP |
| Environmental Review |
|---|
Funding Round Materials
VRP Frequently Asked Questions
VRP Application Training Webinar Part I slides
2024 VRP Application Training Webinar Part II Slides
2024 New York Vacant Rental Improvement Program (VRP) Application Training
2024 VRP Application Training Webinar Part I
This presentation will provide an overview of the Vacant Rental Program, eligible activities, application process, key grant agreement terms, and strategies for a successful application. All potential applicants should participate.
VRP Application Training Webinar Part I slides
2024 VRP Application Training Webinar Part II
This presentation will provide a more detailed discussion of the VRP program and application process. We will review tips for completing a competitive application and provide an opportunity for application technical assistance questions. All applicants submitting an application should participate.
2024 VRP Application Training Webinar Part II Slides