- By New York State Governor's Office
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Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick said, "With the state's help, the city of Ithaca is creating real solutions to homelessness and the high cost of housing. Tompkins Community Action is an expert in providing the kind of direct services that interrupt poverty and their expertise in leading this project has made it a model for the state. Childcare, substance abuse counseling, mental health treatment, and employment assistance - all hand-in-hand with housing. We thank the state for its support and look forward to welcoming more people in from the cold."
Financing for the project includes $3.7 million from the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance's Homeless Housing and Assistance Program; New York State Homes and Community Renewal provided $1.8 million from the Housing Trust Fund and $1.3 million from the Community Investment Fund; a $603,000 loan from M&T Bank; $350,000 from the Federal Home Loan Bank; $300,000 from Tompkins County Community Housing Development Fund; a Community Development Block Grant of $84,200; and $23,000 from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
Amici House provides 23 apartments for young adults in Ithaca aged 18 to 25 years old, who are single, pregnant or have a young child. Supportive services provided at the location by Tompkins Community Action include case management, child care, child and family development and parenting classes. Additional services, such as substance abuse and mental health counseling, employment/education assistance and legal aid are available through other off-site providers.
"Young adults experiencing homelessness can be particularly vulnerable, and Amici House will provide not only a safe and stable place to stay but also the support services needed to help them get back on their feet," Governor Cuomo said. "This project demonstrates New York's strong commitment to ending homelessness in our state."
The 7,020-square-foot Harriet Giannelis Child Care Center includes five classrooms, serving pregnant mothers and children from infancy through preschool, a kitchen, public restrooms, staff offices and storage space, along with a fenced outdoor play area. The center is named for Tompkins Community Action's late Chief Financial Officer Harriet Giannelis.
Rental assistance and support services for Amici House will be funded through the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI) and a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Continuum of Care Supportive Housing Program award.
The project is part of New York's $20 billion housing plan, which is combating homelessness by building and preserving more than 100,000 units of affordable housing and 6,000 units of supportive housing.
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