State funding awards are unlocking long-stalled housing projects in Ontario County, as local leaders point to infrastructure as one of the biggest barriers behind the county’s housing crunch.
County officials announced that New York State awarded $5.8 million in Regional Economic Development Council funding to projects in the Village of Phelps and the Town of Canandaigua, clearing the way for hundreds of new housing units.
The funding comes as Ontario County continues to grow, even as limited housing availability and affordability strain employers, families, and seniors.
“For the past several years, many people in the Village of Phelps and Ontario County have been working towards a vision that supports housing and economic growth, while honoring our heritage and maintaining our quality of life,” said Phelps Mayor Jim Cheney.
Major expansion planned in Phelps
The Village of Phelps received $2.8 million to extend water and sewer infrastructure for the Green Door Development, a 144-unit residential project planned between Wayne Street and Lester Road.
Once complete, the project is expected to boost the village’s housing supply by about 25 percent. The development includes single-family homes, 55-plus patio homes, and apartment units, with some apartments designated for residents age 55 and older.
Cheney said the project reflects years of collaboration among local and county leaders, along with strong community involvement.
“Working in cooperation with the Town of Phelps, we created a visioning committee and a grants committee that not only developed plans and completed grant applications, but also sought out a tremendous amount of input from community members,” Cheney said. “The taxpayer funded investments coming from that commitment is very much needed and appreciated.”
Electric upgrades key for Canandaigua housing
The Town of Canandaigua received $3 million for its Pro Housing Infrastructure Project, focused on upgrading electric grid capacity needed for the proposed Uptown Landing development.
The funding will support service extensions, substation upgrades, a new transformer, and new distribution and transmission lines. Officials said those upgrades are essential before housing construction can move forward.
Uptown Landing spans roughly 100 acres and is planned to include 634 housing units, including single-family homes, townhomes, and mixed-use apartment buildings.
Addressing long-term housing shortages
County Economic Development Director Ryan Davis said the lack of housing has become one of the region’s biggest challenges.
“For the last two plus years the Board of Supervisors has supported my department’s efforts to increase residential development activity in Ontario County, recognizing the lack of housing availability and affordability as a significant hurdle for economic and workforce development,” Davis said.
State officials echoed that connection between infrastructure and housing.
“When communities have the water, sewer, and electric capacity they need, businesses can expand and our region becomes more competitive,” said State Sen. Pam Helming, adding that the investments also help protect environmental and drinking water resources.
County leaders said the new awards bring total state pro-housing investment in Phelps and Canandaigua to more than $20 million over the past two years, marking a significant step toward easing the county’s housing crisis.
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