U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Community Planning and Development

CITIZEN'S SUMMARY

The Town of Greece is the largest town in Monroe County, New York. It is located in the north-central portion of the county on the south shore of Lake Ontario and is bordered by the City of Rochester on the east. Greece had a projected population of 92, 430 in 1994.

Action Plan

The Town of Greece Consolidated Plan presents a strategic vision for housing and community development in this rapidly growing suburban community. It includes a One-Year Action Plan for spending $521,000 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, which will be spent primarily for housing rehabilitation, public service, and public infrastructure improvement activities.

Citizen Participation

The Town of Greece prepared a joint Consolidated Plan with two other entitlement jurisdictions in Monroe County: the County of Monroe and the Town of Irondequoit, and participated in a citizen participation process with those jurisdictions. In addition, the Town of Greece held two separate public hearings for its own citizens, which provided residents with the opportunity to comment upon the activities comprising the Town's One-Year Action Plan.

COMMUNITY PROFILE

In 1990, the population of Greece was 90,106. Population projections for 1994 indicate a growth of 2.7 percent over 1989, for a total estimated 1994 population of 92,430. Since 1980, 5,278 additional housing units have been built for a total of 34,809. Historically, the period of greatest growth in the Town of Greece was from 1960 to 1970 when the town grew 54.4 percent. As it is in the nation as a whole, household size is declining in Greece. In 1994, it was projected to be 2.5 persons. Age distribution is also changing in Greece, particularly growth among those 65 and older. By 1994, this group was expected to constitute 13.2 percent of the town's population. Greece's total minority population in 1990 was approximately 4.0 percent.

Average household income in Greece in 1989 was estimated to be $42,282, considerably higher than the average for New York State. Over 50 percent of the households in Greece had incomes between $35,000 and $74,999 in 1989. This is a higher percentage than for comparable groups in Monroe County or the state. Younger families (those with heads between 15 and 34) and families whose heads are 55-64 have been experiencing below average growth in income. Greece's lower-income households tend to be concentrated in the older neighborhoods of the town, which are generally located adjacent to the City of Rochester.

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT NEEDS

Conditions

Due to its proximity to major area employers, the relatively low cost of its housing stock, and the availability of undeveloped land, Greece continues to experience growth. However, due to downsizing on the part of the Rochester area's largest employers, Greece, like other communities in Monroe County, has seen a slowdown in the rate of both residential and commercial development. At the same time, Greece has been faced with an increasing level of commercial vacancies and obsolescence, as well as the need to preserve and upgrade its aging housing stock.

Housing Needs

The Town of Greece, in conjunction with Monroe County and the Town of Irondequoit, has identified the following housing needs as priorities:

Development of new rental housing for low and very low income elderly households.

Continuation of programs to assist low and very low income elderly homeowners to maintain their houses.

Development of additional rental units for low and very low income families, particularly units affordable to families at or below 65 percent of the area median family income.

Continuation of programs to assist low and very low income families who live in their own houses to maintain them.

Provision of assistance for first time home buyers.

Provision of assistance to homeless persons to secure permanent housing and become self-sufficient.

Increase of affordable housing choices for persons with special needs.

Housing Market Conditions

Housing prices in Greece in 1989 ranged from an average of $90,100 for existing houses to an average of $150,000 for new houses, making existing houses in Greece more affordable than the Monroe County town average of $106,971. In 1989, owner occupancy in Greece was nearly 80 percent. Since 1980, over 97 percent of the 5,278 housing units constructed in Greece have been single-family homes.

Affordable Housing Needs

Because very little affordable rental housing has been built in Greece over the last several years, there exists a significant need for this type of housing in the town. This is especially true for low and very low income elderly households, whose numbers continue to increase and who now constitute a significant percentage of Greece's population. Such elderly households are finding it increasingly difficult to remain in their own homes or to afford the rents charged for market-rate apartments. Vacancy rates for the limited supply of affordable elderly rental housing in Greece are extremely low, with long waiting lists being typical.

Also in short supply in the town is affordable rental housing for lower income families, many of whom consist of children living with a single adult. The need for this type of housing is greatest for families at or below 65 percent of the area median family income.

Homeless Needs

In Monroe County, most homeless people are found in the City of Rochester, although some, especially homeless youths, originate from suburban Monroe County. The County and the City of Rochester support a variety of services and emergency and transitional housing for people who are homeless. To better determine the scope and characteristics of the area's homeless problems, as well as to identify service gaps that may need to be addressed, both governments commissioned an update of the 1988 Homeless Study. When completed (late 1995), the study will provide the information necessary to develop a Homeless Continuum of Care Plan for preventing and reducing homelessness.

Public and Assisted Housing Needs

There are no public housing units located in Greece. However, the town does contain several units which receive some type of Federal assistance. Such assistance includes 193 rental certificates and vouchers made available through Greece's Section 8 Rental program. Of the 193 rental certificates and vouchers, 123 (64 percent) were for 1-bedroom units occupied primarily by the elderly. The Greece Section 8 Rental program has long waiting lines. (In June 1995, the Town received 195 applications for placement on the program's waiting lists.)

Long waiting lists also characterize the two Section 202 elderly rental projects located in Greece, indicating the large unmet need which exists for this type of housing in the town. The two projects contain a total of 106 units.

Also located within Greece is a 553 unit subsidized family rental project, some of whose residents receive Section 8 assistance.

Barriers to Affordable Housing

High development costs coupled with insufficient resources available at the Federal and state levels constitute the primary barriers to affordable housing in Greece. Town policies and practices, on the other hand, do not seem to have had a significant impact on the provision of affordable housing in Greece.

Fair Housing

The Town of Greece, along with the County of Monroe, the City of Rochester, and the Town of Irondequoit, is currently engaged in the preparation of a Fair Housing Impediments Analysis for the metropolitan area, which will identify obstacles to fair housing in Greece and the other entitlement communities participating in the study. Based on this information, Greece and the other communities will prepare Action Plans providing strategies for addressing the fair housing impediments which have been identified in their jurisdictions. Past actions taken by Greece to further fair housing have included the appointment by the Town Board of a Fair Housing Enforcement Officer, the observance of Fair Housing Month, and the dissemination of fair housing information to the public.

Lead-Based Paint

The majority of lead poisoning cases in Monroe County (probably 99 percent) are located within the City of Rochester. The reasons for this are twofold. First, many suburban children are not screened, so there is no database from which to compare. Second, the City of Rochester has the oldest housing stock in the county.

Greece, in its capacity as a Community Development Entitlement Community, is responsible for implementing federally mandated procedures for notifying residents of HUD-funded projects of the hazards of lead-based paint, especially for young children. Greece and other area entitlement jurisdictions, under the guidance and direction of the Monroe County Health Department, are also providing training in lead-based paint hazards to their building inspectors. Also, through the CD-funded Greece Residential Improvement Program (GRIP), The Town provides grants to low income homeowners for the remediation of lead-based paint hazards.

Community Development Needs

Greece's community development needs reflect the fact that, while approximately 45 percent of the town is undeveloped, a large percentage of the eastern portion of Greece has been developed for some time. This area contains most of Greece's older residential neighborhoods and the highest percentages of the town's low income residents. Preservation of these residential neighborhoods will require maintenance of their aging housing stock, as well as the replacement or upgrading of public infrastructure systems and facilities.

The degree of obsolescence and vacancies in Greece's older commercial districts has grown in recent years and will require increased attention on the Town's part. The nature and scope of this problem will necessitate the involvement of both the private- and public-sectors and a coordinated, long-term approach to its solution. In some cases, redevelopment or a change in land-use will probably be required.

Within Greece's undeveloped western and southern sectors, new or expanded public infrastructure systems will be needed as growth occurs. This is especially true for sanitary sewers, recreation facilities, and highway improvements. The Town also needs to expand its efforts to control and obtain open space and to develop a system better linking its parklands with floodplains and state and county owned lands.

Coordination

In recognition of the need for a metropolitan approach to many of their common community development and housing needs, the Town of Greece, the Town of Irondequoit, and the Monroe County Community Development Consortium have prepared a joint Consolidated Plan to coordinate their future actions and to ensure the maximum degree of cooperation among the jurisdictions. Greece is also a member of the Monroe County HOME Consortium, and as such is able to participate in the development and implementation of the affordablehousing activities funded by this Federal program.

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Vision for Change -- Overall Goals, Objectives, and Priorities

The overall goal of the strategies for meeting the housing and community development needs of the jurisdictions participating in the joint Consolidated Plan is to achieve, principally for low, very low, and extremely low income residents, decent and affordable housing; a suitable living environment by increasing access to quality facilities/services and revitalizing deteriorated neighborhoods; expanded economic opportunities by creating jobs and empowering residents in federally assisted and public housing to achieve self-sufficiency.

Housing Priorities

The housing priorities of Greece and the other participating jurisdictions in the joint Consolidated Plan are: the development of rental housing for low and very low income elderly households; the continuation of programs to assist low and very low income elderly homeowners to maintain their houses; the development of rental units for low and very low income families, particularly units affordable to families at or below 65 percent of the median family income for the metropolitan area; the continuation of programs to assist low and very low income families who live in their own houses to maintain them; a first time home buyer program, including acquisition, acquisition/rehab, new construction and special needs components; efforts to assist homeless persons to secure permanent housing and to become self-sufficient, and assistance to allow persons with special needs increased choices for affordable housing.

Non-housing Community Development Priorities

Greece's non-housing community development priorities include:

The modernization or redevelopment of the town's older, obsolete commercial districts.

The maintenance of existing infrastructure, public facilities and services in the eastern, developed sector of Greece.

The improvement and expansion of public infrastructure systems and facilities, including sanitary sewers, highways, and recreation facilities, in the undeveloped western and southern sectors of Greece.

The preservation and expansion of town control over open space.

Anti-Poverty Strategy

The Monroe County Consortium Anti-Poverty Strategy is defined through specific goals, programs and policies coordinated with the Town of Greece, the Town of Irondequoit, the City of Rochester, nonprofit organizations, community housing development organizations (CHDO's), and the public- and private-sectors to reduce the number of households with incomes below the poverty line.

Housing and Community Development Resources

Greece's primary community development resource is the annual Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) which it receives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) because of the Town's status as a CDBG Entitlement Community. For the 1995 program year, Greece received a $521,000 CD block grant, which was later increased to $557,000.

Due to its status as a member of the Monroe County HOME Consortium, Greece also participates in this federally-funded housing program, which was designed to expand the supply of housing affordable to low and very low income persons. HOME funds are used primarily in Greece to supplement the Town's CD-funded Greece Residential Improvement Program (GRIP), which provides rehabilitation grants to low income homeowners for correction of code violations and other essential home repairs. The County HOME Consortium receives approximately $1,000,000 a year from the Federal government.

Membership in the County HOME Consortium also enables Greece residents to participate in other affordable housing activities funded through various Federal and state programs, which supplement the Consortium's initiatives. These include New York State's Affordable Home Ownership Development Program and Low Income Housing Trust Fund Program.

Greece, through its Housing Agent, the Rochester Housing Authority, administers its own Section 8 Certificate and Voucher program, which is funded by HUD. Currently, 194 certificates and vouchers are held by participants in the Greece Section 8 program.

Non-governmental programs which benefit Greece residents include local lending institutions' affordable housing programs and a wide range of nonprofit housing initiatives.

Coordination of Strategic Plan

As noted in the Coordination section, Greece has cooperated with the Town of Irondequoit and the Monroe County Community Development Consortium to prepare a joint Consolidated Plan covering all of Monroe County outside of the City of Rochester. By doing so, the participating jurisdictions have developed a mechanism for coordinating their housing and community development activities and those of their subrecipients. Also, the provision of common strategies on a metropolitan level helps to ensure that services furnished by government agencies, nonprofits, and private-sector organizations will not overlap.

ONE-YEAR ACTION PLAN

Description of Key Projects

The Town of Greece One-Year Action Plan outlines the proposed use of $521,000 in CDBG funds. These funds will be spent on housing, public services, and public infrastructure improvements, which include:

$200,000 for the Greece Residential Improvement Program (GRIP), which provides rehabilitation grants to low income homeowners for essential home repairs.

$36,000 for the Elder Care Program, which provides assessments, referrals, and support services to the frail and isolated elderly.

$15,000 for the Mortgage Relief Program, which provides deferred loans of up to $3,000 to low income homeowners in danger of losing their homes because they have fallen behind on their mortgage payments.

$12,000 for the Comprehensive Housing Counseling Program, under which the staff of the Housing Council, an area nonprofit housing agency, provides counseling services to Greece residents in such areas as: mortgage default, reverse mortgages, and housing pre-purchase.

$50,000 for the first phase of the Alcott Road Reconstruction project, which includes the engineering and design work needed to prepare for the reconstruction of this street.

$50,000 for the first phase of the Hampton Boulevard Reconstruction project, which includes the engineering and design work needed to prepare for the reconstruction of this street.

$50,000 for the continuation of the Concrete Sidewalk Replacement Program, which replaces damaged sidewalk blocks located within Greece's Community Development target areas.

$75,000 for payment of rent for town use of the West Ridge Community Center.

$33,000 for general administration and capacity building purposes.

Since preparation of its Action Plan, the Town has been informed that it will receive an additional $36,000 for its 1995 Community Development program year. These funds will be used in the following manner:

$20,000 for expansion of Greece's Commercial Revolving Loan Program, which provides low-interest loans to local businesses for improvements resulting in the hiring or retention of low income persons. This program is administered for the Town by Monroe County.

$16,000 for expansion of the Concrete Sidewalk Replacement Program.

Locations

Participation in the housing activities included in the One-Year Plan is based on income rather than location, while the Plan's public infrastructure and facility improvements are limited to those areas of Greece which contain the highest percentages of low income persons. These areas have been designated by the Town as Community Development target areas, and tend to be located in Greece's older residential neighborhoods adjacent to the City of Rochester.

Housing Goals

The Town's first year housing goal for its CDBG-funded Greece Residential Improvement Program (GRIP) is the provision of between 60 and 65 home rehabilitation grants to low income homeowners and the reduction of the applicant waiting list which now exists for these grants. The Town also intends to supplement its own improvement grants with Weatherization program grants and rehabilitation assistance from Monroe County's HOME Program.

Assuming their future availability, it is also the Town's intention to apply for additional one- and two-bedroom Section 8 Certificates and Vouchers to help meet the large unmet need which now exists.

Greece will also continue working with private-sector and nonprofit developers interested in building additional affordable housing in the town. The highest priority will be given to the construction of new rental housing for the low income elderly, and to that end town staff will help expedite the development process through the provision of technical assistance and other forms of assistance.

Maps

MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction.

MAP 2 depicts points of interest and low-moderate income areas.

MAP 3 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and minority concentration levels.

MAP 4 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and unemployment levels.

MAP 5 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.

TABLE (without associated map) provides information about the project(s).

To comment on Greece's Consolidated Plan, please contact:
Ron Sassone
PH: (716) 723-2343
(716) 544-4658

Return to New York's Consolidated Plans.