JAMESTOWN, NY – March 5, 2026 – The City of Jamestown has been awarded a $250,000 Pro-Housing Communities Technical Assistance Grant through the New York State Homes & Community Renewal Pro-Housing Communities Program, a significant investment that will support the City’s ongoing efforts to expand housing opportunities, address blight, and prepare key properties for redevelopment.
The grant will support two major initiatives designed to accelerate housing development and improve the City’s ability to move underutilized properties toward productive use.
“This funding represents a meaningful investment in Jamestown’s future,” said Mayor Kimberly Ecklund. “Housing availability is critical to economic development, workforce retention, and the long-term vitality of our community. This grant gives the City tools to remove barriers that slow development and position Jamestown to support smart, sustainable housing growth.”
One component of the grant will fund contractual legal services to help accelerate the city’s acquisition of abandoned properties. The legal process required to take control of vacant and distressed properties is often extensive, involving multiple filings, court proceedings, and compliance steps that can be both costly and time-consuming. Dedicated legal support will help the City move these cases forward more efficiently and bring long-neglected properties back into productive use.
“Addressing abandoned and blighted properties requires navigating a complex legal framework,” said Crystal Surdyk, Director of Development. “Having specialized legal support focused on these cases will allow the City to move more strategically and efficiently through the process, helping us return distressed properties to the tax rolls and ultimately create opportunities for new housing.”
Another portion of the grant will focus on optimizing and preparing City-owned assets for redevelopment. This work will include project management, site inventory and assessment, and the creation of detailed property profiles for priority sites. These profiles will provide developers with organized information about each property, streamlining engagement and helping move redevelopment opportunities forward.
Predevelopment work may also include environmental assessments, architectural or engineering evaluations, and other early-stage analysis necessary to position sites for future investment. These efforts will help ensure that viable properties are ready for redevelopment.
The initiative will also strengthen the City’s efforts to combat absentee landlords who leave properties vacant and deteriorating, a major contributor to neighborhood blight. By actively preparing these properties for redevelopment and partnering with organizations such as the Chautauqua County Land Bank Corporation, the City is reclaiming long-neglected sites, restoring them to productive use, and expanding safe, quality housing opportunities for residents across Jamestown.
“This initiative supports the City’s broader effort to address vacant and deteriorating properties that impact our neighborhoods,” said Kasie Foulk, Deputy Director of Housing Policy & Development. “By preparing properties for redevelopment and working with partners like the Chautauqua County Land Bank, we can turn long-dormant sites into opportunities for new housing and investment.”
These initiatives represent a major step in the City’s strategy to tackle blight, return vacant properties to productive use, and expand housing opportunities. By preparing key sites for redevelopment and streamlining processes that often slow progress, Jamestown is positioning itself for responsible growth and renewed investment.
