Syracuse NOW
Syracuse NOW is a framework to reduce poverty. It has three pillars: Numbers, Ownership, and Workforce. Too often people overestimate what can be accomplished in a year but underestimate what can be accomplished in a decade. I believe that a decade of decision making backed up by numbers with a focus on ownership and workforce will positively transform Syracuse by substantially increasing home ownership rates, attracting new people to the City, and these two changes will allow us to end concentrated poverty as we currently experience it. Specifically, we will create 10,000 new homeowners, attract 36,000 new residents, and lift the standard of living in 19 census tracts such that they will no longer be categorized as experiencing concentrated poverty.
(N) Numbers
Tell me we are poor without using numbers. You can’t. Poverty is a numbers problem with real consequences for the people living within the numbers. We need people who understand how to use numbers to change our economic statistics so we can become less poor and more prosperous. I will bring the discipline of numbers to the issues facing our county.
(O) Ownership
Owning a home is the simplest path to living well. It allows individuals and families to build equity, escape poverty, and avoid displacement. Home ownership rates in Syracuse are lower than the national average and are a contributing factor to the severity of our poverty. Additionally, Syracuse is currently one of the most affordable places to buy a home in the country. At this time of unprecedented private (Micron) and public (I81 removal) investment, home prices will quickly increase toward, and possibly above, the national average. We need to prioritize ownership and capture equity gains for longtime residents to permanently escape poverty. Otherwise, if we move forward without intention, outside investors will swoop in, buy up property, raise rents, extract our money from our city, and eventually create conditions that displace people. The County and City should establish a $15,000 local home buyer credit (10 percent on first $150,000 of purchase price) to increase home ownership, prioritizing residents who have rented three years or more in census tracts that are experiencing concentrated poverty. The County, as the primary level of government servicing poverty, has enough money make this type of investment to disrupt and permanently reduce poverty.
(W) Workforce
We need effective pathways for people to enter, and then grow within, the workforce. Here are three things the City and County can do together NOW to build and attract the workforce we need to thrive as a region.
First, invest in a reliable Bus Rapid Transit system. Such a system will connect people to workforce opportunities. You can’t get the job if you can’t get to work. Additionally, it will attract new people to the City as we begin to attract Transit Oriented Development (developers building housing next to key pieces of the transit system).
Second, develop a municipal broadband network. Such a network will connect people to workforce opportunities. You can’t apply for the job if you don’t have internet access. Additionally, a quality and affordable municipal broadband network will attract residents and businesses to the city.
Third, build and open the Countywide STEAM School downtown. This will establish pathways to careers of the future and demonstrate that school districts can work across jurisdictional lines to build solutions that work for residents.