Buffalo Rising Online

Sounds like a good program. However, we should be careful when promoting home ownership to low income people however. The costs of owning a home extend way beyond paying the mortgage. A new furnace can cost $8000, a new paint job $15,000, a new roof $20,000. If you need special assistance with the mortgage these items are most likely unaffordable to you.

On a sad note, Hamlin Park no longer fronts on an Olmsted Parkway

STEEL, interesting you would note the Olmsted dis-connection. Also interesting is the first Neighborhood of Choice is the mayor's neighborhood and the next is one that should go through the city's Weed & Seed and SOS programs before even being considered for this investment. And, agrred on the home ownership note, too.

I think this designation for Hamlin Park has nothing to do with the mayor living there and everything to do with the fact that this is a very viable neighborhood which could either rise of sink drastically. It is a neighborhood that pokes directly into the core of some of Buffalo's most distraught inner city areas and yet it has resisted drastic decline. If it is important to save any neighborhood it is this one.!

As a Hamlin Park resident for 20 years, I don't see this program doing much. But it is very welcome. In my opinion, the best way to stabilize and improve the neighborhood would be to fix Delevan Avenue. That street has no business being primarily residential. Due to the scar that was Humbold Parkway, Delevan only feeds into it and has become an eyesore that very much sets the tone of the area. Just my opinion, but many of those homes need to be knocked down in an effort to build up the street to be Buffalo's version of Thayer.

Sounds like a good program in theory but for hamlin park, i dont think it has any shot in terms of increasing home ownership. there is wayyyyy too much of a thriving rental market that has pushed the price of properties close to 100,000. As a former resident of the neighborhood, everytime I see a sale in the neighborhood, it is to a college landlord. It will be very interesting to see what direction this neighborhood takes in the next decade. I see it full of nothing but college students (which isnt necessarily bad) as older residents continuously sell to investors. Even Canisius has begun to donate their college owned homes to habitat for humanity in an effort to stabilize the area by encoruaging owner occupancy and in the grand scheme of things doesnt look like it will do much to stop the tide of college students. By the way, Canisius is welcoming its largest freshman class in history for the 2008 school year. But we will see I guess.

^^Holy crap i couldnt agree more!!!!!! As a canisius student there is NO WHERE to go unless you take the train downtown to spot coffee or drive/bus to elmwood, either way its a hike. What i would give for a Jims Steak Out, Coffee shop (which we might get in the library soon), Mighty Taco or some other drunk food. Not to mention all the rich folk could spend there money in national retail stores in the area rather than going to the mall every weekend. I WISH this neighborhood could get some retail space but i think it would be hard w/ the zoneing laws. I dont know why first stories of homes couldnt be small business like on elmwood.

Unfortunately, some of the comments about Grant-Ferry are what is constantly repeated throughout the area. When's the last time you visited the area? Been to Guercio's? Did anyone watch the video about the building at Grant and Lafayette? There are things happening on Grant, but it's not going to change over night. As a group we've been working in the area for 4 years. It takes time, investment and a little hope. Everyone is quick to write it off, but there are a lot of nice homes and good homeowners in the area that would love for it to become more stable. I believe that's the whole point of the "Neighborhoods of Choice" Program. Or should the money go to Hertel or Elmwood?

actually, when you think of the criteria for this plan, think lower west side between the west village and kleinhans area, plenty of commercial developmentsurrounds it, both bordering neighborhoods are excellent examples of how grass root efforts make positive change, and to quote even more "historic homes of unparalleled beauty, easy access to parks, parkways and waterways, proximity to vibrant commercial streets, [and are] near institutions of higher learning and other community assets." so, hamlin park, and grant ferry were chosen, what happens to the rest of the up and coming areas that just need one more nudge to greatness?

one other point, to secure the initial $15K is a bummer for a lot of homeowners thruout the city