It's an issue across the many former industrial cities in Upstate New York: communities dotted with vacant and blighted properties. Buildings that were once homes and businesses are now a reminder of economic struggle.

Those dilapidated buildings and forgotten sidewalks can decrease the value of any neighborhood, but a high concentration of that can be devastating for underserved communities.

What You Need To Know

  • There are an estimated 900 blighted buildings throughout Albany

  • A new grant is funding projects to flip these properties and revitalize blighted communities

  • The projects could range from things like community clean ups, urban garden maintenance, and neighborhood art projects

  • Applications for these grants are expected to be released in the spring of 2022

There are about 900 vacant or abandoned buildings in Albany alone, and in an effort to save their communities, residents, alongside a new city grant, are turning neighborhoods around block by block.

Real estate investor and house flipper Jessica Rowell is part of the revitalization project, fine tuning renovations to one of her newest properties. Rowell got started two years ago, transforming eye sore real estate, into gleaming vacation rentals.

“I never actually pictured myself doing this, but it's interesting how all your experiences and skills flow together and land you somewhere you would have never imagined,” said Rowell.

But Rowell’s renovations are doing more than creating cozy getaways. She says it's also an investment into underserved and urban communities.

“If you have people who have the heart and the passion to do this kind of work that changes the face of our communities, and improve living conditions, it’s adding value over all to our cities and region,” said Rowell.

The home she’s currently renovating sits in a very visible part of the neighborhood and was left vacant after a fire badly damaged it. Rather than letting it languish, Rowell got to work restoring it.

Over on the other side of Albany’s Arbor Hill area, the city is also working on revitalization projects where it’s needed most.

To fuel progress, the Cities of Service “Love Your Block” program awarded Albany with a $100,000 grant. The funding will go to support smaller exterior projects with the goal to end blight throughout the community.

Samuel Wells is the neighborhood stabilization coordinator of buildings & regulatory compliance for the city of Albany and is overseeing the Love Your Block grant.

“Every little dollar counts and even though we are rehabbing a building we are still improve the neighborhood,” said Wells.

The Love Your Block grant will begin accepting applications for projects in the spring of 2022. In May of 2021, former governor Andrew Cuomo announced the $25 million Legacy Cities initiative, a targeted effort to eliminate blight in Upstate New York. Application details and eligibility requirements can be found on the state’s Homes and Community Renewal website.

“I think more people would get into this and we could make a bigger difference across the board if the support matched. So to hear that there is something out there like this grant, it’s exciting to hear about,” added Rowell.

Learn more about Jessica Rowell’s real estate investing and vacation properties on the Evolution Enterprises website.