The need for more affordable housing is a concern for rural areas of New York, as well as its Upstate cities. JoDee Kenney sat down with Mike Borges, Executive Director of The Rural Housing Coalition of New York, to talk about programs and policies that balance the need for housing in all corners of the state. Borges said the state needs to do more to not only developing new affordable housing units, but also preserve what is already in place. New York’s rural population is older, on average, than in urban areas, and Borges said affordability is key for people hoping to age in place in their own homes. The Rural Housing Coalition also partnered with Marist in a recent poll that Borges said showed nearly two thirds of all New Yorkers surveyed wanted to see additional rental assistance and funding for development for new units in rural counties.

You can watch the full interview with Mike Borges, Executive Director of the Rural Housing Coalition of New York via the video player above. And be sure to tune in for a look inside the biggest issues impacting Upstate New York, on In Focus with JoDee Kenney — every Sunday on Spectrum News 1.