MAYVILLE, N.Y. – The Chautauqua County Department of Planning & Development is pleased to announce that Chautauqua County has been awarded a $250,000 grant through the New York State Homes and Community Renewal (NYS HCR) “Technical Assistance to Grow Pro-Housing Communities” program. This funding will be used to advance the Chautauqua County Housing Market Analysis and Development Strategy developed in collaboration with the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth in 2024.
The NYS HCR award will be used to implement key recommendations from the Housing Strategy to continue building momentum to create opportunities for and encourage new housing development throughout the County. The grant funds will be allocated to advance the following recommendations:
- Inventory of Potential Housing Sites – The County will develop a county-wide inventory of potential housing sites using a GIS oriented platform. Outreach to municipalities and building owners will support the creation of a developer‑ready listing and marketing campaign.
- Pre‑Development Activities – Five sites will be selected for pre‑development analysis to move projects closer to construction readiness.
- Developer Forum – A one‑day forum will connect housing developers with local site opportunities, incentives, and community housing needs.
- Zoning Analysis – Review of municipal zoning codes with recommendations to allow for an array of housing types, remove barriers, and encourage housing development.
- Public and Stakeholder Engagement – Outreach to build awareness and collaboration around housing challenges and solutions.
The Chautauqua County Housing Market Analysis and Development Strategy envisions, “a healthy and well-functioning housing market as critical to the vibrancy of communities, well-being of residents, and future economic development. The County envisions such a market to be one that is diverse enough to meet the needs of all residents, from young families to seniors and across income levels, and yet aligns with the character and vision of local communities throughout the County. Optimally, this means a combination of homeownership and rental units throughout the County, developed at various density and cost levels to best fit within existing communities.”
In conducting this Housing Strategy, key themes emerged regarding housing needs and dynamics in Chautauqua County, with affordability becoming a common topic of discussion. Housing affordability is a challenge that impacts a broad range of households in the County. Based on County-wide priorities recommended in the Strategy, the Chautauqua County Department of Planning & Development has developed an Affordable Housing Fact Sheet meant to educate and improve the understanding of what housing affordability means and who it impacts in the community.
The Affordable Housing Fact Sheet highlights the importance of understanding that affordable housing is needed across the community and serves a wide-range of incomes, household types, and life stages. Affordable housing is not limited to one segment of the population; it includes options for young professionals, families, seniors, and the local workforce who all contribute to the county’s economic vitality and quality of life. In fact, a majority of the households in Chautauqua County would qualify for admittance into affordable housing, based on the income characteristics of the County’s population.
“Affordable housing supports our workforce, helps businesses attract employees, and ensures that people of varying income levels can locate to or continue to live and thrive in Chautauqua County,” said County Executive PJ Wendel. “The multitude of efforts being facilitated by the County’s Department of Planning & Development, the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth, and the CCIDA are moving us in the right direction, with the fact sheet providing unbiased and fact-based information to support productive community conversations.”
“Understanding housing affordability helps communities make informed decisions, and the term “affordable housing” encompasses a wide range of income categories. Currently, approximately 75% of our County’s households qualify for affordable housing programs,” said Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development and CCIDA CEO. “Affordable housing basically means that a household is not spending more than 30% of their gross income on housing costs and utilities, otherwise they are considered “cost burdened.” That being said, approximately 50% of renters in Chautauqua County are just that, cost-burdened. We need to improve our existing housing market and support new housing developments in order to increase rental availability, improve quality, and reduce the cost burden on those renting in the county. Bottom line, we need more housing that meets the needs of our population, thereby setting the table for the retention of the current workforce and attraction of people to the county to fulfill open job positions. At the same time, we need communities to understand the facts and support these projects.”
The Chautauqua County Affordable Housing Fact Sheet can be found here: planningchautauqua.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Affordable-Housing-Fact-Sheet-Final.pdf
For more information about Chautauqua County’s housing initiatives, visit www.choosechq.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Report-2024-Chautauqua-County-Housing-Needs-Assessment.pdfor contact the Department of Planning and Development at 716-661-8900.
About the Chautauqua County Department of Planning & Development - The Chautauqua County Department of Planning & Development works to foster a vibrant, sustainable, and resilient county through coordinated land use, development, housing, and environmental planning. The Department provides technical assistance and strategic leadership to help municipalities and organizations implement projects that enhance community and economic vitality across Chautauqua County.
