Jamestown is looking to take the pledge to help alleviate what has become a statewide housing crisis.

The City Council’s Housing Committee on Monday got its first look at a resolution on a relatively new state-sponsored “Pro-Housing Communities” pledge. The program was announced in July by Gov. Kathy Hochul to reward local governments that are working to address New York’s housing crisis.

As noted by the governor’s office, localities that achieve a Pro-Housing Communities designation receive priority in their applications for key funding programs, including the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and the NY Forward program.

Crystal Surdyk, city director of development, told Housing Committee members that municipalities across New York state have been encouraged to “take the pledge.” As stated in the resolution that the committee eventually approved, the program encourages the streamlining of permitting for different housing; the adoption of policies that further promote fair housing; the incorporation of regional housing needs into planning decisions; and the enactment of policies that encourage a broad range of housing development.

“As we are all aware across the state and across the country, housing is a hot topic issue, particularly affordable housing,” Surdyk said. “As our housing needs change — and we’ve been able to evaluate housing needs for multiple generations, various different types of needs, accessibilities, that sort of thing — the state has embarked on making housing a priority and making access to affordable housing a priority.”

At the behest of two Dunkirk Common Council members and former Mayor Willie Rosas, the city of Dunkirk wasted no time in approving its housing pledge in September. The early backing of Hochul’s program paid off — especially for Dunkirk’s new Mayor, Kate Wdowiasz — after the city learned it was among the first 20 municipalities in New York to receive the designation.

“Seeing as how we’re a small lake community and city, it means everything,” Wdowiasz said of Dunkirk’s participation in the Pro-Housing Communities program during a ceremony last week with the governor. “We have a developer who is willing to invest in our community now and that’s because of the pro-housing designation.”

Jamestown is hoping to follow suit with its own pledge, which, after Monday’s vote by the Housing Committee, needs support from the full council before it’s submitted to the state.

Surdyk said the housing priorities noted in the pledge are set by the state.

“To be frank, these are all things that we are already working on and working toward,” she said.

Supporting the program, she added, puts the city in a good position to receive potential funding.

“As we start to look at different housing project opportunities, being a pro-housing community and pledging that we are a pro-housing community, will position us well for those funding opportunities with the state,” she said.

Jamestown’s current housing situation has been well-documented and is likely to play a big part in the city’s next comprehensive plan.

At present, 56% of the city’s homes are at least 100 years old; 76% are at least 75 years old; and the median housing value is $66,000.

According to information compiled by the state, there were 14,430 properties that made up the city’s housing stock in 2020, with all but 1,789 of those properties considered occupied.

In 2000, the city had more than 15,000 properties in its housing stock, with about 1,469 considered vacant.