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The Syracuse City Council has approved a land swap deal between the city and the Syracuse Housing Authority (SHA), paving the way for significant housing developments. This agreement allows Rochester's Cornerstone Group, Ltd. to begin renovations on the Eastwood Heights senior living complex, which is currently managed by SHA. As part of the deal, SHA will take ownership of Eastwood Heights, while the city gains control of Latimer Terrace, a public housing block.
Mayor Ben Walsh expressed support for the agreement, stating that it prioritizes city residents by improving housing conditions at Eastwood Heights and incentivizing SHA to advance the Children Rising Center project at Latimer Terrace. "We are committed to supporting the needs of our residents," Walsh said.
The SHA will pay the city $500,000, which could be refunded if the city gains control of Latimer Terrace. The SHA must also work with a third-party vendor to relocate current residents of Latimer Terrace by July, as reported by Spectrum Local News. The land swap is seen as a critical step in the East Adams Neighborhood Transformation project, led by the nonprofit Blueprint 15.
However, the SHA has faced scrutiny over its ability to manage large-scale housing projects, with calls for leadership changes. Despite these challenges, the land swap deal marks progress in addressing Syracuse's housing crisis and could lead to the creation of the Children Rising Center, pending federal funding approval.