WCCRC ANNUAL REPORT 2024
WCCRC’s service area covers 955 square miles in 18 towns and 6 villages in southern Schoharie, northern Delaware, and western Greene Counties in the Catskill Mountains. Schoharie County: the towns of Blenheim, Broome, Conesville, Fulton, Gilboa, Jefferson, and Summit. Delaware County: the towns of Harpersfield, Kortright, Middletown, Roxbury, and Stamford. Greene County: the towns of Ashland, Halcott, Hunter, Jewett, Lexington, and Prattsville. The Villages are Stamford, Hobart, Fleischmanns and Margaretville in Delaware County and Hunter and Tannersville in Greene County.
Working with village, town, and county supervisors and boards, we apply for Community Development Block Grants for housing rehabilitation or manufactured home replacement. WCCRC wrote a $350,000 housing rehabilitation grant for the Town of Kortright in Delaware County and a $800,000 Manufactured Home Replacement program in Schoharie County which were both awarded.
We also apply for service area wide grant funding from other state and federal sources through the Affordable Housing Corporation and the Office of Community Renewal, including those for emergency home repairs for seniors and accessibility modifications for disabled residents.
We are currently managing over 3 million in funds which will be spread over three years, bringing an average of over one million dollars to our economy each year. Economists state that every dollar brought into a local economy has a multiple of between $1 and $3. Therefore, WCCRC has contributed well over three million dollars to the local economy this year alone!
Our work is done by local contractors; our supplies are purchased locally. We support women, minority, and disabled veteran owned businesses and fair housing initiatives.
WCCRC offers Housing and Financial Counseling services, free of charge to all. Certified as a HUD Approved Housing Counseling agency, we are supported by funding from HUD and NYS HOPP. We are presenting several financial literacy workshops in area libraries and community centers including emergency preparedness, budgeting, and avoiding scams.
Radon awareness and testing is in the forefront of our goals this year. WCCRC conducts Radon Awareness programs locally and supplies free radon testing kits for residents. We facilitate the installation of mitigation systems if radon levels are unsafe using grant funding.
Our two apartment buildings and two senior and disabled apartment complexes are fully rented and well maintained. Our commercial storefront and carriage house are also rented to two new women owned enterprises. This provides safe and affordable housing as well as business support to our community.
Antonia Besculides
Executive Director
July 4, 2024