City of Ithaca Welcomes Refugees

Key Points:

Over 10 million Syrians are currently forced out of their homes by the civil war in their home country. Of that number, 6.6 million are displaced internally and 4.6 million are actively seeking asylum elsewhere.
Mayor Svante Myrick announced late last year the city of Ithaca will welcome those displaced by the war and provide opportunities for resettlement.
A recent plan outlined by Catholic Charities of Tompkins and Tioga calls on the city to take in and resettle 50–60 refugees starting in October 2016.

Ithaca is facing a housing affordability crisis, in which home values continue to rise while median household incomes have remained stagnant, pushing many low-income families and individuals out of their homes
Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services recently headed a development plan for mixed-affordability housing in Ithaca’s Northside neighborhood
The development at 210 Hancock Street will feature 54 mixed-income rental units in a four-story building, as well as 12 townhouses for sale

Emerald ash borers are native to Asia and were brought to the United States about 14 years ago through lumber transport
North American ash trees are common in Ithaca and have no natural resistance to the beetle, and an infestation would mean 100 percent mortality
The City of Ithaca is currently surveying the treatment needs of publicly owned ash trees in preparation for a possible infestation, as well as beginning education and outreach to residents
So far, emerald ash borers have killed about 25 million ash trees and cost municipalities tens of millions of dollars in control measures

The city’s median household income is estimated at $30,318 per year, about half that of New York State
About a third of renters in the city pay over 50 percent of their income on housing costs, while 30 percent is considered the norm
13,000 people, most of whom work in Ithaca, commute every day from outside Tompkins County due to a lack of affordable housing in urban areas
Last month, the Tompkins County Planning Department conducted a survey collecting information from people who live, work and study in Ithaca to update existing housing strategies