SNOW BELT HOUSING GRANT PROGRAMS

Originally an arm of Lewis County Opportunities, Inc., Snow Belt was incorporated as a separate entity in 1982. Snow Belt receives $65,000 a year from the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal under the Rural Preservation Program (RPP). This amount has remained constant since 1982 when Snow Belt was first incorporated; however, for the past two years the amount was increased by the state legislature and for the 2008-2009 contract, the amount is $90,900. The RPP provides operating funds for non-profit organizations to perform housing and community renewal activities in designated low-income service areas. Snow Belt’s service area is the County of Lewis and has the second lowest income of any county in the state.


To supplement the state RPC funds, Snow Belt applies for grant funds from federal and state sources under a competitive application process. These funds are used to provide low-income county residents with grants and loans for home repair and home purchase as well as support Snow Belt’s operations. The economic impact of Snow Belt in the local economy is significant. During its 25 year history, Snow Belt has provided over $10.5 million in federal and/or state assistance to 661 households to purchase or renovate an existing home or to purchase a newly constructed home.

Grant funding supports:  Housing Rehabilitation Program

The New York State HOME Program is administered by the New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HTFC) and uses HOME federally allocated HOME Investment Partnership Program funds to expand the supply of decent, safe, and affordable housing within the State. The NYS HOME Program funds a variety of activities to acquire, rehabilitate, or construct affordable housing, or to provide assistance to low-income home-buyers or renters through partnerships with counties, towns, cities, villages, private developers, and community-based non-profit housing organizations. Funds are distributed in accordance with the State's Consolidated Plan and are federally regulated through 24 CFR Part 92 which set forth all requirements for HOME such as formula allocations, eligible activities, matching funds, qualifications as affordable housing, community housing development organizations (CHDOs) certification, and compliance with other federal requirements.

North Country HOME Consortium, Development Authority of the North Country (DANC). Since 1994, the Development Authority has administered the federal HOME (Home Investment Partnership) program on behalf of the North Country HOME Consortium, comprised of 107 municipalities in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties. Awards are made on an annual basis, as funds are available, to housing agencies to enable those agencies to provide assistance to low- and moderate- income families, primarily for the rehabilitation of owner-occupied homes. The North Country HOME Consortium has provided $28.8 million to assist over 1,800 housing units. For more information on the North Country HOME Consortium contact Matt Taylor at mtaylor@danc.org .

Grant funding supports:  Housing Rehabilitation Program

The Office of Community Renewal administers the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for the State of New York. The NYS CDBG program provides financial assistance to eligible cities, towns, and villages with populations under 50,000 and counties with an area population under 200,000, in order to develop viable communities by providing decent, affordable housing, and suitable living environments, as well as expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income.

The state must ensure that no less than 70% of its CDBG funds are used for activities that benefit low- and moderate-income persons. The program objectives are achieved by supporting activities or projects that: benefit low- and moderate-income families; create job opportunities for low- and moderate-income persons; prevent or eliminate blight; or address a community development need that poses a serious and imminent threat to the community's health or welfare. Project selection shall take into consideration the recommendation of the relevant regional economic development council or the Commissioner's determination that the proposed project aligns with the regional strategic priorities of the respective region.

Lewis County submits applications for eligible CDBG programs and services, then Snow Belt Housing Company, Inc. administers the program as the sub recipient. 

Grant funding supports:  Housing Rehabilitation Program

The New York State Affordable Housing Corporation (AHC) creates homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income families by providing grants to governmental, not-for-profit and charitable organizations to help subsidize the cost of newly constructed houses and the renovation of existing housing. AHC 's Affordable Home Ownership Development Program (AHOD Program) provides grants to governmental, not-for-profit and charitable groups to:
  * Promote home ownership among families of low and moderate income for whom there are few affordable home ownership alternatives in the private market.

  * Stimulate the development, stabilization and preservation of New York communities.

Snow Belt Housing applies for and administers AHC funding.  Average assistance up to $9,000 is available to Lewis County residents with household income at or below 90% of County Median Income. As with the above-mentioned programs, the purpose of this program is to correct substandard housing conditions and to improve the health, safety and energy efficiency of the home. The grant amount is based on the total cost of repairs but may not exceed $9,000 or 60% of the total cost of repairs, whichever is greater.

Grant funding supports:  Homeless Prevention Program 

The STEHP program provides assistance for individuals and families to remain in or obtain permanent housing, and assistance with supportive services during their experience of homelessness, the eviction process and housing stabilization. STEHP supports comprehensive programs that are designed to help maintain and improve the quality of emergency and transitional shelters, and drop-in centers for homeless individuals and families. STEHP assists organizations to meet the costs of operating programs that provide comprehensive supportive services aimed at housing stabilization, rapid re-housing services (obtaining a permanent living situation) and eviction prevention assistance to individuals and families.

Federal funds allocated from the Department of Housing and Urban Development combined with New York State homeless assistance funds comprise STEHP funding.

Grant funding supports:  Homeless Prevention Program 

The CARES Act appropriated $4 billion through the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program “to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, among individuals and families who are homeless or receiving homeless assistance and to support additional homeless assistance and homelessness prevention activities to mitigate the impacts created by coronavirus under the Emergency Solutions Grants program (42 U.S.C. 11371).”

This page provides ESG-CV resources released by HUD and its TA Providers to assist communities implement their supplemental allocation of ESG-CV program funding to respond to COVID-19 and mitigate its impacts.

Grant funding supports:  Homeless Prevention Program

The Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is designed to promote communitywide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, and State and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities by homelessness; promote access to and effect utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families; and optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
– US Department of Housing and Urban Development

Points North Housing Coalition is the local CoC, which covers NY-522 Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence Counties.


We are committed to maintaining the beauty of Lewis County and making sure that everyone has a safe home to live in. For more information, click here.