Syracuse Land Bank receives over $15M to construct 52 prefabricated houses
Greater Syracuse Land Bank will receive $15.7 million in state funding to build 52 new prefabricated homes, state Sen. Rachel May announced Thursday. The funding is part of a $21 million investment by Gov. Kathy Hochul”s MOVE-IN NY program. Brycen Pace | Senior Staff Photographer
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The Greater Syracuse Land Bank will receive $15.7 million in state funding to construct 52 new prefabricated homes, state senator Rachel May announced Thursday. The funding is part of a $21 million investment by NY Gov. Kathy Hochul through the MOVE-IN NY program.
Prefabricated units, or homes that are manufactured, are used to specifically address affordability concerns. Since the houses are built in a factory and assembled on-site, they’re cheaper than purchasing a traditional home.
MOVE-IN NY started in Sept. 2025 and is designed to expand affordable homeownership through factory-built construction of units to bypass the high costs and maintenance of traditional housing.
“New York’s housing crisis is making it harder for families to find safe, comfortable homes,” May wrote in the release. “As Syracuse grows, we need to ensure there’s housing for everyone.”
The project will target a wide range of income levels across the city to ensure community integration, Mo Brown, an Onondaga County Legislator and board member of the Greater Syracuse Land Bank, said.
The goal of the new units is to distribute them across various areas in Syracuse, using Area Median Income, as a guide to target neighbourhoods of 50% to 120% area median income, Brown said.
The prefabricated homes are built in sections within a factory before being transported to a site for assembly. Although they are often used temporarily, the units meet the same safety and durability standards as traditional homes, Brown explained.
“They’re just as safe. Once all the pieces of the unit are put together, the house lasts as long as any other,” Brown said.
The primary difference between manufactured prefabricated units and traditional housing is that prefabricated units are built on laid-out concrete slabs rather than over a basement, allowing the land bank to quickly vacate lots and allow for easier assembly, Brown said.
In a statement to The Daily Orange, Syracuse mayor Sharon Owens expressed gratitude for the investment, explaining that the innovative construction method allows the city to meet the demand and affordability of the current local housing market.
“We are grateful for Governor Hochul’s transformative investment through the MOVE-IN NY program, which will help us bring high quality, affordable homes to Syracuse,” Owens wrote.
The homes are expected to be placed as early as this year, Brown said. He explained that under the MOVE-IN NY guidelines, the units will be sold below construction cost to ensure they remain available to low and moderate-income buyers.
Onondaga County has faced pressure to address local soaring rent and increased eviction filings.
The $15.7 million for Syracuse is the largest award from the $21.2 million pool announced by the NYS Housing and Renewal. Construction is currently slated for completion by the end of 2026, Brown said.
“This support from New York State Homes & Community Renewal will allow us to strengthen neighborhoods and continue building a more vibrant future for families in our community,” Owens wrote.
