Community Members

---

University Neighborhood Preservation Association

The major goal of the University Neighborhood Preservation Association (UNPA), is to help families and individuals purchase a home. Depending on available funds, UNPA can provide potential homeowners with a grant to help with mortgage closing costs. Our only requirement is owner occupancy.

Homes in the University Neighborhood are varied and appealing. Most are single-family dwellings, but many two- and three-family houses are available. They range from Victorian to Colonial to Arts-and-Crafts and most are from the early part of the 20th Century. The neighborhood boasts many Ward Wellington Ward homes. There are bungalows from the 1920's as well as many dwellings built after the 1940's. A few houses date from the last quarter of the 20th century.

The streets are tree-lined and unexpectedly quiet for an urban neighborhood.

Housing prices range from moderate to up-scale. For the Central New York area, that means from the $40k's into the $100k's.

2007 Update

If success can be measured, then UNPA is successful. With the UNSAAC funds, UNPA has assisted over 600 homebuyers with nearly $2.5 million dollars in grants or deferred loans in total since 1993; and over 300 homebuyers with nearly $600,000 in grants and loans since 2001 alone. Of those assisted:

• Over 90% are first time homebuyers.
• Over 30% are 13210 residents who previously rented or owned, returned and opted to buy and settle in the neighborhood.
• Over 75% work in the City of Syracuse.
• Nearly 50% purchased are formerly rental, foreclosed or estate houses.
• Over $50,000 in delinquent recaptures collected with an additional $20,000 on the way.
• Over $300,000 in unrestricted funds were available; $150,000 loaned at 3% interest to Home Headquarters for Home Improvement Loan Program.
• Clean management letter from independent auditor.
• Successful Home Improvement Loan Program, $300,000 allocated in 2 1/2 weeks.

In 2006, UNPA modified its mortgage assistance program to create greater incentive for areas of the neighborhood where rental houses were traditionally more difficult to transform to owner occupied. Nearly 30% (7 of 25) of recipients benefited from the $4,500 Program Area 1 … all properties located north of Euclid Avenue.

Over five years ago, UNPA began participating as an investment and development partner with Empire Housing & Development and Home Headquarters, both Central NY non-profit residential development agencies. Independently, these teams have identified, purchased, rehabilitated, marketed, and sold (to owner occupants) a number of formerly distressed single and multi-unit properties within the UNPA target area. These properties are located within the:

• 200 Block of Clark Street, 100 Block of Concord Place
• 100 Block of Fellows Avenue - 2 properties
• 700 Block of Sumner Avenue
• 700 and 900 Blocks of Lancaster Ave.
• 400 Block of Columbus
• 700 Block of South Beech Street
• 400 Block of Westcott Street and 900 Block of Euclid Ave.

Please visit the UNPA website to learn more about their programs. While there, be sure to check out the "News & Events" and "Buying a Home? Own a Home" sections to learn about other grant, loan and tax incentive programs available to home owners and buyers of all income levels.

Executive Director: Joanne Stewart
Phone: 315-476-5228
Address: 962 Westmoreland Ave, Syracuse, NY 13210
Web Site: www.unpa.net