Meet the Candidates Night 2011

Informed voters are the source of effective government leaders, and it is each citizen’s responsibility to gather as much available knowledge before casting his or her ballot. In an effort to educate members of the community, TRIP (Troy Rehabilitation & Improvement Program) and TNAC (Troy Neighborhoods Action Council) are sponsoring a Meet the Candidates Night to connect voters with those running for Troy Mayoral Office and City Council positions. Taking place on Tuesday, October 4^th, 2011 at School 12, 475 1^st Street, Troy, candidates will present their platforms and answer questions starting at 6:30pm and running until 9:00pm.

Attendees will hear each candidate’s opinions and solutions to issues facing the City of Troy, and thus be more confident in who to vote for come Election Day, November 8, 2011. Questions about the event should be directed toward the TRIP office at (518) 272-8289.

Annual TRIP and RCHR Homecoming Dinner

This year’s TRIP and RCHR Annual Homecoming Dinner is sure to leave attendees with a glowing sense of community pride as well as full stomachs. Scheduled for Monday, October 24th at 5:30pm, guests will gather in the Franklin Terrace Ballroom, 126 Campbell Avenue, Troy. Joe Fama and Troy Bike Rescue will be greeted as the 2011 honorees. 

Joe Fama is being recognized as the current Community Citizenship Awardee for his efforts over many years in serving the City of Troy with Troy Architechtural Program. (TAP)  

Troy Bike Rescue has earned honors this year based on their ever-growing efforts to improve North Troy. Their workshop at 3260 6^th Ave. is the hub of bustling activity for both children and adults, providing a space to build and repair bicycles as well as friendships.

Those attending should plan to enjoy the event and RSVP by October 14, 2011. Any questions can be directed to the TRIP office, (518) 272-8289.

Two Fundraisers for Hurricane Irene Victims

TEXAS HOLD 'EM FUNDRAISER

All proceeds from the tournaments will be used to help repair the damage to the Military Order of the Purple Heart that occurred during the Hurricane Irene flooding.
Dates: Sat., October 15th, Sat., November 12th, Sat., December 10th
Register: 1pm.  Tournament Begins: 2pm
$65 Buy in: $10,000 in Chips.  After 1st Hour: $20 Add-On, $5,000 in Chips
Includes Soda & Food
Tournament held at: Military Order of the Purple Heart 761 3rd Ave. in Lansingburgh
Top 7 or 8 finishers will be awarded money.
If you have any questions, please call PJ Higgitt 221-3428

AND

Hell and Highwater, or Lessons for When the Sky Falls

Wednesday Oct 26 7-11pm @ Russell Sage 
Hell and High Water is a poetic, surprisingly funny, sharply satiric, and at times brutal play. A fantasia on the theme of security in America, Hell and High Water is based on the playwright's personal experience of surviving Hurricane Katrina.  

"Was it morning in America or were we mourning America? I couldn't tell. It was fall in America. Or maybe the fall of America. I just couldn't tell." - Teacher Alice from Hell and High Water.

Working with Troy Shares, a local time bank which initiated flood clean-up, Troy Area United Ministries (TAUM) will direct all monies raised to benefit people affected by the recent flooding in Troy.

One of the organizers of the fundraiser, Amanda Santiago, whose home was flooded, is really excited about the partnership between Russell Sage and the community. "Its awesome! A lot of people whose homes were damaged or who lost items after the storm are elderly like my next-door neighbor who is in his 70's and lives by himself. My own family lives paycheck to paycheck. This fundraiser will be really helpful and it's great to see community taking care of community, and Russell Sage is part of that."

See this event on Facebook

Saving Our Housing Programs

If you support the homeownership and housing services that TRIP and our sister organization, Rensselaer County Housing Resources (RCHR), provides to your neighbors, your communities -- and perhaps even you -- in Troy and the entire county, you might be shocked to know that the proposed State budget will eliminate and/or severely cut them. Here is why and what you can do.

The proposed State budget slashes funding for the Neighborhood and Rural Preservation Programs in half. These programs provide core funding to TRIP and RCHR to keep our agency, including our HomeOwnership Center, operating day-to-day. Therefore, these funds support many of our services including First-time Homebuyer Education, one-on-one financial counseling, Mini-Repair services and Landlord Training, among others. The small State investment is leveraged many times over, providing a great “bang for the buck.” For example, in 2010, through our HomeOwnership Center we counseled 436 families, produced 78 new homebuyers, provided home improvements and repairs to 220 seniors and 58 very low income families, and trained 64 landlords. This generated more than $10 million in mortgages, $1.8 million in local business, kept small contractors working, and more.

The proposed State budget eliminates funding for the Foreclosure Prevention Services Program. This program has provided resources for foreclosure prevention housing counselors (such as at TRIP’s HomeOwnership Center) and legal assistance providers to help homeowners prevent mortgage foreclosure when possible. Last year, TRIP’s foreclosure counselors helped 84 families in Rensselaer County who were facing foreclosure. This year, we expect to see many more families at risk of foreclosure due primarily to job losses or hours cut. In fact, the Federal Reserve Bank of NY found that in September 2010, in Rensselaer County there were 530 loans in foreclosure and just as many (525) where homeowners were more than 90 days late in their mortgage payment, leading to imminent risk of foreclosure. Experts believe that NYS is not even halfway through the foreclosure crisis, which means that foreclosure prevention services must continue in order to help homeowners navigate the very complicated foreclosure process. In turn, foreclosure assistance will help communities which also suffer when lenders foreclose: home conditions deteriorate, property taxes go unpaid, and surrounding housing values decline. Without additional funding for the Foreclosure Prevention Services Program, TRIP will likely lose our foreclosure counselors (1 FT, 1 PT) when our contract ends in December.

If you care about these services, your neighbors and your communities, we urge you to call your State representatives below and ask that they show their support for these housing programs by contacting their leaders.

- State Senator Roy McDonald at 455-2381

- Assembly-member Ron Canestrari (AD 106, much of Troy, Rensselaer, & Greenbushes) at 455-4474

- Assembly-member Steve McLaughlin (AD 108, various towns in Rens. Co) at 455-5777

- Assembly-member Tony Jordan (AD 112, eastern parts of Rens. Co) at 455-5404

Call as soon as possible as decisions are being made quickly to ensure a State budget agreement by April 1.

Troy non-profit tackling troubled neighborhoods

News 10 also picked up our story. Check out the excellent video clip of the interview with Executive Director Patrick Madden

News 10
Posted: Dec 29, 2010 10:51 PM EST 
 

Video: TRIP helping to rebuild Troy

TROY, N.Y.-It's not obvious, but Fifth Avenue in Troy is once again in the middle of a rehabilitation project.

"The interesting thing is, one building can ruin a block. When this building wasn't managed well, we had other tenants in our adjoining properties and wanted out. They wanted to leave," said Patrick Madden of the Troy Rehabilitation Improvement Program, or TRIP, did exactly what his non-profit organization has been doing since 1968.

TRIP bought the building, completely gutting it, rebuilding the inside from top to bottom.

"It's important for us to not only get this building for this building. But, for this block," said Madden.

TRIP has renovated about 150 properties around the city many of them on Fifth Avenue. All are then rented to lower-income families. This particular one was bought a year ago but, work on the inside just began last week.

Crews are making the inside as green and energy efficient as possible, realizing utility costs can often break the bank.

People living nearby saying the rehab projects are clearly better than the alternative, which are neglected properties and vacant lots.

"I think it's great," said Chris Wise. "If they aren't being used otherwise and they're all run down, I think it's great they're trying to build them back up make it a better place."
The current venture on Fifth Avenue is expected to be completed by April or May.

Troy Rehabilitation Improvement Program continues to create affordable housing

Thanks to the Troy Record for this great article about TRIP's work in our community.

By Cecelia Martinez
The Record

Published: Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Patrick Madden of TRIP and contractor George Tidmarsh of Ballston Spa look over the gutted building at 2232 Fifth Avenue in Troy which TRIP is renovating into affordable apartments. (Mike McMahon / The Record)

TROY — The gutted three-story row house at 2232 Fifth Ave. may not look like much now, but the building —  and its upcoming renovation — represent the efforts of the Troy Rehabilitation Improvement Program (TRIP) to bring problem neighborhoods back into prominence, one house at a time. The not-for-profit organization has purchased the building and begun the process of turning it into an energy-efficient, four-family home for low-income families, with the hope of not only benefiting the future tenants but also anchoring the block for decades to come.

TRIP is a multi-service agency, acting as a stabilizer and landlord to tenants in dozens of rehabilitated buildings throughout the city, as well as a partner for community improvement efforts like this summer’s Paint the Boards program in the North Central neighborhood. Now, for the first time in years, it is taking on a complete overhaul with this building, which was shut down after numerous complaints and code violations.

“Our goal is to create living environments where people want to stay,” said TRIP Executive Director Wm. Patrick Madden. “We want people to live here because they like it here, not because it’s the only thing they can afford. That’s the environment we want to create, not only for the tenants but for the block as well.”

Renovations were already under way Tuesday afternoon, with George Tidmarsh from A.J. Arpy in Ballston Spa doing reinforcement work in the building. Many of the architectural features of the 19th-century building are still in place, including tile work in the entranceway, the stairway railing and an old dumbwaiter near the back stairway. Once completed, the new layout will include three-bedroom units on the top two floors with two smaller units on the first floor.

“We’re really able to reconfigure the floor plan to make it more in keeping with today’s market demands — bigger bedrooms, more bathroom space,” said Madden. “If we were to keep six bedrooms in each of these units the building would just have too many people.” The tenants will be selected from TRIP’s own roster of eligible families, contingent on income requirements based on family size. Madden said that he does not yet have tenants in mind or know what the rent would be, as it is dictated by income. TRIP would own the building long term, for at least 20 years.

With the announcement of the project, TRIP is also reaching out to the community for support through donations, which help to cover costs not met by grants and other revenue sources.

“We’re getting hit on all fronts, just like everybody else,” said Madden, referring to decreased donations and cuts to government-provided funding. “Yet, more and more people are coming in because they’re hurting as well and need help with housing.”

TRIP is already very familiar with this block of Fifth Avenue. Not only is their office within walking distance, but it also owns a string of buildings across the street from the planned rehab. In 1985, it purchased its first building on the block, the former Mr. Robert’s Pub, that had also seen its share of neglect and mismanagement.

“Let’s just say it wasn’t an asset in the community,” said Madden, adding that when they went in to gut the building, they started pulling 22 slugs out of the wall — the remnants from shootings that had apparently taken place at the pub. After the first renovation, they purchased a few more on the block. “We rehabbed all of those and we continue to own and manage those, having maintained them over the years.”

TRIP’s goal isn’t real estate dominance, however. Madden said the organization likes to see a mix of owners and tenants. One building on the block was recently purchased by TRIP and then sold to a family that wanted to oversee renovations themselves.

“We don’t aspire to own a block or a neighborhood, but sometimes there are buildings that have to be done with a lot of investment and we can commit and do that,” he said. TRIP’s presence in the community also helps to grow the tax base – the organization elects to pay property taxes on all of its 65 properties throughout the city, despite being a nonprofit.

The building will also be renovated with environmentally-friendly features like spray insulation, on-demand hot water heaters and Energy Star appliances to keep utility costs low for tenants.

“We’ve been paying attention to energy for a good number of years, and wherever we can raise money to do it, we’re doing it,” said Madden. “We realize that energy is becoming a larger and larger component of the cost of housing for poor people.”

Renovations are expected to be completed in spring of 2011, with tenants moving in shortly after the building is ready. Madden hopes that the project can spur private investment in the neighborhood.

“This should be a very desirable block,” said Madden. “We have the economic development going on down on River Street, with the Hedley Building and the possible creation of more jobs and opportunities. We’re hoping to see that spread out and this building as contributing to the revitalization of this whole neighborhood.”

TRIP’s offices are located at 415 River St. in Troy. For more information or to make a donation, contact 272-8289 or visit www.triponline.org.

Cecelia Martinez can be contacted at 270-1294 or by e-mail at cmartinez@troyrecord.com.

A Message of Gratitude to Our Friends

A huge THANK YOU goes out to TRIP’s many supporters in 2010! Your gift to TRIP helps  improve Troy by rehabilitating blighted buildings, creating and educating new homeowners, preventing foreclosures, making available high quality affordable apartments to families, providing home repairs to seniors, assisting landlords, and supporting neighborhood groups.

Furthermore, donations to TRIP are investments directly into our local economy.  Donations to TRIP have a multiplier effect, enabling us to leverage over $7.7 million additional dollars into Troy’s community through private, federal and state sources. We are very proud of the work we do and the benefits that it brings to Troy.  However, we could not do it without those of you who support us – through the tough times as well as the good times.  You are all extremely valued partners in our success.   Your dedication to the well-being and health of our community is greatly appreciated.

If you haven’t yet joined the list of supporters, it’s not too late!  Click on the link here and you too can become an investor in Troy’s future.


Thanks to all our donors in 2010! 
Betsy Voss, Mike Esposito, Shevy Law Firm, Hon. Roy McDonald, Hon. Ronald Canestrari, John Madden, Jr., Judith A. Barnes, David & Katie Haviland, Sunmark Federal Credit Union, Doug Kallenburg, John Nigro, Linda Mappes, Northeast Health, Chet & Karen Opalka, Jacqueline Witbeck, J.W. Pfeil & Company, SEFCU, Pioneer Bank, Commission on Economic Oppportunity, Kevin & Pat O'Bryan, Hon. Kathleen Jimino, Michael Danforth, Robert Burke, Wally & Jane Altes, Pattison, Sampson, Ginsberg & Griffin, Legal Aid Society, Seton Health, Massry Charitable Foundation, Lynn Kopka, Robert & Janet MacLasco, United Group of Companies, Arthur Ross, Emma Willard School, NeighborWorks America, Hon. Edward Spain, TD Bank, Robert Miller, John Murray, Hannaford, United Way of  Greater Capital Region, Robert Gamble, Omni Housing Development, Don Fane, The Community Preservation Corporation, First Niagara Bank, Garrett Degraff, Joseph Fleming, Architecture+, NBT Bank, Rensselaer County IDA, M & T Bank, Groff Networks, Alane & Paul Hohenberg, Key Bank, William Schroeder & Wendy Pattison, Kim & E. Stewart Jones, Jr., Ken & Dorcas Rose, Lynne Gelzheiser & Wayne Metsch, Capital District Community Loan Fund, Rensselaer County Chamber of Commerce, Gwen Krause, Charles Freihoffer, Anonymous, Marie Gavazzi, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Unity House, Chris & Bridget Ball Shaw, Ken & Sandy Salzmann, Kim Mazor, Hon. Randolph Treece, E.H. Nash, Mark Pattison & Laura Amos, Mozella Irving, Anthony Cardona, O'Connell & Aronowitz, John G. Stewart, Nina Pattison, R. Mihran Mooradian, Warren Fane, Jodi Flood, Barbara Higbee, Bartle, McGrane, Duffy, & Jones, The Community Hospice, John McCann, Anne Patnode, Dreyer Boyajian, Lisa Barone, Jack Casey, John Casey, Hon. Peter Grimm, Sandy Gull, Christine Nealon, Katherine & Calvin Young, Hon. Matthew Turner, Monica Kurzejeski, Carl Erickson, Key Bank, Patrick Madden, Kaleel Jamison Consulting Group, Bob & Robin Cuddy, Ann F. Ellery, Hilary Lamishaw, Turner Construction Company, O'Bryan Family Foundation, Bank of America, Thomas McGuire, First United Presyterian Church, HSBC, Trustco Bank, Key Foundation, Citizens Bank, and State Farm.