Governor Hochul Announces $20 Million to Make the Dream of Homeow...

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the final round of 2026 awards for her innovative MOVE-IN NY affordable homeownership program. Nearly $20 million was awarded to create 61 new homes across the state.

The Essex County Land Bank was awarded $7,260,000 for 24 homes; the Wayne County Regional Land Bank was awarded $3,327,500 for 11 homes; the Rochester Land Bank was awarded $4,537,500 for 15 homes; and the Suffolk County Landbank was awarded $4,840,000 for 11 homes. To date, over $80 million dollars in MOVE-IN NY funding has been awarded to create new, affordable homeownership opportunities for 250 households.

"My administration is using every tool in the toolbox to bring homeownership within reach for individuals and families across New York," Governor Hochul said. "By harnessing the benefits of factory-built technology, the MOVE-IN NY program is bringing modern, affordable single-family homes to the market more quickly and in more regions than ever before."

Administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), MOVE-IN NY harnesses the benefits of prefabricated homes to quickly build more affordable starter homes in communities throughout New York. The factory-built homes used in the MOVE-IN NY program can be built quickly and economically, at a large scale. Referred to as "CrossMods," these homes resemble traditionally constructed single-family homes and can be integrated in all types of housing markets including urban, suburban and rural communities.

MOVE-IN NY funds are awarded to municipalities, land banks, or non-profits through a competitive process and will be used to purchase and site prefabricated CrossMod homes. Once sited, the homes will be sold for less than the cost of construction to low- and moderate-income homebuyers.

CrossMods are built to the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards Code and meet design guidelines approved by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which enables homebuyers to access conventional mortgages.

New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, "The innovative MOVE-IN NY program is helping individuals and families build housing security across the state. This $20 million investment for more than 60 affordable homes exemplifies Governor Hochul's bold vision and leadership on expanding homeownership. We are grateful for our partners at the Essex County Land Bank, Wayne County Land Bank, Suffolk County Land Bank and Rochester Land Bank for their commitment to New York's housing agenda."

Throughout New York, smaller, more affordable homes - often referred to as "starter homes" - have become increasingly scarce, preventing young individuals and families from becoming first-time homeowners and older New Yorkers from downsizing. In recent years, construction costs, materials and interest rates have skyrocketed, making the typical cost to construct a small, single-family home in New York upwards of $450,000 or more.

MOVE-IN NY is supported by $50 million that Governor Hochul secured in the FY26 Enacted State Budget. The Governor secured an additional $100 million in the FY27 Enacted Budget to support further expansion of the MOVE-IN NY program as well as the continued exploration of emerging factory-built and modular construction technologies. This investment will help New York remain a leader in using innovative approaches to homebuilding.

Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal said, "Tackling our affordable housing crisis will require creative solutions and many different types of housing, including the expansion of modular and manufactured homes across the state. With funding allocated through our state budget, the MOVE-IN NY program will put homeownership within reach for many families while helping to turn vacant and dilapidated blocks into thriving neighborhoods. The expansion of factory-built starter homes will help many young people and families buy their first homes. I look forward to working with Governor Hochul and HCR to further expand this program."

Essex County Land Bank, President & CEO Nicole Justice Green said, "This is a monumental moment for Essex County and the North Country. Communities throughout the Adirondack Park are working incredibly hard to address a housing shortage. These new homes will make a tangible difference by creating attainable homeownership opportunities and helping more people build their lives here. MOVE-IN NY is a model that truly works for rural New York, and we are deeply grateful to Governor Hochul and the HCR team."

Wayne County Regional Land Bank, Executive Director Kaleigh Flynn said, "We are thrilled to be awarded through MOVE-IN NY to build 11 new critically-needed homes in the Town of Lyons. This funding will transform vacant lots into quality, affordable homeownership opportunities for families including seniors looking to downsize and age in their community, young families looking to set down roots and our workforce. New housing development is a significant challenge in rural communities. We are grateful for this impactful investment in Wayne County and for the commitment of state leadership to addressing these challenges."

Rochester Land Bank Corporation Executive Director Paul J. Scuderi said, "Homeownership remains one of the most important pathways for families to build financial security and generational wealth, but that opportunity has remained out of reach for too many Rochester residents. This funding allows the Rochester Land Bank Corporation to help bridge that gap, invest in their future and become more firmly rooted in the neighborhoods they call home. We thank our partners at New York State Homes and Community Renewal for making this investment in the city's Northeast Quadrant."

Governor Hochul's Housing AgendaGovernor Hochul is dedicated to addressing New York's housing crisis and making the State more affordable and livable for all New Yorkers. Since FY23, the Governor has worked to increase housing supply to make housing more affordable by launching a $25 billion five-year comprehensive Housing Plan, enacted the most significant housing deal in decades and implemented new protections for renters and homeowners. Under Governor Hochul's leadership, HCR has created new programs that jumpstart development of affordable and mixed-income homes - for both renters and homebuyers. These include the Pro-Housing Community Program, which allows certified localities exclusive access to up to nearly $1 billion in discretionary state funding. There are currently more than 460 certified Pro-Housing communities throughout the state.

As part of FY27 Enacted Budget, Governor Hochul secured a number of landmark reforms to New York's State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) to speed up housing and infrastructure development and lower costs as part of her "Let Them Build" agenda. "Let Them Build" also includes executive actions to expedite critical categories of projects that have been consistently found to not have significant environmental impacts, but for too long have been caught up in red tape and subject to lengthy delays.

The FY27 Enacted Budget completes the Governor's current five-year Housing Plan to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. More than 87,000 affordable homes have been created or preserved to date. The FY27 Enacted Budget also invests $250 million in capital funding to accelerate the construction of thousands of new affordable homes.