A new report provides communities with tools and information for approaching housing challenges in the Adirondack region.

Produced by Adirondack Foundation and the Northern Forest Center, A Place to Start: Adirondack Housing Resources, is a comprehensive document that includes data, strategies and tools employed by municipalities, economic development agencies, private contractors, appointed task forces, and regional nonprofits.

The Center and the Adirondack Foundation will introduce the new resource and highlight successful projects during a webinar Wed., March 29 at 9 am. Please register to attend the webinar. The full report is available online.

“Adirondack Foundation, the Northern Forest Center and all of the organizations that contributed information to this effort have a shared commitment to addressing the critical housing issues facing our communities,” said Lori Bellingham, Adirondack Foundation’s vice president of community impact. “We believe this new resource will provide a head start for local leaders and citizens seeking solutions.”

“This is a resource for all of us working to address the specific housing needs of our communities,” said Leslie Karasin, the Northern Forest Center’s Adirondack Program director. “We hope this will help communities looking for best practices and strategies, whether it’s developing new housing units, understanding deed restrictions, attracting developers or rehabilitating dilapidated properties. The guide focuses on the Adirondacks, but much of its content will be helpful to communities in other Northern Forest states as well.”

The limited availability, subpar quality, and lack of affordability of the Adirondack region’s housing stock is a widely recognized problem exacerbated by demographic and workforce challenges. A Place to Start outlines an all-hands-on-deck approach to these challenges, highlighting ongoing work to bring more affordable housing to communities and presenting potential strategies that have not yet been implemented.

“This document highlights the important work taking place to address the housing shortages in our region,” Karasin said.

“We will be gathering feedback and revising this report as more information becomes available,” Bellingham said. “We are fortunate to have creative, caring, and motivated partners that are working hard to address this issue.”

The Northern Forest Center has developed a strategy on attracting and retaining young people in the Adirondack Park, and is applying an impact investment-fueled approach to develop middle-income housing in Tupper Lake and other communities in the Adirondacks and the Northern Forest.

Adirondack Foundation has awarded grants to local housing work, advocated for state and federal support for rural workforce housing, and makes impact investments in projects that increase affordable housing stock. To learn more, visit adirondackfoundation.org.

For more information about A Place to Start: Adirondack Housing Resources, contact Leslie Karasin or Lori Bellingham.