City Council Planning Committee Meeting 2026.10.01

The City of Binghamton Planning Committee met on October 13, 2026, to discuss the Binghamton Housing Authority’s proposed negotiated payment agreement for the Saratoga Terrace redevelopment, associated with conversion under the federal RAD program. The project is estimated at about $115 million, including roughly $100 million in new investment, and is intended to benefit 164 households through housing and infrastructure upgrades. The housing authority said it needs assurance by approximately December 1 to remain on track for a New York State Homes and Community Renewal bond closing planned for March. The property is currently tax-exempt; the authority emphasized that it is seeking a negotiated payment agreement, not a tax reduction. A committee member requested a comparison of the expected payment with the applicable tax calculation, and the project representative agreed to prepare it.

Committee members raised concerns about reported tenant and employee complaints and the housing authority’s management and oversight practices, and said those concerns affect their willingness to advance the agreement. The housing authority board president said a third-party investigation could be brought before the board for consideration; no commitment to conduct one was made. No motion or vote on the payment agreement or project occurred, and no contract award was identified. Members discussed the possibility of a special housing authority board meeting to avoid delaying the project.