Low-income housing agency closes down

OGDENSBURG — A low-income housing agency will close soon, due to rising taxes and operation costs.

The Association for Neighborhood Rehabilitation, which provides housing and outreach to the poor, will stop operations after today, laying off roughly a dozen workers, said ANR Chairman Neil F. LaBrake.

Several employees, including the executive director and bookkeeper, will remain at the association to finalize the closing and help any state agencies willing to take over the agency's tasks.

"We're closing because the money ran out," Mr. LaBrake said. "You can't operate affordable housing with the rent structure we have and maintain with the taxes."

The ANR has more than 100 homes and apartment buildings in the county, 80 of which are in Ogdensburg. The association mainly relies on state grants for salaries and day-to-day maintenance operations.

The property taxes, which are more than $150,000, combined with the increasing costs of operations and a particularly bad season of repairs, led the organization to the decision last week, Mr. LaBrake said. The announcement to close was made Wednesday. The association's financial troubles began several years ago.

"In 2004 we realized this couldn't work with the tax rates, so we asked for a reduction of the assessed value," Mr. LaBrake said.

The ANR asked the city for a full tax exemption and when the city denied the request, the association sued. The case came to court in September, but a final decision could take another six months and lead to a lengthy appeal, Mr. LaBrake said.

"Regardless of when (the decision is made), it puts us out of the housing we have," he said. "We needed an adjustment on the taxes in order to survive. We did every trick in the book, but time ran out."

Late Thursday, however, Mr. LaBrake got a bit of good news.

The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance offered to take over the single-room-occupancy units, which are for tenants with mental or physical disabilities. According to Mr. LaBrake, the agency will provide both housing management and human services.

Without further assistance, though, he said the 30-year-old organization will disappear.

"All the money will go back to the state," he said. "What isn't used will get returned and the community will not benefit."