named programs · 10 · from sources
What they call their work
Access to Home
Provides grant funding for accessibility modifications to homes of low- and moderate-income individuals with disabilities in Schenectady and Montgomery Counties.
Access to Home for Heroes
Provides financial assistance for accessibility modifications and emergency repairs for low- and moderate-income veterans with disabilities.
City of Schenectady CDBG Home Repair Program
Provides grant funding for critical home repairs to income-eligible homeowners within the city limits using federal CDBG funds.
Community Land Trust Program
Acquires and holds land to lease to homeowners, ensuring long-term affordability through resale restrictions and 99-year renewable leases.
Foreclosure Prevention Program
Provides financial counseling, loan modification assistance, and grants to help homeowners avoid foreclosure.
Homebuyers Assistant Program
Offers down payment and closing cost assistance of up to 10% of purchase price to first-time homebuyers in Schenectady and Montgomery Counties.
Leading in Lead Prevention Pilot Program
Offers grants to property owners in Montgomery and Fulton Counties to remediate lead paint hazards in older housing stock.
NYS HOME Program — Housing Rehabilitation
Administers federal HOME funds to support repair and rehabilitation for income-eligible homeowners in Schenectady County.
RESTORE Program
Offers emergency repair funding for senior homeowners aged 60+ to address health and safety threats in their homes.
Vacant Rental Improvement (VRP) Program
Provides grants to small property owners to rehabilitate and return vacant rental units to the market in Schenectady.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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First-Time Homebuyer Support Services 3 activities
- Administer down payment and closing cost assistance programsProvides grants of up to 10% of the purchase price (average $9,000) to first-time homebuyers for down payment and closing cost assistance, and refers qualified individuals to other down payment assistance programs.
- Provide foreclosure prevention servicesOffers free and confidential foreclosure prevention services including financial counseling, loan modification assistance, mortgage default counseling, foreclosure prevention grants, and connections to legal advisors for homeowners at risk of foreclosure.
- Provide housing counseling and financial literacy programsOffers HUD-certified housing counseling and financial literacy programs including pre-purchase, post-purchase, mortgage readiness, credit, and budget counseling; homebuyer education workshops; and financial coaching to support long-term financial stability and homeownership for low-to-moderate-income individuals in Schenectady and surrounding regions.
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Affordable Housing Development and Management 3 activities
- Develop and deliver housing resourcesDevelops and delivers resources to support quality, affordable housing for neighborhood residents, including program design and administration of housing services.
- Develop and manage affordable rental housingOwns and manages a portfolio of affordable rental units in Schenectady, including 11 units at Hamilton Crossing Apartments, and develops new affordable rental housing through rehabilitation of distressed properties and new construction in the greater Schenectady area.
- Implement community land trust model for affordable homeownershipSells homes while retaining ownership of the underlying land, leasing it to homebuyers via a renewable 99-year lease, and exercises a first right to repurchase using a limited appreciation formula to preserve long-term affordability.
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Affordable Home Construction & Rehabilitation 2 activities
- Administer accessory dwelling unit (ADU) development programAdministers the Plus One ADU Program in Amsterdam, NY, providing grants of up to $125,000 to homeowners to build or rehabilitate accessory dwelling units to expand affordable housing supply.
- Administer vacant rental rehabilitation programAdministers the Vacant Rental Improvement Program (VRP) in Schenectady, Montgomery, and Fulton Counties, providing grants to property owners to repair, rehabilitate, or convert vacant structures into rental housing for low- and moderate-income renters.
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Home Repair Assistance for Low-Income Households 2 activities
- Administer home repair and rehabilitation grant programsAdministers multiple grant programs using state and federal funding (including NYS HOME and CDBG) to provide financial assistance for repair, rehabilitation, accessibility modifications, health and safety improvements, and code violation corrections for income-eligible homeowners, including seniors, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.
- Administer lead paint hazard abatement programAdministers the NYS Leading in Lead Prevention Pilot Program in Montgomery and Fulton Counties, providing grants of up to $40,000 per unit to property owners to abate lead-based paint hazards in multi-unit rental properties built before 1980.
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Neighborhood Revitalization Initiatives 1 activity
- Lead neighborhood revitalization initiativesLeads neighborhood revitalization efforts in the greater Schenectady area through housing rehabilitation, façade improvement programs, and support for affordable housing development, including renovation of over 120 housing units in areas such as Crane Street.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Promote contractor diversity and inclusionSeeks participation from MWBE, Section 3, and SDVOB contractors in its programs and commits to funder-established utilization goals to support equitable economic opportunities.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.40M
Contributions & grants$2.11M88%
Program service revenue$186K8%
Investment income$94K4%
Other revenue$11K
expenses
Total expenses$2.63M
Program expenses85%
Admin / overhead15%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$944K
Grants paid out$588K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.53M
Cash$448K
Investments$0
Liabilities$2.01M
Net assets$518K
Liquid reserves2.0 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -0.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHAWN JAHN | CFO | 40 | $126K |
| SHANE BARGY | BOARD MEMBER (CEO 11/23-7/24) | 40 | $86K |
| MATTHEW NELSON | CEO (9/24 FORWARD) | 40 | $83K |
| TRACY CONLEY | COO | 40 | $55K |
board members · 14
- CAMILLE SASINOWSKI — BOARD MEMBER
- CHARLES KILBOURNE — BOARD CHAIR
- DEB GIROUX — SECRETARY
- DERYCK SINGH — BOARD MEMBER
- JACLYN FALOTICO — BOARD MEMBER
- JOHN BUHRMASTER — BOARD MEMBER
- JOHN HOWARD — BOARD MEMBER
- MARK LITTLE — BOARD MEMBER
- MARY BETH LABATE — TREASURER
- MARY D'ALESSANDRO-GILMORE — BOARD MEMBER
- MICHAEL SACCOCIO — BOARD MEMBER
- MICHAEL SKREBUTANUS — VICE PRESIDENT
- RAYMOND GILLEN — BOARD MEMBER
- TOM CAREY — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 21
Who they work with
- BCNI Partner — BCNI is referenced as the entity issuing the RFQ and managing contractor qualifications.
- Capital District Transportation Authority Partner — Transit agency whose bus line provides accessible transportation near BCNI's Hamilton Crossing Apartments.
- City of Amsterdam Partner — Local implementation partner for the Plus One ADU Program
- City of Schenectady Government — Funding source and program partner for the CDBG Home Repair Program
- City of Schenectady Partner — BCNI administers state and federal housing funds on behalf of the City of Schenectady for homeowner assistance programs.
- City of Schenectady Partner — Provides down payment assistance for homes located in the City of Schenectady.
- Fulton County Department of Health Partner — Local partner in administering the Leading in Lead Prevention Pilot Program in Fulton County.
- HUD Government — Housing counselors are HUD-Certified, indicating affiliation with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
- HUD Government — Provides certification for BCNI's housing counselors.
- Housing Trust Fund Corporation Government — State agency that administers funding for the Vacant Rental Improvement Program and Leading in Lead Prevention Pilot Program, with BCNI serving as Local Program Administrator.
- Little Family Foundation Funder — Provided funding to initiate and support the merger between Better Neighborhoods, Inc. and the Community Land Trust of Schenectady.
- Montgomery County Partner — Provides down payment assistance for homes located in Montgomery County.
- Montgomery County Department of Health Partner — Local partner in administering the Leading in Lead Prevention Pilot Program in Montgomery County.
- NYS Homes and Community Renewal Government — Partner agency through which BCNI lists and manages applications for affordable housing units.
- NYS Homes and Community Renewal Government — Primary funding source for Access to Home, RESTORE, and NYS HOME Program — Housing Rehabilitation
- NYS Homes and Community Renewal Partner — BCNI partners with NYS Homes and Community Renewal to administer state-funded programs including the Vacant Rental Improvement Program and the Leading in Lead Prevention Pilot Program.
- New York State Homes and Community Renewal Government — State agency providing funding and program framework for the Plus One ADU Program
- Office of Community Renewal Government — Division of the Housing Trust Fund Corporation that oversees state-funded housing programs administered locally by BCNI.
- Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority Government — Provides strategic support to BCNI through grants and financing tools.
- Wright Family Foundation Funder — Provided funding to initiate and support the merger between Better Neighborhoods, Inc. and the Community Land Trust of Schenectady.
- local governments Partner — Collaborates with local governments that provide support through funding, land allocation, and policy alignment to meet community housing needs.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community Land Trust for Permanent Affordabilitymethodology: community-land-trustBy separating land and home ownership through long-term leases and resale controls, the organization ensures permanent housing affordability and prevents displacement, because it removes land value from the market equation and limits speculative appreciation.
- Expanding Housing Supply through Existing Homeownersmethodology: homeowner-supported housing expansionBy supporting existing homeowners to build accessory dwelling units and modify properties, the organization increases the local supply of affordable housing, because leveraging underutilized private property accelerates development without public land acquisition or displacement.
- Inclusive and Targeted Housing Accessmethodology: inclusive_housing_screeningBy using inclusive screening policies and priority admissions for high-risk individuals and people with disabilities, the organization increases equitable access to housing, because it reduces systemic barriers related to credit and criminal history while directing resources to those with the greatest need.
- Integrated Housing and Financial Support Servicesmethodology: integrated_housing_servicesBy combining housing access with financial counseling, coaching, and stage-by-stage homeownership support, the organization increases housing stability and success, because clients receive tailored, holistic guidance that builds financial capability alongside housing opportunities.
- Limited Appreciation Resale Modelmethodology: limited-appreciation-resaleBy capping home resale appreciation, the organization balances homeowner equity gains with the need to preserve affordability for future low- and moderate-income buyers, because controlled resale prices prevent market-driven price escalation while still incentivizing responsible ownership.