WAIT House and Habitat for Humanity Join Forces

On Thursday April 6th, 2023 the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting at 37-40 Lawrence Street. This event was held to celebrate the partnership of Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties, with the WAIT House. The partnership added 10 affordable rental units to the Glens Falls Community! This initiative helps to put individuals and families on the pathway to home ownership with stable and affordable housing.

Glens Falls and the surrounding area are experiencing a housing shortage… The evolution of the short term rental market has had an effect on affordability of homes in the area. The idyllic concept of knowing your neighbors and feeling a true sense of community faded long ago; as society shifts and changes, and our values shift and change along with it, we individually and collectively find ourselves changing how we use resources and income. The boom of the short term rental market has created challenges for the members of our community who are looking to become first time home buyers, and those who are in the rental market as well.

When you think of AirBNB and VRBO, you may be thinking of your next vacation… The concept of short term vacation rentals has reinvented the tourism and the homestay market. Short term rental have facilitated a peer-to-peer trading platform in an unprecedented way, and has intensified an existing housing shortage in towns across the country. Housing units that are converted into short term rentals are removed from the open rental market, which leads to an increase in rent costs as supply diminishes. The decrease in the supply in housing spurs displacement of people who can not afford the increase in the rent.

Currently, The City of Glens Falls has 78 short term rentals – an increase of 59% from last year. Short-term rentals have decreased the availability of regular rental properties for the community, so The WAIT House and Habitat for Humanity have partnered up to help underprivileged community members build a pathway to stability and home ownership.

The mission of the WAIT House is to provide stability to youth who present themselves as homeless. WAIT House started in 1998 when a group of community leaders came together to address the issue of youth homelessness in Warren and Washington County. WAIT House opened in 2003 and has provided shelter, support and services to homeless youths and those at-risk of homelessness. 

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington County is part of a global nonprofit housing organization dedicated to eliminating substandard housing. Habitat works locally and worldwide through the construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of homes, and advocates for fair and just housing policies. The housing shortage helped to facilitate the partnership between these nonprofit organizations – it’s created the opportunity for these two nonprofits to work together to help bridge the gap for those in need.

Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner was on hand for the ribbon cutting: “I am here to say congratulations and to lend my thanks to our phenomenal Wait House and Habitat for Humanity. The partnership that you bring to this is really powerful and you each bring expertise and a dedication to the mission and I think it is really wonderful to see and I hope that it is one of many. And, I celebrate your willingness to work outside the box and think outside the box to accomplish something amazing for our communities” she said. 

Glens Falls Mayor Bill Collins was also on hand for the event: “I am just so grateful to be here and in the last few years we have had Habitat projects; three on Hovey street, one on Orville street. The City is very happy to support Habitat. For those of you who have not noticed, we have a housing shortage in Glens Falls, Warren County, and the surrounding area, and THIS is helping to address that. If you had a chance to drive by these properties just six, nine months ago, you would have seen a completely different scene… I like the fact that these are not all done. So you can walk into this one and see what a new apartment is going to look like… I agree with Carrie, how to change your model and be flexible so you can help people… Housing prices all over the region have risen, and we need to make sure that people can get out of apartments and into homes… Owning homes in Glens Falls is what we need more of; Thank you for all you have done,” The Mayor said. 

Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties Adam Feldman said a few words at the ribbon cutting as well: “Those were all very kind words and I am humbled to hear everyone’s support and I was reflecting on our journey… About 6 years ago I had the Chamber come to a single family home in Lake George when I recently took the position, and at that (event) we recorded it and one of the things I said was ‘This is just the first step. I am committed to being a leader in not just home ownership but housing in the greater community.’ Three years later… We raised the first wall as a new partnership with the city. So, thank you very much. That sort of set the tone. And now two years after that, we have expanded and have 10 new rental units here,” Feldman said. 

The members of the community that are supported by WAIT House are between 16-24 years old. When they age out of the program, they often don’t have any place to go… Creating affordable housing helps to create stability and community for the segment of the community that needs the help and support.