Ithaca · Local digest

The $32 million Stately Apartments Ithaca project, completed and beginning to lease, adds 57 income-restricted homes to Ithaca's West End, including 20 supportive apartments for people experiencing homelessness and domestic violence survivors with on-site services from Catholic Charities. All apartments are restricted to households earning no more than 60 percent of area median income, with nine units featuring accessibility adaptations for residents with mobility or sensory disabilities. The all-electric mixed-use building includes commercial space, a community room, and outdoor amenities, and is located within walking distance of public transportation, schools, and local services.

City Manager Dominick Recckio presented Ithaca's proposed 2027 budget to the Common Council on October 7, addressing an $8 million deficit through a 1.7% property tax increase (costing the average resident an additional $13.89 annually) and departmental spending cuts. The budget eliminates funding for 14 vacant positions across multiple city departments and reduces public services including a 50% cut to Stewart Park Splash Pad operations, shortening the Alex Haley Pool season by three weeks, and eliminating the Ithaca Youth Bureau's bike rental program. Recckio emphasized that affordability challenges persist in Ithaca, partly due to 58% of property value being tax-exempt from institutions like Cornell, and highlighted the need for long-term strategies including increased development to expand the tax base. The Common Council will consider the proposal alongside funding requests on November 4, with two additional public hearings scheduled for residents to provide input before final budget adoption.