For several years, Ontario County has stood at the forefront of housing advocacy in the Finger Lakes region. Towns and cities like Victor, Farmington, Geneva, Canandaigua, and others have stepped forward as certified “Pro-Housing Communities.” This commitment has not only led to significant economic development grants totaling more than $17 million in the last year alone, but also created a better relationship between economic development and residential development.
However, despite community buy-in and progress, we face a stark reality. Significant housing projects remain stalled, not because of public opposition or lack of developer interest, but because of unforeseen, multimillion-dollar infrastructure hurdles imposed at the last possible moment by energy utilities.
Ontario County’s Housing Needs Assessment, completed in 2023, clearly identified the scope of the housing challenge facing our communities. It pinpointed the need to develop approximately 1,500 housing units by 2025 and an additional 1,000 units by 2030 to meet current and projected demand. Even as communities rallied around this call to action, unexpected barriers have derailed promising developments, jeopardizing our economic stability and growth.
In Canandaigua, the Uptown Landing project, a mixed-use community with more than 600 planned residential units, has become representative of these obstacles. Despite meticulous planning, extensive community input, and approvals secured by local boards, developers received shocking news recently. The utility provider disclosed a previously uncommunicated $10 million to $15 million cost for rerouting existing electricity to the site. This staggering figure adds at least tens of thousands of dollars per unit to development costs, expenses that inevitably cascade down to homebuyers.
Such last-minute revelations are not isolated incidents.
In neighboring Farmington, a similar housing project faced an unforeseen $4 million utility charge. These surprise costs do not expand energy capacity or strengthen infrastructure; they merely shuffle existing resources at the expense of developers and, ultimately, residents. With well over 1,000 housing units currently stalled or at risk and many more that have paused in the initial planning stage because of energy capacity issues, Ontario County’s ability to deliver any additional housing, attract new businesses, and retain essential workers has been compromised severely.
The housing crisis directly impacts local economic vitality. According to the Housing Needs Assessment, 23% of Ontario County households earn below the survival budget, and 43.2% of renters spend over 30% of their income on housing. The county’s aging population further emphasizes the urgent need for senior-friendly housing. Without proactive solutions, we risk economic and social stagnation, diminishing the quality of life that makes Ontario County attractive to current and prospective residents alike.
Compounding the crisis is the insufficient transparency from utility providers.
Developers, municipalities, and taxpayers deserve more than a simple “feasible” or “not feasible” assessment during early planning stages. Instead, we need clear, upfront communication regarding infrastructure capacity and associated costs. It is unacceptable to move through extensive approvals, allowing developers to invest millions, only to be blindsided by additional multimillion-dollar utility charges at the eleventh hour.
Our communities demand and deserve transparency, fairness, and consistency from utilities. To achieve this, members of the Ontario County Housing Ad Hoc Committee is engaging with the New York State Public Service Commission actively, along with state and municipal representatives, and New York State Electric & Gas and Rochester Gas & Electric, to advocate for clearer utility guidelines, better forecasting of infrastructure expenses, and better cost-sharing mechanisms. These steps will ensure that developers and municipalities can reliably plan projects without the constant threat of derailment by sudden utility-imposed costs.
Ontario County has made enormous strides, securing the trust and cooperation of state agencies and developers eager to invest in our communities. Yet, without immediate and coordinated action addressing energy infrastructure transparency and affordability, this momentum is at risk.
The Housing Ad Hoc Committee stands committed to housing solutions that support sustainable growth and economic prosperity for every resident of Ontario County.