A major housing development in Canandaigua — and others across the Finger Lakes — is on hold due to a growing crisis that leaders say no one’s paying enough attention to: a lack of power.
Senator Pam Helming joined Ontario County officials, business leaders, and housing developers to sound the alarm this week, warning that outdated energy infrastructure is stalling housing growth and worsening New York’s housing shortage.
In Canandaigua, a proposed 650-unit development now faces an estimated $20 to $25 million in electric grid upgrades just to connect to the system. Even then, surrounding parcels won’t have enough power for future projects, according to officials.
“This is what happens when state mandates outpace reality,” Helming said. “We can’t build housing if we can’t power it.”
The issue isn’t isolated. Similar energy constraints are being reported across the region. Municipalities are ready to build, developers are lined up, but construction can’t move forward — not because of zoning or funding, but because the electrical grid is at capacity.
Ryan Davis, Director of Ontario County Economic Development, said the shortage of housing is the single biggest obstacle to continued economic growth. “Our communities may not be able to realize the growth they’ve worked so hard to prepare for,” he said.
Ontario County is one of the most pro-housing counties in the Finger Lakes region, Davis noted, but said those efforts may fall short unless the state invests in modernizing the electric grid.
Tracey Dello Stritto, President of the Ontario County Chamber of Commerce, added, “Housing is essential to sustaining a strong workforce, a thriving business community, and vibrant neighborhoods.”
Senator Helming is calling for an immediate pause on state climate mandates, including all-electric building requirements under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), until the grid can handle new growth.
“If we want nurses, welders, EMTs, teachers, and young families to live and work here, we must give them both a home and the power to keep it running,” she said.