Find Your Home on the Hill

Living on the Hill is dynamic, affordable, and fun.  The University Hill community is home to more than 18,000 people living in diverse and historic neighborhoods.  It is considered one of Syracuse most desirable yet affordable areas to live.  Housing opportunities range from single-family homes to renovated lofts to high-rise apartment buildings.

Residential Highlights

Maple Heights - This housing complex renovation on Syracuse's near East Side officially opened in April 2009.  Housing Visions Unlimited, in collaboration with COR Development and local and state agencies, completed 50 units of quality affordable housing that replaced the former Cherry Hill Complex.  Maple Heights increases the number of 3 & 4 bedroom units in the city, while reserving 12 units for qualified homeless veterans.  The 13 new energy-efficient buildings illustrates the extent to which affordable housing can enhance the quality of life in cities and neighborhoods, by replacing a vacant and dilapidated development along the city's gateway with attractive, safe, and modern housing that working families can afford.

Walnut Park National Register Historic District  - The district outlines Walnut Park, located between Harrison Street and Waverly Avenue.  The neighborhood surrounding Walnut Park was originally established by some of the Syracuse's social elite.  Most of these magnificent, once single-family large-scale homes are now Fraternity and Sorority houses for Syracuse University students. The house at 701 Walnut Place is now owned by Syracuse University and known as the Chancellor's Residence.  The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. 

Campus Housing - Syracuse University has two major residential areas.  North Campus consists of 11 major residence halls and the main academic buildings.  South Campus, also referred to as Skytop, is located approximately one and one-half miles from the main campus and is served by a shuttle bus service.  This South Campus area is almost entirely residential and offers furnished apartments and townhouses to University students.  All freshmen and sophomores are required to live in University Housing.  Currently, Syracuse University provides housing to approximately 7,000 students. 

Kennedy Square Redevelopement - A joint venture between SUNY Upstate Medical University and SUNY ESF will renovate the former Kennedy Square Housing Complex into a new biotechnology center, as well as turn 9 of the 14 acres at the site into new residential housing and commercial space.

Housing Organizations

Syracuse Housing Authority - The SHA owns and manages more than 2,600 Federal and State funded housing units for low-income, disabled, and elderly persons in the City of Syracuse.  The SHA also provides subsidies to more than 2,800 households through the Federal Section 8 and Housing Voucher Program. Currently, the SHA administers two housing developments in the Hill area.  Pioneer Homes, bordered by East Adams Street, Renwick Avenue, Taylor Street, and South Townsend Street, consists of 607 apartments, which include both row houses and 3-story walk-ups.  Toomey Abbott Towers is located at 1207 Almond Street near the Syracuse University School of Social Work and consists of 308 elderly units in a high-rise building.

Housing Visions Unlimited - Early in 1990, Housing Visions Unlimited, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation, was formed to improve the quality of housing in the Greater East Genesee Street Neighborhood.  Making use of the low income housing tax credit program, Housing Visions has acquired and renovated many buildings in the neighborhood, offering quality, affordable apartments to low income families.

Residents of Housing Visions properties are members of Residents of Vision, Inc., and participate in the management of the buildings, including tenant screening and selection, rent collection, budgeting, and light maintenance.  Ultimately, all buildings will be available for purchase by selected residents at below market rates.

Housing Visions consults with organizations in other areas to assist in the creation of affordable housing utilizing the same principles of quality renovation and resident management.  It expanded its local efforts to Syracuse's North Side and has additional projects underway in cooperation with local neighborhood organizations.