Our History
Pioneer Homes stands as one of the first five public housing developments in the United States and the very first in New York State.
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In 1934
President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Congress passed the National Housing Act, setting the stage for federal involvement in affordable housing. The following year, Mayor Rolland Marvin and the Syracuse Common Council established the Syracuse Housing Authority (SHA) to address the city’s housing crisis. SHA’s mission was to study housing conditions, clear slums, and provide safe, sanitary housing for low-income families.
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By 1937
An SHA study revealed that nearly 9,000 Syracuse residents (2,345 households) were living in substandard conditions. That same year, the Wagner–Steagall Housing Act created the United States Housing Authority, dedicating $500 million nationwide for slum clearance and the construction of affordable homes.
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In February 1938
The Federal Housing Administration awarded SHA $4.5 million for a new public housing project in the city’s historic 15th Ward. Designed by local firm King & King Architects, the project became known as Pioneer Homes, with construction beginning on May 20, 1938.
Decades of Growth and Innovation
Since those early days, SHA has continued to evolve, expanding its reach and impact across Syracuse’s neighborhoods. Under the leadership of Executive Director William J. Simmons, the Authority has implemented innovative housing solutions to meet modern needs while remaining true to its mission.
In 2012, SHA developed the 50 Homes of Syracuse on the city’s South Side using Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) to create affordable homeownership opportunities for low-income families. Two years later, SHA partnered with the National Housing Trust Enterprise to complete the Leonard Buildings HOME Project, a $7.2 million rehabilitation of 48 apartments funded through Neighborhood Stabilization, HOME, Save the Rain, Community Foundation, and Federal Home Loan Bank programs.
In 2019, SHA partnered with the Center for Community Alternatives to open Freedom Commons, a LEED Gold Certified, mixed-income development offering emergency, transitional, affordable, and supportive housing aimed at reducing recidivism and strengthening public safety. That same year, SHA collaborated with the City of Syracuse on an Eviction Prevention Pilot Program, reducing eviction rates by 75% and saving more than $115,000 in legal and lost-rent costs.
Leading the Way in Neighborhood Transformation
For over a decade, SHA has played a central role in shaping the future of NYSDOT’s Interstate 81 Viaduct Project, which has long divided the Pioneer Homes community. Beginning in 2015, Simmons and SHA launched a proactive planning process that brought together residents, stakeholders, and local leaders to create the Preferred Concept Plan, a vision for a connected, mixed-income, mixed-use community in the heart of Syracuse.
This effort became the foundation for the East Adams Neighborhood Transformation Project, encompassing over 1,000 public housing units across 118 acres. Under Simmons’ leadership, SHA secured a $50 million HUD Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant, the first ever awarded in New York State, as part of a $1.2 billion revitalization effort supported by federal, state, local, private, and philanthropic partners.
The East Adams Transformation will revitalize the historic 15th Ward, creating a thriving, inclusive community with new housing, educational, economic, and health opportunities. The Transformation Plan will ensure that existing residents benefit from the growth and investment shaping their neighborhood’s future.
