What used to be an industrial hotspot at the turn of the century is now at the heart of the Syracuse Habitat for Humanity mission. Industry in Syracuse boomed at the turn of the century due to its central New York locale and the presence of the Erie Canal. Unfortunately as time has gone on Syracuse has lost much of its industry. Today more than half of its residents are low income with over 30 percent living below the poverty line. Much of Syracuse is single. Safe and stable families are a rarity.

Syracuse Habitat for Humanity along with many other organizations is working to rebuild Syracuse. We are currently working to rebuild the Near Westside. This is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Syracuse. One hundred years ago mansions and brand new factories dotted the streets. Gone are the mansions and the factory smokestacks. All that is left is a neighborhood filled with abandoned houses and abandoned factories. Its one of the poorest neighborhoods in the entire country and contains inadequate housing, schools, and security. Recently, large populations of refugees and immigrants have moved into the neighborhood only to fall quickly into the cycle of poverty.

While this diverse community still struggles with these problems on an everyday basis, they feel some hope as money, energy, and time are all invested to revitalize this area. There is a blossoming art community, a community garden, and dozens of neighborhood non-profits. For too long people have felt afraid and isolated on the near Westside, but with new community programs the atmosphere is slowly improving. Just last week 70 immigrants passed the US citizenship test and became our newest Americans. Syracuse Habitat for Humanity is a large part of the revitalization efforts.

Less than a decade ago we made a pledge to build 25 houses here in order to improve the quality of life in the Near Westside. Already we have built 20 of those houses, providing safe and affordable housing for those homeowners and their neighbors. The streets are getting safer and the neighborhoods are getting more livable. We hope to build the last five houses in the next couple of years, but Syracuse Habitat for Humanity cannot do it on our own. We depend on volunteers and donations to make our mission a success. There is no better time to get involved.

For more information on the Near Westside check out http://saltdistrict.com/about/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near_Westside,_Syracuse.