For Housing Assistance, please contact 211
Your local 211 is the best resource for help finding options to pay your rent, mortgage, or utilities bills and stay in your home. You can call 211 to speak with someone immediately, or use the search on this page to find more contact information. Be ready to answer a few questions about your current living situation, any income you have, and any children or other dependents who live with you.
File a Fair Housing Complaint
Do you feel you have experienced housing discrimination? The links below provide more information about reporting a violation:
- City of Binghamton residents can contact the City of Binghamton Housing Division
- Town of Union residents can contact the Town of Union Planning Department
- New York State Fair and Equitable Housing Office (FEHO)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- You can also contact CNY Fair Housing with Fair Housing questions and inquiries
Broome County Fair Housing Actions
In June 2022, Broome County partnered with the Broome County Land Bank and CNY Fair Housing to host a public meeting to encourage community input on fair housing matters. Meeting materials are provided below:
Safe Housing Task Force Updates & Other Initiatives
In 2018, County Executive Garnar launched the Safe Housing Task Force to bring the urban core municipalities, County departments, and major organizations to the table to formulate solutions to the local housing crisis. The resulting recommendations included a full-time County focus on both the recommendations and the overall mission of the Task Force.
The original Safe Housing Task Force recommendations are here.
A status tracker of the Safe Housing Task Force recommendations is available here. Last updated April 6, 2022.
Through the Anti-Displacement Learning Network, Broome County launched the Broome County Housing Trust Fund, held and managed by The Community Foundation. For more information, visit the Broome County Housing Trust Fund page here.
Renting In Broome?
Know your rights! New York State Attorney General Tish James has a full document for review here.
Tenant responsibilities: pay timely rent, take reasonable care of property, keep unit clean and safe, pay for unreasonable damage to property, report needed repairs, dispose of garbage properly, respect neighbors, provide reasonable notice when moving out.
Tenant rights: receive a copy of your lease, live in safe and habitable premises, privacy, access to unit (landlord may not lock you out), receive 30-day notice of rent increase, receive rental payment receipts, form or participate in a tenants’ association, maintain residence until a court issues a warrant of eviction.
Buying In Broome?
Greater Binghamton Association of Realtors
First Time Homebuyers Programs
- Binghamton Homeownership Academy
- Town of Union First Time Home Buyer Program
- Greater Opportunities First Time Home Buyer Program
Landlord in Broome?
Landlord responsibilities: ensure property is safe, clean, and well maintained, keep all vital services in working order (plumbing and running water, electricity, and heat at least 68* between Oct 1 and May 31), respond to repair requests, provide proper trash receptacles, communicate in advance of visiting a unit for repair or showing, follow the correct procedure when evicting tenants.
Landlord rights: receive timely payment, reasonable entry to unit (upon notice to tenants, usually 24 hours), withhold security deposit to cover unpaid rent or damages cause by the tenant, receive notification of tenant’s intention to move out, screen tenants through an application and/or background check (provided that Fair Housing Law is followed).
Senior Housing
For information on senior housing and available resources, visit the Office for Aging here.
Data About Housing and Homelessness in Broome County
- NLIHC data on VLI/ELI units
- United Way 2-1-1 dashboard
- Binghamton’s Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing
- The Agency housing report
- BBAAPI recommendations
- OFA Housing Action Plan
- HUD HOME funds progress dashboard
- Census Data
- Eviction Data from the District Courts
- Homelessness Population and Subpopulation Reports