As battery jobs and businesses grow in upstate New York, SDCLT works to offer affordable housing for new and low-income communities
By Katie Liu | June 23, 2026
Soon, the empty property standing on 6 Florence St. in downtown Binghamton will be redeveloped to become Broome County’s first permanently affordable housing unit for low-income families. This is the central mission of the Southern Door Community Land Trust (SDCLT), which is a partner in New Energy New York’s initiative to not only bolster upstate New York’s battery manufacturing and innovation ecosystem, but also the real communities who will be living in the midst of it.
SDCLT was founded by a group of local advocates, and is currently a member of New York Senator Leah Webb’s housing issues council. It has been active since 2019 under the foundational maxim that “housing is a human right.”
The certainty that comes with having stable shelter means both security in the present as well as the drive to begin bettering one’s own future, according to SDCLT Executive Director Hajra Aziz.
But currently, there are disparities and real limitations for vulnerable communities who do not have the means or access to permanent housing. SDCLT is working to address these systemic issues through multiple initiatives, including the rehabilitation of the Florence St. property through a near $400,000 grant that was awarded in December 2024. This project will result in six units of affordable housing, designed with energy efficiency and sustainability in mind.
Beyond this project, SDCLT received $815,000 from Webb’s office that would allow for two additional housing projects. It has partnered with organizations like VINES Gardens to empower local youth to advocate for housing justice through media, while holding monthly virtual meetings to discuss community solutions for secure and affordable housing.
SDCLT also pioneered the HUD Housing Educator Program, training participants how to pass the housing counseling exam under a “pay it forward” model for other historically underrepresented residents looking to become homeowners.
Housing must be in the conversation
As NENY works to bolster the workforce in upstate New York, bringing in more jobs, manufacturers, and new businesses, those people will need a place to live. This, according to Aziz, is why SDCLT found it important to partner with NENY as it works to usher in America’s new battery future.
“With what’s happening as far as New Energy New York, and where everything currently lies, you need housing to be part of the conversation,” Aziz said. “We also want to make sure that the citizens of Broome County are ready to become a part of the conversation as well. It’s not just bringing the engineers here — we want to make sure the citizens are ready for this change as well.”
In conjunction with NENY’s efforts, SDCLT has hosted a number of community cafes at the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator, with the purpose of teaching local residents about available programs and incentives for people to adopt clean energy in their homes.
Aziz finds the partnership fruitful in tapping into another subset of communities that will need housing and security as more opportunities enter the region.
“I would like to make sure that the folks who live here, who raise families here, are becoming part of the battery ecosystem too,” she said.
Moreover, she added, being able to work among her fellow community, share her experiences, and watch its growth from the ground-up. Even as families move in and out of the area, she hopes that SDCLT’s efforts will reach whoever decides to live and settle in Broome County, for however long they stay.
“Every home we place into the trust remains affordable for the next family too,” she said. “That means we’re helping individuals today, while also protecting the community in the long run.”