County Planning and Economic Development
COUNTY PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Jefferson County Public Transportation
In late 2022, the Jefferson County Board of Legislators adopted a resolution to apply for 5311 funds from the NYS Department of Transportation (DOT) for capital expenditures associated with creating a public transportation system throughout Jefferson County. In its application, the County requested money to purchase six buses and funds to contract with a Mobility Manager to facilitate the County’s startup program. The County is patiently awaiting approval from the State DOT.
In March 2023, the County created a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Mobility Management for its startup county-wide public transportation system.
As the 5311 application and RFP progress, County Planning Department staff will update the information here.
If you have any questions or need additional information, contact the Planning Department, at (315) 785-3144.
Coordinated Transportation Plan - 2021
Coordinated Transportation Plan - 2016
Community Development Block Grant Housing Program (CDBG)
The Department administers the County's CDBG housing program. Staff undertakes program planning, application development, administration, and reporting requirements. Through the NYS Office of Community Renewal, Jefferson County applies annually for owner-occupied housing rehabilitation funds for qualifying low to moderate income home owners. The County works with a consultant to administer the program and with Neighbors of Watertown to process the applications and work with the contractors. The County has received $13,000,000 and assisted 396 residential units since 2005.
The County currently has two open awards from the 2023 and 2024 funding rounds. Interested individuals should contact Neighbors of Watertown to determine eligibility and availability of funds.
HOME Consortium
The North Country HOME Consortium consists of Jefferson, St. Lawrence, and Lewis Counties. The Consortium operates under authorization established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Consortium was created in order for the counties to qualify as an entitlement community thereby receiving federal funding annually for housing projects. The Planning Department has an administrative role in support of Jefferson County's status as the lead county. Since its inception in 1994, the Consortium has distributed $34.73 million in local housing assistance to local not-for-profit housing providers. This has resulted in the purchase and/or rehabilitation of over 2,000 units in the three county area.
North Country HOME Consortium Draft Consolidated Plan for 2021-2025
Draft Update to the Citizen Participation Plan
Housing Assistance Resources
If you are in need of funds to assist you with buying or rehabilitating a home, you should contact one of the local housing agencies that specialize in these activities. The agencies are partially funded by grants, so their programs may change on a yearly basis depending on what funding is available at the time. The most common programs are home rehabilitation assistance and first time home buyer assistance. All programs require the participants to be income eligible.
In addition to housing assistance, Neighbors also offers a homebuyer education class for first time home buyers. Contact their office for more information. Neighbors of Watertown www.neighborsofwatertown.com 315-782-8497
Local Housing Agencies:
North Jefferson Improvement Association https://www.northjeffersonia.com/ 315-686-3212
Frontier Housing Corporation 315-639-3940
North Country Affordable Housing www.northcountryaffordablehousing.com 315-785-8684
Community Action Planning Council www.capcjc.org 315-782-4900
The Community Action Planning Council also acts as Jefferson County's Fair Housing Office. If you feel you have been the victim of discrimination, assistance is available in filing a complaint. For further information regarding Housing Rights, call CAPC.
If you are looking for information on rental assistance, contact:
Lewis County Opportunities Watertown Office
749 LeRay Street
Watertown, NY
315-788-0193 email: housejeff@lcopps.org
www.lewiscountyopportunities.com
Lewis County Opportunities can provide rental subsidies in Jefferson County through the HUD Section 8 voucher program. The subsidies provide the means for low income families, the elderly and disabled to obtain decent, safe, affordable housing.
For more information on the HUD Section 8 program, click here.
HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program)
HEAP is a federally funded program that issues heating benefits to supplement a household’s annual energy fund.
For more information, visit the Office of Temporary Disability Assistance .
Or call: Jefferson County Department of Social Services 315-785-3000
If you’re age 60 or older, you may apply for the program through:
Jefferson County Office for the Aging
315-785-3191
For other housing related questions, please call HUD directly.
HUD Buffalo 716-551-5755
HUD Albany 518-464-4200
HUD Storefront (Syracuse) 315-477-0616
Fort Drum Growth Management Assistance
The Department works with Fort Drum, Advocate Drum and Jefferson County Economic Development staff to develop the annual Fort Drum Regional Economic Impact Report. Staff participates on the Advocate Drum Sustainability Committee and the Compatibility Committee. Staff also discusses local projects with possible impacts on Fort Drum with Fort Drum staff. In the past staff worked on the Fort Drum Growth Management Strategy, Fort Drum Region Transit Needs Assessment, housing construction database, and the Fort Drum Joint Land Use Study. Additional information is available at www.fdrlo.org.
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS)
The Department provides staff assistance to the CEDS Committee, which develops and maintains the Jefferson County CEDS Plan for use by various agencies in their economic development programs. The Committee's work includes partnerships with the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency (JCIDA), and other local economic development interests to identify and promote local economic development strategies. The Department also coordinates with the Federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) on behalf of the CEDS Committee to profile and endorse local capital projects that might be eligible for funding assistance.
Economic Indicators for Jefferson County
Economic Development Resources
The Capital Corridor
Development Authority of the North Country
Empire State Development
Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization
Jefferson County Agriculture Development Corporation
Jefferson County Local Development Corporation
Small Business Development Center
Thousand Island Bridge Authority
Tug Hill Commission
Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency
Development Site Research and Analysis
The Department has assisted local and state development organizations with research and assessment of potential development sites. The Department utilizes maps and GIS resources to help identify sites meeting specific criteria such as conditions related to utilities, location/zoning characteristics and natural resource features as requested by development prospects.
