Niagara Orleans Regional Land Improvement Corp.

04/30/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Niagara County Launches Home Improvement Program

Niagara County Legislators Rich Andres and Rick Abbott today announced the launch of a pilot program funded by the New York State Landbank Initiative and administered by the Niagara Orleans Regional Land Improvement Corp. (NORLIC) that will provide grants to eligible homeowners in the City of North Tonawanda and the City of Lockport for home repairs. The goal of the Home Improvement Program is to help middle-income families make critical repairs to their homes, thereby ensuring neighborhood stability and preventing neglect.

“We are excited New York State is funding this pilot program in North Tonawanda and the City of Lockport as part of the county’s strategy to promote neighborhood revitalization,” said Andres, who chairs the county’s Economic Development Committee. “Our hope is that this pilot program achieves our goals and we can return to the state for additional funding to expand it to other areas of the county in coming years,”

Eligibility for the program is based on household income up to 120 percent of Area Median Income (AMI), which is about $120,000 for a family of four in Niagara County. Eligible home improvements could include: roof and gutter replacement; chimney repair; window replacement; furnace replacement; air conditioning replacement and electrical service upgrades.

“For many Lockport families, the affordability crisis means that necessary improvements to their homes have been put on the backburner, no matter how critical the work may be, and costs just continue to go up,” said Abbott, who represents much of the City of Lockport. “The Home Improvement Program not only offers financial support to get this work done now, but ultimately helps prevent blight in our neighborhoods.”

The maximum grant through the Home Improvement Program is $20,000. This is a reimbursement-based grant program. Homeowners are responsible for paying upfront for all approved work and will be reimbursed after completion, subject to program requirements. An informational webinar will be held on Monday, May 4, 2026, at 1:00 PM and will be recorded for later viewing for those unable to participate.

Applications must be received no later than Friday, May 29, 2026. Applications submitted without all required supporting documentation will be considered incomplete. Funds are limited so applications will be reviewed in the order they are received.

For a full list of program guidelines & eligibility criteria, to register for the webinar and to download a program application, visit the NORLIC website at https://niagaraorleanslandbank.com/home_improvement.html.

03/27/2026

This morning, NORLIC held its annual reorganizational meeting and elected the following leadership to the Board of Directors.

Niagara County Manager Rick Updegrove as Chairman

Niagara County Legislator Chris McKimmie as Vice Chairman

North Tonawanda Building Inspector Rob DePaolo as Secretary

Congratulations to our new leadership team. We look forward to another successful year of revitalizing our communities and combating blight across Niagara and Orleans Counties.

12/10/2025

Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday for our Developers’ Forum on Historic Tax Credits and Incentives for Niagara Falls Main Street properties. The event was sponsored by NORLIC, the Niagara Falls Urban Renewal Agency, Empire State Development, and Preservation Studios, and it brought together dozens of stakeholders who are committed to revitalizing our community’s historic corridor.

A special thank you to Derek King of Preservation Studios for providing an exceptionally thorough and insightful overview of the Historic Tax Credit process. His presentation gave developers a clear understanding of how to access and leverage these incentives to support their projects and encourage continued investment along Main Street.

11/07/2025

Thank you to everyone who has donated so far to our Niagara County Center for Economic Development food drive.

Your kindness is real. Your care is felt. Your generosity is part of the fabric that holds our communities together as we prepare for the season ahead.

We are continuing our collection through November 24. Every can, every box, every contribution truly matters. Small acts of care ripple far.

If you’ve been meaning to give, consider this your friendly invitation.

Drop-off Location:
6311 Inducon Corporate Drive
Sanborn, NY 14132
Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 3 PM

Let’s keep showing that Niagara County takes care of its own.
We are at our best when we are together.

Thank you. Truly.

10/09/2025

Last week on Main Street, Niagara Falls turned a page toward renewal.

In partnership with the City of Niagara Falls, Empire State Development, and Niagara County, and Niagara University, NORLIC celebrated the first four recipients of Main Street properties.

Each of these projects represents a seed of investment- real people committing to rebuild the heart of our city one property at a time.

From left to right in this photo: RJ Niagara, Develop Niagara, architect James Baptiste (whose firm is leading the $17 million restoration of the historic Jenss Building), are joined by Mayor Robert Restaino and the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area team to the right.

What makes this milestone so meaningful is how many hands are now shaping Main Street’s future. For the first time in decades, its story is being written by a diverse group of local stakeholders who believe in its potential and are ready to make it real.

This is how true revitalization begins- not all at once, but through steady, shared work that takes root and grows stronger with every partnership.

07/16/2025

Progress on Main Street isn’t just about dumpsters and debris, it’s about healing.

We’re proud to work alongside the City of Niagara Falls, Niagara County, the State of New York, and Niagara University to begin truly addressing the long-standing conditions on Main Street.

At NORLIC, our mission is to take on the vacant, the abandoned, and the forgotten. But what we’re really doing is picking up pieces of a story, one filled with heartbreak, hope, and the enduring power of community.

These dumpsters hold more than old furniture and broken glass. They hold grief. They hold memories. They hold the tangible weight of disinvestment. And clearing them out is a sacred step toward renewal.

Main Street is worth saving. Worth restoring. Worth believing in again.

Walk the gorge. Stroll Main Street. See what’s stirring beneath the surface. Because believing in Main Street is the first step to bringing it back.

It’s not uncommon to see a Dumpster or two in front of buildings on a main street in a city.