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LaBella Honored to Receive Western New York APA Best Practice Silver Award for the Mid-City Niagara Falls Housing and Community Assessment Project!

Each year, the Western New York Section of the American Planning Association recognizes outstanding planning efforts across the Great Lakes region. At this year’s Annual Awards Event, LaBella proudly received the Best Practice Silver Award for the Mid-City Niagara Falls Housing and Community Assessment project.

This achievement reflects the lasting positive impact this project will have on the Niagara Falls community. Learn more about this exciting project below.

 

Mid-City Niagara Falls Housing and Community Assessment

LaBella partnered with Niagara University and the Niagara Falls Neighborhood Evaluation Committee—made up of local stakeholders—on this geographic information system (GIS)-focused planning initiative to thoroughly evaluate housing and community conditions in the Mid-City area of Niagara Falls, New York.

The team developed a comprehensive housing strategy for the Mid-City neighborhood in response to recent public and private investments. The strategy focuses on housing affordability, development opportunities, and improving quality of life, particularly for historically marginalized residents.

Using GIS technology, the project analyzed key factors such as demographics, land use, housing, and transportation. The findings were compiled into a public interactive mapping tool, which supports data-driven planning, policy development, and future grant applications for revitalization efforts.

Full Project Details
A team of people with clipboards standing in front of a house collecting data for a housing survey.
Screenshot of an online interactive community mapping tool.
Screenshot of an online interactive mapping tool that shows results of a housing and sidewalk condition survey.
Members of the community attend a public workshop to learn about a revitalization project.
General map of the Mid-City neighborhood of Niagara Falls, NY
A street in the Mid-City neighborhood of Niagara Falls, NY