how can a rural lakefront county respond to its housing challenges?

SUMMARY

Seneca County, NY is located in the heart of New York's Finger Lakes Region. The county sits directly between Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, and its many miles of lakefront property on both sides make it desirable as a vacation and second home market. Meanwhile, off the lakes, historic village centers struggle with disinvestment and the rural county interior generally lacks modern infrastructure to support new housing development. These are the conditions within which the County government is seeking to address housing-related issues of both affordability and economic development. 

The Seneca Housing Strategy is taking place during 2025 and is expected to wrap up during the fall. The project is being guided by a working group of nearly 20 County officials and local stakeholders.