Village of Saranac Lake to Issue New STR Permits in 2025

The moratorium on new STR permits in the Village of Saranac Lake ended at the end of December 2024. The Village has 35 STR zoning districts. Ten new permits will be issued in 2025, but not every STR zoning district has openings for new STRs. The Village has a new online interactive map, which shows the different districts

Several Nearby Communities Designated NYS Pro-Housing Communities

The number of North Country communities that are NYS-designated pro-housing communities continues to grow. This designation allows communities to tap into $650 million of discretionary funding for projects to address the shortage of housing. The program was started last year by the NYS Department of Housing and Community Renewal. The designation makes a community eligible for a variety of grant programs. It also gives the community ‘points’ which makes it more competitive when applying for the grants. Communities that have received this designation include North Elba, Tupper Lake, Harrietstown, Jay, Saranac Lake, and Lake Placid. More information on the Pro-Housing Communities Program can be found here. Communities can also adopt the model Pro-Housing Resolution and make a pledge to address the housing crisis. In January 2024, the Wilmington Town Board voted to adopt the resolution, but has not achieved the Pro-Housing designation at this time.