Buffalo's Safety Net Struggles as 20,000 Regional Jobs Lost

More than 57,700 residents in Buffalo west of Main Street live on incomes at or near the federal poverty level, according to the 2014 University at Buffalo Regional Institute report prepared for the John R. Oishei Foundation. The assessment identifies 104 service providers employing roughly 10,955 workers across the area to deliver human services amid ongoing economic pressure.

The report comes at a time when the lingering effects of the 2008-2009 downturn continue to shape local needs. Regional employers shed almost 20,000 net jobs during that period, and one out of every 12 residents across the broader region still seeks work. Families outside urban cores have seen the sharpest poverty growth, with one in three residents below the poverty line now living in suburbs where emergency food, housing and training programs remain concentrated in the city.

Local service landscape and barriers

Within Buffalo west of Main Street, the Buffalo City School District operates 10 elementary schools, four middle schools and seven high schools serving about 13,400 students. Major employers in the area include Children’s Hospital, Buffalo City Hall and HSBC. Neighborhoods such as Riverside, North Buffalo, Black Rock and the area around Buffalo State face documented challenges with housing costs, transportation access and crime that complicate connections to these providers. The John R. Oishei Foundation’s Mobile Safety-Net Team Initiative, launched in 2009, selected this section of the city for deeper focus in phase two beginning in 2012, pairing the University at Buffalo Regional Institute with local organizations to map resident experiences.

Service providers report pressure to expand capacity and secure new revenue while facing potential funding reductions. Residents may live far from available supports or lack information about existing programs. The report notes that all providers must simultaneously improve access and generate additional resources at a moment when demand continues to rise.

Key decisions ahead for strengthening access

Phase two of the initiative calls for focus groups with residents, input from organizations and development of a practical tool to guide future investments. Foundations and local partners now face choices on where to direct resources, how to link suburban residents to city-based services and which proven models from other communities could be adapted locally. The assessment emphasizes building on existing strengths while addressing documented gaps in transportation and awareness to better reach the 57,700 residents already identified as vulnerable.