Recording Now Available!

The October FOCUS Forum was the first in a three-part fall series on Economic Instability in Onondaga County. Participants do not need to commit to all three. FOCUS Greater Syracuse, Inc. opened its Fall 2026 FOCUS Forum series on economic instability with a conversation about how Onondaga County arrived at where it is today, and where its opportunities are now. Robert Searing, Curator of History at the Onondaga Historical Association (OHA), walked attendees through the local story, from the manufacturing economy of the 1950s and 1960s to the civil rights work of CORE and its 1964 Project 101 study, which named housing, employment, and education as connected issues. He spoke about the impact of the 15th Ward, restrictive covenants, and redlining, and reminded the room that many of these policies were still in place within living memory. Frank Ridzi, Vice President of Community Investment at the Central New York Community Foundation, shared data and local insights on how geography, housing age, lead exposure, and job pathways shape families’ financial stability. He highlighted the opportunity created by the Micron project, workforce housing investment, Say Yes to Education, and $65 million in CHIPS Act funding directed toward local workforce preparation. Audience questions explored the role of tax agreements, how to encourage local ownership of housing, code enforcement, and how to make sure the people who live here benefit from new investment. Both speakers pointed to one clear lesson from history: the region makes its biggest strides when government, philanthropy, employers, universities, and labor work together.