Round 2 Award Recommendations

Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger has recommended $3.15 million in support from the Ulster County Housing Action Fund to support six affordable housing projects and one youth emergency housing project. The County Executive and Legislature created the $15 million Fund in 2023 — augmented annually with 25% of revenues from the bed tax on motels and short-term rentals — to incentivize new housing that is affordable.

The projects recommended for the 2025 round of funding were reviewed, vetted, and scored by the Housing Policy and Oversight Committee, an expert body that oversees the Fund's operations. Based on the Committee's review, County Executive Metzger is recommending that the Legislature release $3.15 million from the Housing Action Fund to support the development of the following projects, all of which meet the Fund’s affordability and sustainability requirements:

• Rehabilitation Support Services, Inc. ($300,000) for construction of Stone Creek Commons, a 47-unit mixed-use affordable housing project (60% AMI) in the Town of Saugerties, with integrated supportive services and 24 units reserved for individuals recovering from mental illness.
• RUPCO ($700,000) to create 10 affordable rental units (five 60% AMI units, five 80% AMI units) as part of the restoration of the historic Wellington Hotel in Pine Hill (Town of Shandaken).
• Kingston Housing Authority ($700,000) for 68 new ADA-adaptable 1-bedroom units (30% and 80% AMI) for seniors as part of the Penn Court Expansion Project in the City of Kingston.
• TapRoot Community Land Trust ($120,000) to preserve two affordable rental units (60% AMI) at 587 Abeel Street in Kingston, and place the property in the TapRoot Community Land Trust to ensure permanent affordability.
• Kingston City Land Bank ($700,000) for the development of 12 affordable condominium units (80% AMI) at 46 Grand Street in Kingston.
• GBC Kingston LLC ($380,000) for the Frog Alley Project, a new 46-unit development in Kingston that will include six affordable units (five at 60% AMI, one at 80% AMI).
• Center for Creative Education ($250,000) for Ubuntu Village, a redevelopment project to create youth emergency housing in Kingston, with seven beds.

The Legislature will take up the County Executive’s recommendations at its October 21 session. If approved, the awards will pave the way for the creation of 185 units of housing, as well as a new emergency shelter for youth. By providing crucial gap funding for these projects, the Fund is supporting a combined housing investment in Ulster County exceeding $157 million.

“Safe, affordable housing is a cornerstone of a healthy community, and these seven projects will help address a very pressing need of our residents for housing they can afford,” said County Executive Jen Metzger. “With this $3.15 million investment from the Housing Action Fund, we are supporting the development of 185 new affordable units while also advancing our climate and energy affordability goals through high-efficient and all-electric design. I want to thank the Housing Policy and Oversight Committee for their thoughtful review and recommendations, and I look forward to working with the Legislature to move these projects forward.”

“On behalf of the Housing Policy and Oversight Committee, I want to thank the County Planning Department staff for their insights and support throughout the application review process,” said Fawn Tantillo, Chair of the Housing Policy and Oversight Committee. “These projects reflect our commitment to building a more inclusive and resilient Ulster County, and the Housing Action Fund continues to be a powerful tool in creating housing that meets the needs of our residents.”

The Ulster County Housing Action Fund supports the creation of healthy, energy-efficient, and climate-responsible housing units that serve households at or below 80% of Ulster County Area Median Income, with an emphasis on housing that serves the County’s most vulnerable populations. The first round of awards in 2024 provided funding for five projects, totaling 164 units, with both rental and homeownership opportunities.