Referred to:  The Health, Human Services and Housing Committee (Chair Walter and Legislators Corcoran, Erner, Lopez, Nolan, Petit, and Uchitelle), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Cahill, Fabiano, Ronk, and Walter)

Legislator Phil Erner offers the following:

WHEREAS, Ulster County continues to experience a crisis in housing especially the displacement of poor, low-income / wealth and long-time residents due to in-migration, rising prices and deteriorating quality of housing; and

WHEREAS, displacement from a home is a form of violence, which may further inflict trauma upon the residents and their neighborhood; and

WHEREAS, the public has an interest in maintaining stable communities as a matter of public health and safety; and

WHEREAS, the 2022 Ulster County auction of real property yielded $4,518,569, a surplus of $3,251,012 over back-taxes owed; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that one-third of surplus revenues raised by any auction of real property by Ulster County shall be re-allocated toward anti-displacement efforts, specifically toward funding any proceeding which a qualified provider may litigate to defend tenants subject to eviction; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that one-third of surplus revenues raised by any auction of real property by Ulster County, shall be re-allocated toward the following year’s budget in a capital plan for emergency housing, including but not limited to: pre-fabricated buildings; shelters; room rentals; and warming centers; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that one-third of surplus revenues raised by any auction of real property by Ulster County, shall be re-allocated toward the following year’s budget in a capital plan for low-income / affordable-housing development for at-risk or already displaced residents,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                     NOES:    

Passed Committee: Health, Human Services and Housing on __________________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on __________________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

$0 – ADDITIONAL COUNTY DOLLARS; FUNDING FROM SURPLUS REVENUE