Referred to: The Health, Human Services and Housing Committee (Chairman Uchitelle and Legislators Collins, Corcoran, Harmon, Kitchen, Lopez, and McCollough), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Collins, Hansut, Kovacs, Nolan, and Roberts)

Majority Leader Abe Uchitelle offers the following:

          WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature authorized the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for a pilot program to offer eviction legal services through the adoption of the 2023 Operating Budget; and

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 498 of 2022 authorized the execution of a contract for eviction legal services from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023 in the amount of $221,430.60; and

WHEREAS, the County, by and through the Ulster County Legislature, entered into this agreement to provide low-income tenants with the information, resources, services, and support they need to exercise their rights, including access to free legal representation, when facing eviction from their homes; and

WHEREAS, the County’s eviction legal services program was successfully utilized to aid many County residents with necessary and imperative legal representation regarding housing eviction cases; and

WHEREAS, the County continues to face a housing crisis and the demand for eviction legal services has remained steady; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature deems it necessary to continue to fund, immediately and without interruption, an eviction services program to assist some of the most vulnerable inhabitants of Ulster County; and

WHEREAS, a portion of the funding for the continuance of the eviction legal services program was adopted in the 2024 Operating Budget in the amount of $89,000.00; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature deems it necessary to supplement firm(s) who have provided eviction legal services from January 1, 2024 through the current period and will continue to provide such services through December 31, 2024; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the 2024 Ulster County Operating Budget is hereby amended as follows:

                                                  INCREASE                               AMOUNT

AA.6010.2617-4300.4430            Professional Services - Legal          $567,621.00

(App. #)

AA.9900.9900-3700.9990          Appropriated Fund Balance          $567,621.00  

(Rev.#),                                                         

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:

$567,621.00– 2024 INCREASE TO COUNTY APPROPRIATIONS

$567,621.00 – 2024 INCREASE TO FUND BALANCE APPROPRIATION