Referred to: The Economic Development, Planning, Education, Employment, Arts and Agriculture Committee (Chairwoman Sperry and Legislators Clinton, Corcoran, Hewitt, Litts, Stewart and Walls), 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)

Chairman of the Health, Human Services and Housing Committee, Abe Uchitelle, and Deputy Chair Craig V. Lopez offer the following:

WHEREAS, this resolution has been submitted at the request of the County Executive on behalf of the Department of Planning; and

          WHEREAS, the 2021 Ulster County’s Housing Action Plan documented the housing crisis facing Ulster County and the Ulster County Planning Department has continued to observe the crisis, revealing that:

·      

28% of renter households and 14% of owner households in Ulster County spend more than half their income on housing costs (severely cost burdened);

·      

there has been a 56% increase in the average rent price for a two-bedroom apartment from 2020 to 2023;

·      

the average advertised rental price for a two-bedroom apartment in 2023 was $1,836.00

·      

the average advertised home sale price in 2023 in Ulster County was $395,000.00, a 61% increase since 2019 which now prices out approximately 80% of County renters from homeownership; 

·      

Ulster County residents earning an average wage would be required to work sixty-seven (67) hours per week to afford the County’s Fair Market Rent as set by HUD;

·      

Housing vacancy rates for rental and for-sale properties remain well below the 5% benchmark that demonstrates a healthy balanced housing market; and

WHEREAS, in recognition of the critical need to address the housing crisis, pursuant to Resolution No. 125 of April 2023 the Ulster County Legislature adopted Local Law No. 3 that provided that the development, maintenance, management, and/or provision of affordable housing is a public purpose in accordance with the New York State Constitution Sections IX and Municipal Home Rule Law Section 10; and

WHEREAS,  pursuant to Resolution No. 330 of August 2023, the Ulster County Legislature established the Ulster County Housing Action Fund (HAF) by a transfer from its unassigned fund balance the sum of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000.00) to said Fund, and established the purpose of such Fund as being to support the construction, development, and redevelopment of housing that residents can afford, prioritizing the County’s most vulnerable populations, including unhoused individuals and families and households making up to 80% of Ulster County Area Median Income (AMI); and

WHEREAS, funding for individual projects by the HAF shall be through a Notice of Funding Available (NOFA) solicitation developed by the Planning Department, in accordance with the Housing Action Fund Program Standards; and

WHEREAS, as part of the establishment of the Housing Action Fund, the Housing Policy and Oversight Committee was established with the objective to guide the goals and objectives of the HAF, review annual funding applications through the NOFA process, and make recommendations to the County Executive on which projects to fund and the amount to be awarded; and

WHEREAS, the NOFA for Round 1 of the HAF was released on March 11, 2024 and closed on May 10, 2024; and

          WHEREAS, in June 2024 the HPOC reviewed and scored all responses to the NOFA based on the established scoring criteria and met on July 1, 2024 to discuss and finalize the list of projects to be recommend for funding to the County Executive; and

WHEREAS, in July 2024 the County Executive reviewed the HPOC’s list of recommended projects as part of Round 1 of the NOFA process; and

WHEREAS, the County Executive hereby requests the Ulster County Legislature authorize the release of up to $2,000,000.00 from the HAF to provide for funding to the following applicants subject to final contract approval by the Legislature:

·      

$300,000.00 to the Affordable Housing Conservancy for the development of the Harmony Hall, a 51 Unit Permanent Senior (62+) Affordable Rental Housing development in Town of New Paltz;  

·      

$500,000.00 to RUPCO for the Quality Inn Conversion Project in the Town of Ulster, a 83 unit permanently affordable and supportive housing development for homeless individuals or families with unmet housing needs;

·      

$400,000.00 to the Affordable Housing Conservancy for eight new affordable manufactured homes at the Gallis Hill Manufactured Home Park;

·      

$400,000.00 to Ulster County Habitat for Humanity for development of the Jeffery Court project in the Town of Saugerties, a subdivision with 10 new affordable homes developed for homeownership;

·      

$400,000.00 to the Kingston City Land Bank for the Third Avenue Housing Development in the City of Kingston, a 46 unit new affordable homeownership and rental development; now, therefore, be it

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

                                                       INCREASE                                                                  AMOUNT

AA.9900.9900-3900.99XX          Appropriated Assigned Fund                                    $2,000,000.00

(Rev. #)                                      Balance – Housing Action Fund

AA.9901.4600-9000.9005            Interfund Transfer to                                              $2,000,000.00

(App. #)                                      Special Grants Fund

BB.8668.3756-4300.4505           Prof. Serv. Other                                                   $2,000,000.00

(App. #)                                               

BB.8668.3756-3520.5031           Interfund Transfer In                                              $2,000,000.00

(Rev. #),

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                  NOES:    

Passed Committee: Economic Development, Planning, Education, Employment, Arts and Agriculture on ______________.

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

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on ______________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

$2,000,000.00 – ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE – HOUSING ACTION FUND