County Executive’s Recommendations to Fund Housing Projects Approved

Published on October 21, 2025

KINGSTON, NY - The Ulster County Legislature has approved County Executive Jen Metzger’s recommendations to award $3.15 million in funding through the Housing Action Fund for seven affordable and supportive housing projects in Ulster County. The awards mark the second round of funding through the $15 million Fund, which was established in 2023 by the County Executive and Legislature to address the County’s housing crisis.

The Legislature voted 14-8 in favor of the recommendations at the October 21 legislative session. The seven projects all 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.

“These seven projects represent a diverse and thoughtful mix of housing solutions — from senior housing and supportive units to youth emergency shelter and permanently affordable rentals — and reflect our commitment to meeting the diverse housing needs of Ulster County residents,” said County Executive Jen Metzger. “With this $3.15 million investment from the Housing Action Fund, we are paving the way for the creation of 185 new housing units and a youth emergency shelter, while also advancing our climate and energy affordability goals through highly efficient, all-electric design. By providing crucial gap funding, the Fund is enabling a combined housing investment in Ulster County exceeding $157 million. I want to thank the Housing Policy and Oversight Committee for their rigorous review and recommendations, and I look forward to working with the Legislature to move these projects forward.”

"This $3.15 million investment will directly create and preserve 185 total housing units across Ulster County — from emergency beds at Ubuntu Village to family housing at Penn Court to restored historic units at the Wellington Hotel in Pine Hill. These seven projects represent real solutions for real people struggling to find affordable housing in our community,” said Peter Criswell, Chair of the Ulster County Legislature. “This is exactly the kind of targeted action our Housing Action Fund was designed to support, and I'm proud we're delivering results."

“This milestone truly cements Ulster County as a leader in affordable housing investment,” said Majority Leader Abe Uchitelle, Chair of the Legislature's Health, Human Services, and Housing Committee. “These projects include the preservation and rehabilitation of affordable units, the creation of much needed new units, innovative new housing models, new emergency housing and more. I couldn't be more proud of the work our Planning office has done to advance this initiative on behalf of Ulster County residents.”

"As the Chair of the Housing and Transportation Committee, I am excited to be the co-sponsor of Resolution 456 which will create 185 new residences in Ulster County with our Housing Action Fund (HAF). Working with our partners, we are able to leverage our $3.15 million in grants to create these affordable residences at an average cost of just over $20,000 per unit. The legislature, working with the County Executive, has made a commitment to continually renewing the HAF and using this fund to support projects through the county that create quality affordable housing for our residents,” said Jeff Collins, Ulster County Legislator and Chair of the Housing Subcommittee. “This long-term commitment to affordable housing is necessary to support the needs of our residents and ensures that each year additional affordable housing will be created."

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 Fund was seeded with $15 million, and is sustained with an annual contribution of 25% of occupancy tax revenues. The first round of awards in 2024 provided funding for five projects, totaling 164 units, with both rental and homeownership opportunities. 

The Housing Policy and Oversight Committee (HPOC) oversees the implementation of the Housing Action Fund, issuing the Notice of Opportunity for funding, reviewing applications, and making recommendations to the County Executive for consideration.

For more information on the Ulster County Housing Action Fund, visit the Participate Ulster website here: https://participate.ulstercountyny.gov/housing-action-fund.