Ulster County housing action plan unveiled

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KINGSTON – Ulster County Executive Patrick Ryan released the Ulster County Housing Action Plan on Thursday. 

Ryan said the pandemic has only made the housing problem worse, in particular for first responders and others in the forefront of the fight against COVID19, and his 141-page strategy is designed to ease that.

“If you put it on the line for our community, we are going to have your back, not just by thanking you with words, but making sure that you are paid fairly and have a good place to live right here in our community,” he said.

The Housing Action Plan recommends immediate action steps including the creation of an ongoing Housing Task Force to advise the county legislature and county executive on housing policy and partnerships with developers to build housing within the fabric of existing neighborhoods on vacant lots, adaptive reuse of existing structures for housing, and the creation of supportive and transitional housing. 

The report introduces a Housing Smart Communities Initiative to support municipalities in increasing housing supply in their communities through measures such as developing a municipal Housing Action Plan, implementing zoning that supports housing development, adopting short-term rental regulations, and identifying sites for housing development.

“I am a strong supporter of Ulster County’s Housing Action Plan, especially in light of the increasing inequalities in the Ulster County housing market,” Town of New Paltz Supervisor Neil Bettez said. “I look forward to working with the County to create an environment where people from all socio-economic groups can live affordably.” 

“The lack of affordable housing is not a Woodstock issue or a Plattekill issue, it is a regional problem,” Town of Woodstock Supervisor Bill McKenna said. “We need regional solutions so that our county can continue to thrive and prosper.  

“As an employer, I have seen firsthand how our housing shortage is impacting our ability to attract and retain workers,” Chief Executive Officer of the Mohonk Mountain House Thomas Smiley said. “It is critical that we come together to tackle this issue and create housing that works for everyone in our community.”

The study recommends the following:

  • Establish an Ulster County Housing Task Force
  • Establish partnerships and collaborate with developers for scattered site redevelopment 
  • Increase the supply of supportive and transitional housing in Ulster County
  • Create a Housing Smart Communities Initiative
  • Establish Housing Funds for Ulster County



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