Rep. Delgado Joins Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan and Local Leaders to Announce Funding for Emergency Housing

Statement

Today, U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) joined Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan along with New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey, Mayor Steve Noble, community leaders, and labor to help announce funding for emergency housing. The source of the funding is Rep. Delgado's Direct Support for Communities Act, which passed as part of the American Rescue Plan. Delgado's bill established a first of its kind funding formula for getting federal dollars to every county, city, town, and village in the country -- regardless of population size. Under the Direct Support for Communities Act, Ulster County is receiving nearly $34.5 million, and Kingston is receiving $17 million to support local pandemic response and economic development projects.

Ulster County and the city of Kingston are each using a portion of their federal funding allotment to advance the housing initiative ($700,000 and $500,000 respectively). Building on the Ulster County Housing Action Plan recommendation to increase the supply of supportive and transitional housing, the former Elizabeth Manor will be developed into 35 units to meet the needs of approximately 10 families. This project will add much needed emergency housing capability for families in Ulster County.

Rep. Delgado Speaks in Kingston

"For too long, federal funding has favored large population centers over smaller, more rural communities like ours. My Direct Support for Communities Act delivers much-needed assistance directly to local governments to fund meaningful projects such as this that meet the unique needs of each community," said Rep. Delgado. "It is great to see progress on this project and the creation of emergency housing for Ulster County families. I want to thank my friend, Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan, for his leadership and his commitment to expanding access to affordable housing. I am proud to be part of this effort and hope my bill serves as a model for how the federal government can provide direct support to local governments in the future."

"Far too many families across our county are struggling to find safe and affordable housing, especially in the wake of the pandemic. Here in Ulster County, we are stepping up and taking action: buying and renovating the former Elizabeth Manor site to preserve one of the last remaining bastions of safety and support for our most vulnerable residents. This project will provide quality housing for dozens of our most vulnerable residents and ensure this site doesn't become another casualty of the wave of gentrification that is displacing so many of our residents," County Executive Pat Ryan said. "This project is part of a broader strategy to address the urgent need for permanent, affordable housing with several large-scale projects over the next few years. I want to thank Congressman Delgado for his leadership on this issue at the federal level, and extend my gratitude to Senator Hinchey and Mayor Noble for contributing to the funding of the purchase and renovation of the former Elizabeth Manor, as well as to our community stakeholders for their partnership."

"As we work toward long-term solutions to address the housing crisis in Ulster County, it is incumbent that families experiencing homelessness have access to holistic, community-centered support," said Senator Michelle Hinchey. "I'm proud to deliver state funding as part of a collective effort to transform the vacant Elizabeth Manor building into service-forward transitional housing. Having this supportive housing located right in Midtown Kingston is a major step forward in keeping families rooted in their community and connected to local-level assistance, and I look forward to supporting the completion of this critical project. I thank Ulster County for its vision and leadership in working to solve the affordable housing crisis, and I will continue fighting for the large-scale state investments we need to bring more permanent housing into our communities."

Since before the pandemic, Congressman Delgado has fought to provide support and relief to rural communities, like those he represents in upstate New York. When the pandemic began, the first aid package only targeted areas with populations of 500k or more, which excluded the communities within New York's 19th Congressional District. Congressman Delgado successfully advocated for months to include his Direct Support for Communities Act in the American Rescue Plan so that smaller, more rural communities did not lose out on federal relief opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Delgado's formula puts funding directly in the hands of local governments to ensure they are used in ways that benefit their communities the most.

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