Governor Hochul Announces More Than $55 Million Awarded to Create 266 Units of Supportive and Emergency Housing in the Bronx, Monroe, Montgomery, and Ulster Counties

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that more than $55 million has been awarded to six projects in the Bronx, Monroe, Montgomery, and Ulster counties that will create 248 units and 435 beds of permanent supportive housing and 18 units and 46 beds of new emergency housing for families and individuals who have experienced homelessness.

“Creating permanent affordable housing with easy access to supportive services is a core part of our work to help some of our most vulnerable families and individuals experiencing homelessness,” Governor Hochul said. “These diverse projects, when completed, hold the promise of changing lives for the better by helping give our fellow New Yorkers the security and tools they need to become thriving members of their communities.”

The grants—awarded through a competitive process by the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance’s Homeless Housing and Assistance Program—are an important component of Governor Hochul's $25 billion, comprehensive Housing Plan, which was initially adopted as part of the FY 2023 Budget. The Governor's plan will help create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes across New York State, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations.

With these latest awards, which include the program’s two largest awards to date, HHAP has committed more than $91 million of the $128 million in funding provided in the FY 2024 budget. The projects awarded funding include:

• Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless, Inc. - $5.8 million to develop 12 units and 22 beds of emergency and permanent supportive housing in Amsterdam for chronically homeless individuals. A vacant one-story building in Amsterdam will be acquired and rehabilitated to create Amsterdam Shelter and Housing. One side of the building will include six units of permanent supportive housing and the other side will serve as a 16-bed year-round emergency shelter – each operating as a distinct program. There is currently no year-round emergency shelter in Montgomery County.
• The YWCA of Rochester and Monroe County - $4.1 million to develop 12 units and 30 beds of emergency housing in Rochester for homeless families. The project, Persimmon Place, will substantially rehabilitate a vacant former youth shelter and include health, safety, and accessibility upgrades.
• Family of Woodstock, Inc. - $15 million to develop Golden Hill, which will include 48 units and 96 beds of permanent supportive housing in Kingston, for formerly homeless individuals who are frail/elderly and families surviving domestic violence. This is part of a larger project that is intended as an intergenerational community, and will feature a daycare center, laundry facilities, fitness center, community garden, and scenic overlook areas.
• New Destiny Housing Corporation, Inc. - $9.7 million to develop 43 units and 136 beds of permanent supportive housing in the Bronx for single adults and families who are survivors of domestic violence. The project, on 1139-45 Webster Avenue, will include new construction of a 14-story building with a social services suite, meeting room, computer room, kitchen, and large community room.
• Concern Housing, Inc. - $14.4 million to develop Concern Inwood, which will include 106 units and 152 beds of permanent supportive housing in the Bronx. Part of a larger project, the plan calls for demolishing the current building and constructing a new 14-story building that will serve homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals, as well as veterans and chronically homeless families.
• Soldier On Inc. - $6.2 million to develop 45 units and 45 beds of permanent supportive housing in Rochester for homeless veterans. The project, Gardner’s Lofts, will rehabilitate an historic five-story industrial building and feature support service space, a community room with kitchen, private meeting rooms for telehealth visits, a fitness center, and an outdoor gathering space.

In addition, $107,525 was awarded to ETC Housing Corporation to fund essential repairs to their 12-unit, 24-bed emergency shelter in Plattsburgh for homeless individuals and families.

New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Acting Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said, “The Homeless Housing and Assistance Program’s investment in these projects strengthens the state’s efforts to meaningfully address homelessness throughout our state. By expanding supportive housing options, we can empower a greater number of New Yorkers to break the cycle of homelessness and bring lasting stability to their lives. We are grateful for Governor Hochul’s continued support for this program and her commitment to ensuring all New Yorkers have access to safe, affordable housing.”

New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “Supportive housing provides people living with mental illness safe, stable and affordable homes with the services they need to make their way toward recovery. The awards being announced today will provide more than 240 units of supportive housing that will allow people with mental illness to live and thrive in their own home and community.”

Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless Executive Director Janine Robitaille said, “We look forward to expanding our services in Montgomery County by providing more emergency shelter beds to those most in need along with permanent housing units that offer a long-term solution to homelessness, and we are grateful that HHAP is helping make this important project a reality.”

YWCA of Rochester and Monroe County President & CEO Dr. Myra Henry said, “The award from HHAP will support the YWCA of Rochester & Monroe County to expand our emergency housing services for families in the Greater Rochester community. We plan to transform a recently acquired 6,500-square-foot dwelling into a place of respite and hope for 12 additional families, which will nearly triple our capacity for family emergency shelter. Each family will be supported by our team of trauma-informed case managers who approach everyone who walks through our doors with dignity and respect in the furtherance of our mission to eliminate racism and empower women. As we celebrate our 140 years of service to our community, we cannot think of a better, more meaningful way to continue our legacy of serving women and families.”

Family of Woodstock Executive Director Michael Berg said, “Family of Woodstock is very grateful for the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program’s generous commitment to fund the Golden Hill Project, which will not only increase the supply of much-needed affordable supportive housing in Ulster County but significantly help address the shortage of affordable workforce housing in the county. We have not built housing for the people who work in our community in a very long time, and this is a very important step. Family of Woodstock is excited to be part of this initiative.”

New Destiny Housing Executive Director Nicole Branca said, “We're incredibly grateful to Governor Hochul, and all our government partners on the Homeless Housing and Assistance Corporation, for their continued support of New Destiny. Domestic violence is the leading cause of family homelessness in New York City, and the HHAP funding enables us to continue building this much needed housing for survivors and their families. This award will allow us to develop an energy efficient building with 72 units of affordable housing in the Morrisania section of the Bronx, 43 of which will be designated for survivors, all of whom will have access to the services they need to rebuild their lives.”

Concern Housing Executive Director Ralph Fasano said, “This grant from the Homeless Housing Assistance Program will allow us to create a life-changing building on Inwood Avenue in the Bronx. Concern Housing’s long-term relationship with OTDA is foundational in our work to connect hundreds of people living in New York’s shelter system with supportive, stable, and affordable housing. We thank Governor Hochul and are excited to bring this much-needed housing to fruition.”

Soldier On President & CEO Bruce Buckley said, “Soldier On is thrilled to be awarded funding from HHAP that is critical in making the Gardner’s Lofts affordable housing in Rochester a reality. The 88-unit Gardner’s Lofts development also includes support from Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative, which will provide a preference for 45 of the units set aside for veterans who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness.”