The three two-bedroom units on 30-32 Smith Street in Poughkeepsie are the first of six projects to receive money from the fund. Dutchess County created the more than $12 million program in 2022 as a way to spur local housing construction and preservation. While some projects are mixed-income, the fund prioritizes affordable housing: the units on Smith Street are priced at 60-80 percent of Dutchess County’s area median income.
“This project is emblematic of what we really want to see in this Housing Trust Fund," says County Planning & Development Commissioner Eoin Wrafter. "An infill project bringing three delightful units to the City of Poughkeepsie."
The Hudson Valley, like the rest of New York state, is experiencing a housing crisis driven by a shortage of available housing. A survey by Siena College and SUNY New Paltz looked at four Hudson Valley counties, including Dutchess. It found six in 10 households, especially renters, are cost-burdened by their housing expenses, spending more than 30 percent of their income on rent and mortgages.
The building’s tenants are from Poughkeepsie, according to Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino, and have begun moving in. Next to the pristine tile and wrapped stainless steel appliances, there are cardboard boxes, knick-knacks and children’s toys.
The ribbon cutting makes for a total of eight units for developer and landlord James Patterson, who also lives in Poughkeepsie. Patterson says he’s had his eye on this site for a while – he lived on nearby Harrison Street for roughly 20 years – and he has another nine units planned for next year.
“It’s always something I wanted to do. I wanted to provide housing for people in the community who normally get overlooked," says Patterson. "So, I just started with rehabs, and started rehabbing houses and doing various jobs until I got enough funds to actually start building.”
Patterson says he got a nearly $350,000 grant for the Smith Street project.
“Especially as the first one going through the program, not knowing what to expect — I thought it would be a little bit of turmoil going through, right and left. But they made it easy for me," he adds. "I can’t wait to work with them again.”
Patterson says he also received support from the Community Preservation Corporation, a non-profit housing investor.
The county still has five other projects in the works. Wrafter says they include: 16 one-bedroom units made out of rehabbed buildings in Poughkeepsie; a 187-unit apartment building called “Wallace Campus” in Poughkeepsie; 18 units in Beacon; 144 units in Wappinger; and 250 units in the so-called “Schatz Redevelopment” in the Town of Poughkeepsie.
Wrafter says the larger developments are exciting, but he wants smaller projects, too — especially in rural areas that don’t have the water, sewer and road infrastructure for large apartment complexes.
Dutchess County opened a second round of funding, totaling $3.3 million, in April. Applications are open through June 9.
“The second round that’s now underway, we’d really like to do a lot more of these type projects," Wrafter says. "Because some of our communities, like Amenia, Northeast and Pine Plans — a 250-unit development isn’t practical. There isn’t going to be the ability to do a project. But doing a two-family home or doing a triplex like this would fit in the community.”
Serino, a Republican, says the county is looking for state funding to help update its water and sewer infrastructure for future development, but right now, they’re celebrating.
“It is so exciting, so heartwarming to know that Poughkeepsie families are going to be able to stay here. All three tenants graduated from Poughkeepsie High School, and now they’re going to be able to have their families here and stay here, and that is so important," says Serino.
