POUGHKEEPSIE … Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino is pleased to announce the County’s Homeless Outreach & Program Engagement (HOPE) Center will become a reality, following the Dutchess County Legislature’s approval of a comprehensive agreement with the City of Poughkeepsie and acceptance of a multi-million-dollar New York State grant to provide state-mandated emergency housing. The HOPE Center will provide housing, structure, and support services for up to 99 individuals experiencing homelessness, helping people overcome challenges and find their path to permanent housing and stability.
Dutchess County will use a $13 million grant awarded through the state’s Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (HHAP) for the development of this new emergency housing facility, to be located at 26 Oakley Street in the City of Poughkeepsie. Earlier this summer, County Executive Serino and Mayor Yvonne Flowers signed a comprehensive agreement to provide emergency housing to those in need while addressing local concerns about safety and potential neighborhood impacts, and the pact was ratified by the City’s Common Council in July. Last night, the Dutchess County Legislature gave bipartisan approval of the agreement and formally accepted the HHAP funds, and passed several accompanying resolutions; concluding the multi-year approval process that spanned several administrations.
Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said, “I am proud to say Dutchess County is finally able to bring our HOPE Center to life, following years of collaboration with numerous partners. While this process took far longer than anyone wanted, the finish line is now in sight. Dutchess County has been clear from the onset: This new facility, and our proven wrap-around services that will take place within it, will lift even more of our neighbors out of homelessness and into permanent housing. I appreciate our partners in Albany, the local community and County government for sharing our vision for expanding our effective model, and we look forward to writing even more success stories at the HOPE Center.”
The HOPE Center will be a New York State-certified emergency housing facility designed to serve up to 99 people experiencing homelessness. It will provide structured support, case management and individualized housing plans to help residents move toward stable, permanent housing. The facility will replace the temporary housing units (PODS) at 140 North Hamilton Street in Poughkeepsie, which have reached the end of their useful life and require costly repairs, including a major roof replacement to maintain the building’s safety and structural integrity.
Under the agreement, the HOPE Center will serve both adult men and women from its opening until the end of 2031, after that period, it will transition to serving single women and/or families. The HOPE Center will operate with 24-hour security, cameras, enhanced lighting and a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. A Stakeholder Group will be established for communication about the operations of the HOPE Center, including measures being taken to ensure security and address safety and quality of life concerns in the surrounding area. Additionally, Dutchess County will not establish or fund another emergency shelter in the City of Poughkeepsie for 35 years and will work to provide alternate shelter for single men after 2031.
The HOPE Center will expand the County’s Department of Community & Family Services (DCFS) intensive case management program, launched by County Executive Serino in 2024, which has already helped nearly 110 people move from emergency shelter into assisted, transitional or permanent housing.
County Executive Serino said, “Our County staff has been performing life-saving work in the limited, difficult conditions at the PODS, helping our neighbors lift themselves out of homelessness and into safe, secure housing. Closing the PODS will help us expand our work as relocating to the HOPE Center will allow us to transform even more lives.”
Every guest at the HOPE Center will complete an intake process and agree to actively participate in case management. Staff will assess each guest’s needs and connect them with services, such as mental health and substance-use treatment, job training, education and other on-site support, to develop an individualized plan that helps each guest gain independence and secure permanent housing.
The HOPE Center will have clear rules and a structured environment designed to help guests make lasting changes in their lives. Those who commit to the program will have a safe, supportive place to live while receiving the services they need to address the challenges that may have contributed to or prolonged their homelessness.
Alongside Monday’s vote to implement the agreement, legislators also approved separate resolutions expanding street outreach and case management, establishing an additional Homelessness Council, developing an action plan for the County’s existing outreach services as well as funding a contracted independent shelter and housing impact study.
Work on the HOPE Center is expected to begin in late 2026, and the facility is anticipated to open by the end of 2027.
