POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – After more than a year of meetings, outreach, and extensive evaluation of potential alternatives, Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino today announced the County will move forward with plans to establish a supportive housing center for single men and women at 26 Oakley Street in the City of Poughkeepsie. The project will be supported by a $13 million grant from the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) and provide housing, structure, and support services for up to 100 individuals experiencing homelessness.
“This was not the direction I first set out to take,” said Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino. “Over the past year, I’ve had difficult conversations, pushed for alternatives, and tried to find a path that worked for everyone. In the end, I made this decision because I couldn’t walk away from a solution that brings people off the streets and into stability. This isn’t about politics – it’s about people and doing what’s right.”
Serino took office in January 2024 before notification of the grant award. In April 2024, the County received formal notification of the competitive $13,023,795 state grant to retrofit Oakley Street – a County-owned property in the City of Poughkeepsie – into a supportive housing center. The grant, submitted by the previous administration in 2023, was site-specific and could not be transferred.
Still, Serino pushed for flexibility. She immediately reached out to the granting agency, NYS OTDA, and the Lieutenant Governor’s office to explore whether the funding could be moved to another location if the service remained intact. She later contacted the Governor’s Office directly and advocated for relocating the project entirely, citing concerns from the City of Poughkeepsie. Despite her efforts, the answer from the state was clear: The grant could only be used at Oakley Street.
With relocation off the table, Serino worked closely with City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Yvonne Flowers to develop a plan that would better meet the needs of families. The proposed concept was to use Oakley Street to house families experiencing homelessness – many of whom are currently placed in hotels, where services are minimal and the environment lacks structure. Over time, the potential plan evolved to include both families and single women, to maximize the building’s potential and respond to growing need.
After months of negotiation, a letter of intent supporting the proposal was signed by Mayor Flowers. But in early spring, members of the County Legislature’s Leadership informed the County Executive that they would not support the plan – largely due to concerns about where the County would house single men, who represent the largest portion of the homeless population. Additionally, members raised concerns about the long-term cost of the need to find an additional site for single men and the overall operation of multiple shelter sites.
“In good faith, we tried to build a compromise that worked for everyone,” Serino continued. “But when it became clear that the Legislature would not support the plan, I had a choice to make: walk away from $13 million or move forward with a facility that could help the most people. I chose the second option, because I believe we can’t keep waiting while people are living without hope, structure, or support.”
Will Truitt, Chairman of the Dutchess County Legislature said, “The County has a state-mandated responsibility to meet the needs of our unhoused population, and this plan allows us to do that in a coordinated and cost-effective way. The services and support systems that individuals need to rebuild are in Poughkeepsie, where people need them most. This facility gives us a more structured, sustainable way to connect people with them. We’re confident this approach will strengthen our homeless response and reduce long-term costs for taxpayers.”
Homelessness is a challenge that is rising across the state. A recent report by the New York State Comptroller showed a 113% increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness from 2022 to 2024. New York State mandates that counties provide emergency housing for anyone who qualifies. In Dutchess County, more than 560 people – approximately 300 single adults and 100 families with children – are housed every night through a network of emergency options, including multiple shelters for single adults, two family shelters, a domestic violence shelter, veterans’ emergency housing, as well as placements in local hotels and motels. The current PODs shelter, which the Oakley Street facility will replace, has provided shelter to as many as 150 single adults.
In Dutchess County, the cost of housing single adults in hotels has increased to more than $3,000 per room, per month. These hotel stays limit access to case management or services – making it significantly harder for individuals to get back on their feet. By utilizing Oakley Street as a central housing support center, the County can better assist individuals to transition out of hotels and into a setting that provides structure, support, and a real path forward.
The new Oakley Street facility will offer 24/7 staffing, on-site case management, mental health and substance use services, job training, and individualized independent living plans for each resident. It is based on recognized best practices, like the Bergen County model in New Jersey, adapted to fit Dutchess County’s needs. Guests will be required to actively engage in a case management process that includes an assessment to identify specific needs, such as mental health and substance use treatment, job training and education and other support services that will be available on-site – with the ultimate goal of creating an independent living plan leading to permanent housing. The facility will also have round-the-clock security and be designed as a steppingstone – not a permanent stop – helping individuals stabilize, build a plan, and move forward.
While alternate plans for Oakley Street were being considered, County Executive Serino directed the Department of Community and Family Services (DCFS) to implement a new, more structured model at the County’s temporary PODs shelter – replacing an unregulated system with one focused on accountability, engagement, and long-term outcomes. Under this approach, all individuals are required to participate in case management, and those who are not residents of Dutchess County are supported in returning to their home communities to services there. Since DCFS launched an initiative to provide comprehensive case management in September 2024, a team of case managers and mental health professionals – based on the same campus in temporary offices at the former Dutchess County Jail – has worked closely with each guest to identify barriers to housing, connect them to care, and promote long-term stability. As a result, the number of individuals housed at the PODs has dropped from 137 in April 2024 to 93 in April 2025 – a 32% decrease.
“This individualized model of care is already making a difference,” said Sabrina Jaar Marzouka, Commissioner of the Department of Community and Family Services. “When people are connected with structure, services, and a team that believes in their potential, they start to believe in it too. Oakley Street gives us the space and stability to do that work every day, and all under one roof.”
Project design for the Oakley Street facility will resume immediately and, following funding approval from the County Legislature, construction will begin in spring 2026 for a summer 2027 opening. The County is currently planning to use the PODs as an emergency housing shelter throughout the Oakley Street construction period, with the County planning a phased closure of the units over the next two years. Utilized as a temporary emergency response during the pandemic, the PODs are now nearing the end of their projected lifespan. As construction moves forward, the County will continue to monitor the structural integrity of the units to ensure that guests maintain access to safe shelter before Oakley Street is complete.
“From day one, we’ve focused on doing the hard work behind the scenes – making sure people placed in shelter are ready to succeed when permanent housing becomes available,” Serino added. “We’re getting results, and Oakley Street will allow us to build on that momentum.”
While the County moves forward with plans to serve single adults, it is also advancing new efforts to support families. In partnership with Mental Health America of Dutchess County, a new program recently launched that provides intensive case management to up to six families at a time. The goal is to identify specific challenges each family is facing in their independent living plan and to work collaboratively to overcome them.
Families will continue to be housed through partner shelters and hotels, as needed, but the County recognizes the need for longer-term solutions and will continue exploring more options.
The Oakley Street facility is just one part of Dutchess County’s broader approach to housing and homelessness. Under Serino’s leadership, the County has prioritized expanding its Continuum of Care, including eviction prevention, rental assistance, housing navigation and crisis response. The County also recently launched a new round of Housing Trust Fund applications to support affordable housing development across Dutchess. In future years, that fund will be sustained in part by dedicated revenue from short-term rental activity. Additional efforts include the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership Program, and the Owner-Occupied Property Rehabilitation Program.
“We have a long way to go – but we are moving in the right direction,” Serino concluded. “Too often we see examples across the nation of people stuck in cycle of homelessness. It is time to change that and help lift them up. This isn’t just a building – it’s a chance. And I’m proud to be fighting for the people who need one.”
