POUGHKEEPSIE … Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino expressed her deep concern following last night’s non-vote by the Democratic Majority of the Dutchess County Legislature to ratify the agreement between the County and the City of Poughkeepsie to move forward with a supportive housing center at 26 Oakley Steet, to be known as the “Homeless Outreach & Program Engagement (HOPE)” Center. The County Executive is calling on the Dutchess County Legislature to convene another special meeting to ratify the agreement to avoid further, real consequences for local taxpayers and the nearly 100 individuals who rely on this vital project.
Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said, “Our homeless population does not have an ‘R’ or ‘D’ designation next to their names. This project is not a political issue – it is a human issue. At its core, this is an investment in the safety, stability and compassion for our neighbors who are counting on us and who are already working hard to change their situation. I am calling on the Democratic majority Legislators to keep the politics out of it and keep this project moving forward.”
Dutchess County is mandated by New York State to house the homeless and the County is at a pivotal moment in advancing the HOPE Center at Oakley Street that will be a New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA)-certified emergency housing facility, serving up to 99 individuals experiencing homelessness with structured support, case management and individualized living plans to create pathways to permanent housing.
Last night, the Legislature held a special meeting specifically to address ratifying the agreement between the City of Poughkeepsie and the County that was reached through mediation, and ratified by the City’s Common Council on Wednesday.
County Executive Serino said, “I am so grateful and proud of how we have worked so hard, across the aisle, with City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Yvonne Flowers and the City’s Common Council to come together and agree on a settlement to move this vital shelter project forward. The Mayor, the Council and my team were all on the same page! At this point, it is solely the Democratic majority of the Dutchess County Legislature who is irresponsibly dragging their feet, proving they are wholly unserious about solving this issue and frankly, it is shameful.”
Instead of ratifying the agreement, the Legislature's Budget, Finance & Personnel Committee voted to delay their decision until September 2026, citing having additional questions about the project, however no questions were asked of any of the executive leadership team or department heads who were present at the Legislature's request. The cost of this delay puts construction bids, set to expire this month, at risk, which could increase the cost of the project by $2 million or more that will have to be borne by all County taxpayers. It also jeopardizes the $13 million highly competitive Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (HHAP) capital grant from New York State, which the County was awarded in 2024 that would fully fund the construction of the facility and will expire in September 2026.
The Legislature seeks to house homeless individuals in a “scattered site” model, which would utilize hotels and motels across the county. The 2026 Budget included a Legislative amendment to provide grants to help municipalities provide such shelters, however no municipality responded to the application. Currently, housing an individual in a temporary hotel room costs taxpayers $3,300 per month, which does not include any of the wraparound services provided by the County at its current emergency shelter in the PODs or that would continue in the HOPE Center.
County Executive Serino concluded, “We remain ready to proceed, and I hope the Legislature sees the importance of having this issue resolved swiftly so that no person is left without support, no taxpayer is asked to pay unduly, and no resources are unnecessarily lost. Our community deserves progress; let’s keep moving forward.”
