Hudson Housing Authority presents plan to replace obsolete towers with 256 affordable units; board advises more detail on parking, flood mitigation and design

The Hudson Housing Authority presented a two‑phase redevelopment concept March 11 that would replace the aging Bliss Towers and Columbia Apartments with roughly 256 units of affordable housing and a central courtyard park. HHA leaders described a plan intended to preserve on‑site capacity for existing residents during construction and to add commercial and community space on the ground floor.

HHA executive director Jeffrey Dodson and chair Elizabeth Smith told the planning board the authority’s master plan includes 256 units, a publicly accessible two‑acre open space, ground‑floor commercial space intended for services such as groceries or daycare, and sustainability measures including geothermal heating/cooling and solar panels. The HHA said the project is being advanced in phases so existing residents will not be displaced during construction.

Why it matters: the authority oversees publicly subsidized housing in Hudson; the replacement of aging mid‑century buildings is a major municipal housing action with long‑term impacts on affordable housing supply, neighborhood circulation and parkland design.

Project scope and sustainabilit…