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Ulster County approves transfer of 21 Elizabeth St. to county housing corporation amid sharp floor debate
Summary
The Legislature voted 19-4 to authorize transfer of county-owned property at 21 Elizabeth St., Kingston, to the Ulster County Housing Development Corporation to create limited affordable homeownership units; the measure drew criticism over past purchase decisions, use of ARPA funds, parking and lottery selection.
Ulster County legislators on July 15 approved Resolution 3-38, authorizing steps to transfer county-owned property at 21 Elizabeth Street in Kingston to the Ulster County Housing Development Corporation for affordable homeownership. The measure passed 19-4 after extended floor debate over the property's purchase and program design.
Supporters framed the transfer as a rare opportunity to convert county-held property into homeownership for low- and moderate-income residents. Legislator Collins called the project "the first of its kind in Ulster County" and said affordable home ownership "is the way that this country helps people create generational wealth through ownership of housing." Several members said the project would create roughly 15 units of ownership and improve a blighted property.
Opponents criticized prior county actions: Legislator Maloney described the property's procurement and subsequent handling as a "boondoggle," questioned the purchase price and suggested political interference had motivated earlier decisions. Minority Leader Roberts also warned that the project's use of a lottery could exclude local residents and said the site plan showed no on-site parking, which could bring more street parking into the neighborhood.
Legislators acknowledged mistakes during acquisition and urged learning from the past. Legislator Kitchen, who said she had personal professional familiarity with the building, urged moving forward to rehabilitate the site and provide homeownership opportunities. Legislator Nolan said accepting the project offered a chance to "redeem" past investments because otherwise the county might be forced to return or forfeit funds.
Clerk and staff recorded the roll call vote: the resolution passed 19 to 4. The adopted measure authorizes steps to transfer the parcel to the county housing corporation; specific program and implementation details, including affordability criteria, lottery procedures and parking mitigation, will be developed by the Housing Development Corporation and county planning staff.
Legislators asked that oversight and clearer planning follow the transfer so the units are preserved as affordable and the neighborhood impacts are mitigated. The record shows requests by some lawmakers for additional reporting and possible follow-up reviews of the county's acquisition and procurement processes going forward.
