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Ulster County Chair Criswell frames 2026 priorities and county housing director outlines emergency housing challenges
Summary
Chair Peter Criswell used his Feb. 17 address to set legislative priorities for 2026—housing stability, emergency services and infrastructure—while Laura Nordstrom, the county's director of housing and homelessness, presented an overview of emergency shelter processes, trends since 2018 and recommended prevention- and capacity-focused solutions.
Chair Peter J. Criswell opened the Feb. 17 Ulster County Legislature meeting with remarks about leadership and priorities for 2026, saying the Legislature should "be clear-eyed about what's in our control, and what's not" and calling for measured, collaborative work on housing, public safety and infrastructure.
Criswell noted the Legislature enters the year with a 19'4 supermajority and eight new colleagues, and emphasized that the county's work should prioritize housing stability, emergency medical services, roads and bridges, support for seniors and food security while keeping property taxes flat. He described governing as "patience" and urged members to focus on outcomes that protect residents' dignity and safety.
The meeting record shows Laura Nordstrom, Director of Housing and Homelessness for Ulster County Department of Social Services, was granted privilege of the floor to present on housing. The packet and appended slides outline the county's emergency housing process and oversight; a summary of the rental landscape noting post-2020 rental market shifts; and an account of an "overburdened system" after the 2022 eviction moratorium ended, leading to sustained emergency placements in 2023.
Nordstrom's presentation lists challenges—clients' complex needs, inadequate subsidies and constrained service providers—and recommended solutions including prevention, service enhancement, subsidies and benefits, housing development, and expanding emergency shelter options. The minutes include an outline of outcomes and a "looking ahead" list emphasizing affordable units, strengthened partnerships and targeted supports. Contact information in the packet is LNor@ulstercountyny.gov.
Neither Criswell's remarks nor Nordstrom's slides in the minutes include new line-item budget numbers or implementation timelines; many of the funding details for the 2026 budget were deferred to the County Executives formal budget presentation the next day. The record frames the presentation as an informational overview intended to orient legislators to the scope of county response and service gaps.
Criswell closed his remarks by asking members to govern with humility and to prioritize residents' needs over politics; Nordstrom's overview underscores that county and partner investments in prevention and shelter capacity remain central to the county's strategy.
