Ulster County News

FROM: ULSTER COUNTY PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE

DATE: April 18, 2003  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE APRIL 18, 2003

Chairman Ward D. Todd has announced that Ulster County has been awarded a $600,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to fund the Ulster County Home Ownership Program (UCHOP). The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through the New York State Governor's Office for Small Cities.

The grant will provide down payment and closing cost assistance to approximately 41 low and moderate-income residents and families seeking to achieve home ownership. UCHOP will be available to eligible Ulster County residents on a first come, first served basis.

The County has contracted with two experienced non-profit housing agencies to carry out the program. The Shandaken Area Revitalization Project (SHARP) Committee will serve County residents from the towns of Olive, Shandaken, Woodstock and Hardenburgh and the Rural Ulster Preservation Company (RUPCO) will serve the remaining towns in the County and the City of Kingston. As part of the program, Cornell Cooperative Extension will provide post-homeowner education seminars to those that receive assistance.

"RUPCO is pleased to partner with the SHARP Committee and Cornell Cooperative Extension, along with the Ulster County government, to deliver homebuyer assistance to County residents. It makes good sense, improves efficiency and provides a more seamless delivery system for residents to access homebuyer services. The housing crisis is only worsening as home prices and the affordability gap for homebuyers widens. Now is the time that we, as leaders in the housing field, need to partner to creatively address the problem," stated Kevin O’Connor, Executive Director of RUPCO.

Jane Todd, Executive Director of SHARP, reaffirmed O’Connor’s statement. "The opportunity is tremendous for the County. There is such a need for this kind of assistance. And it is always the same group of people that need help – young working families that simply cannot save enough for a down payment on a house. This will allow so many families to build their sense of community and their self-esteem by owning their own homes."

Homebuyers must have incomes that are at or below 80% of the County median income, adjusted for family size, in order to be eligible. The maximum award will be $15,000 per household. There are, however, additional funds available for handicapped recipients for accessibility improvements. For further information, or to apply, please contact SHARP at 688-5777 or RUPCO at 331-2140, ext. 312.