Beacon Communities, a housing developer with offices in Boston, Pittsburgh, New York City, Buffalo and Albany has started work on a project funded with $37.9 million from New York state that will upgrade and preserve a total of 212 affordable housing units in Ulster County. There are three properties involved: 60 units at The Birches at Saugerties; 80 units at Birchwood Village in Kingston; and 72 units at Chambers Senior Housing in the Town of Ulster. Beacon owns and will continue to manage the properties. An event marking the start of the rehabilitation work was held at Chambers Senior Housing.
“Preservation is the foundation for expanding the affordable housing supply,” said Darren Scott, upstate east director of development at New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), the source of the funding for the project. “Shoring up your foundation by investing in affordable housing that is already in the community allows you to build more housing, which Ulster County, the City of Kingston, and the Town of Ulster certainly need.”
Scott thanked residents of the properties in advance for their patience while the work is underway.
“It’s never easy,” Scott said. “But hopefully when it ends, you’ll enjoy the property that much more.”
Dara Kovel, CEO of Beacon Communities noted, “Over the past five years, rents in Ulster County have gone up by more than 25%, and more than 50% of households are rent burdened. That further underscores the need to hold on to this kind of housing.”
All three locations will undergo a wide range of repairs, additions, and modernizations, both interior and exterior. There will be structural improvements, new mechanical systems, repaired flooring and drywall, roofing and siding refurbishments, accessibility upgrades, landscaping improvements, curb repairs, increased insulation to reduce air leaks, new windows and weatherization, new energy-efficient appliances, low-flow bathroom fixtures, insulated plumbing, replacement of HVAC systems, and new lighting.
“Affordable housing is a priority we talk about all the time here in Ulster County,” said County Executive Jen Metzger. “It’s not just about expansion, but preserving the housing we have for our seniors, our struggling families, and all our residents in a climate where it’s just impossible to find an affordable place to live.”
Kingston Mayor Steve Noble pointed out that his late aunt Janice had been a long-time resident at The Birches and would be “really happy to know that her apartment was finally being renovated, thanks to Beacon coming in.”
The three projects are supported by HCR’s State Low Income Housing Credit program that will generate equity of approximately $14.6 million, $16.6 million from HCR’s Multifamily Preservation Program, and tax-exempt permanent bonds of $6.1 million. In addition, HCR allocated an 82-unit Section 8 Project Based Vouchers contract to the properties, which reduced rent burden for existing tenants and guaranteed future affordability.
