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ENERGY SQUARE WINS "PROJECT OF THE YEAR - UPSTATE REGION"

RUPCO's Energy Square project in Midtown Kingston, NY, was named the 2020 Project of the Year - Upstate region by the New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH).

“We are very proud of the accomplishment that Energy Square represents, said Kevin O’Connor, RUPCO CEO. “The project truly represents the leadership of RUPCO’s board of directors and staff capacity to bring together funding partners, our design and construction teams to create a magnificent and transformative mixed use, mixed income building  in the heart on Midtown Kingston. It is another great example of RUPCO fulfilling its mission to create homes, support people and improve communities.”

NYSAFAH Executive Director & CEO, Jolie Milstein, said in a statement after a private site tour, "It is a testament to the transformative impact of affordable housing production for both the families living in the new homes and the communities in which they are built." This is the second Project of the Year award RUPCO has received. In 2015, NYSAFAH awarded RUPCO the honor for the rehabilitation of the Lace Mill; a 55-apartment development preferenced for artists. 

RUPCO partnered with New York State Homes & Community Renewal, City of Kingston, and multiple private investors to bring to life a $22M mixed-use development. The new construction project set in a 1.3-acre site began construction in the fall of 2018 and opened its doors this past June to become the home to 79 people! Inspired by late 19th-century architecture, the brick masonry five-story building houses 57 mixed-income apartments on the upper floors of the five-story building. The bottom floor is quickly becoming a hub for the arts with commercial residents like the Center for Creative Education (CCE), whose mission is to enrich youth's social and cultural awareness through arts, wellness, and education; and The DRAW, an intergenerational art education project by Kingston Midtown Arts District (MAD).  Energy Square is the first Net-Zero for Living affordable housing project in upstate New York. Its innovative design combines a geothermal ground source heat pump system with a solar PV system to produce enough energy to meet electricity usage for the entire building, providing additional cost savings to low-income and nonprofit tenants.

Energy Square boasts a five-year Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI) award to provide rental assistance and supportive services to serve seven units targeted to formerly homeless young adults ages 18-25. RUPCO partnered with CCE & Family of Woodstock to provide a trifold case management approach to provide a wide array of services that include job training and guidance with daily living needs.

 
 
 
 

RUPCO'S LANDMARK PLACE IS AWARDED GRANT FROM FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATIONS (FTA) 
The funding received through the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program will permit RUPCO to acquire two new accessible vehicles (one 4 passenger van, and an 11 passenger bus,) plus a permanent bus shelter. The vehicles will facilitate the transportation and mobility needs of the residents, providing access to community services, including medical care, for tenants at Landmark Place.

Landmark Place will provide 66 homes at an affordable and supportive campus for seniors age 55 and older to have the opportunity to live with dignity in a safe and affordable home. The four-acre site features the rehabilitation of the former Kingston Alms House to house 34 studio apartments alongside new construction of a four-story building that will accommodate 32-one bedroom apartments. 

 
 

TAKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS HOMEOWNERSHIP!

Join our next virtual First-time Homebuyer informational sessions. 
Upcoming dates:
- November 18, 5:30 - 6:30 PM
- December 16, 5:30 - 6:30 PM
Call 845-331-9860 or email to register.

 
HomeOwnership Sullivan County grants Income Limits

HOMEOWNERSHIP GRANTS AVAILABLE IN SULLIVAN COUNTY

Interested in purchasing a home in Sullivan County? RUPCO is administering a homeownership grant program for Sullivan County first time homebuyers.  Up to $25,000 is available for income eligible households for down payment, closing costs and post closing rehab. 

Contact Frank Robusto, Housing Counselor    
(845) 331-9860 ext 320 for an eligibility screen.

 
Michael Bisio
 

MEET THE RESIDENT 

It has been five years since The Lace Mill opened its doors and became an arts and culture epicenter in Midtown Kingston. Watch musician Michael Bisio, one of the original Lace Mill residents, discuss the impact artist housing has had on his life and how he found his happily ever after at the Lace Mill. 

 

WHAT ELSE IS HAPPPENING...
RUPCO's offices remain closed to the public, but staff continues to go above and beyond to create homes, support people and improve communities. 

  • Energy Square was awarded the "Paul Davidoff Award for Leadership in Housing and Equal Opportunity" by The American Planning Association, New York Metro Chapter. RUPCO is honored to receive the award named after Paul Davidoff, an urban planning scholar and Civil Rights activist who fought to ensure poor and working-class families a meaningful voice within urban planning and policy-making processes. 
  • Thirty-three people found permanent housing through the Solutions to End Homelessness Program (STEHP)! The RUPCO Program Services department helped fifteen households secure permanent housing during the first year of the STEHP grant. The program will continue to year two, and RUPCO remains committed to working with other local agencies and the community to house those in need. For more information about the program, reach out to Jonathan Weinberger, STEHP Case Manager.

  • Section 8 staff were able to lease up an elderly-disabled client who had been homeless for several years. Section 8 voucher holders are finding it extremely difficult to locate and lease up affordable apartments in Ulster County.  COVID-19 has made the process even more difficult especially for those with very limited income.  Recently, an applicant on our waitlist received notice that their name had reached the top of the list and they could begin looking for housing.  This client had been homeless for over two years and was in a deep state of despair.  Despite the challenges she was facing, she was able to find a unit, submit the paperwork, had an inspection conducted, and a short time ago she moved into her new home. For the first time in a long time she feels safe.  She has expressed her deep appreciation for the program and the opportunities that it is providing her to live independently.    

 

Thank you to our corporate sponsors
    
             

 
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RUPCO
289 Fair Street
Kingston, New York 12401

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