Ulster County approves housing contracts, sets hearing on ADU tax exemption

Ulster County legislators approved contracts from the county’s Housing Action Fund to support two ongoing affordable housing projects and set a public hearing for a proposed county tax exemption for new accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

Resolution 220 authorized execution of a $500,000 contract with RUPCO, Inc. (also referenced as Repco Inc. in the resolution text) and Quality Housing Development Fund Company Inc. to draw from the Housing Action Fund. An executive team member described the action as "essentially taking the assigned fund balance that we had for the Housing Action Fund," and said this is among the first contracts issued from that balance.

Resolution 221 approved a $300,000 succession of contracts with the Affordable Housing Conservancy and Harmony Hall Housing Development Fund Corporation to fund specific construction work on projects already under way. The meeting record notes the $500,000 award will fund energy‑efficiency improvements at RUPCO's project and that the $300,000 will support ADA compliance and handicapped units in a senior housing project.

Legislators also approved Resolution 218 to set a public hearing on Proposed Local Law No. 5 of 2025, which would create a county‑portion real property tax exemption for newly created ADUs "in accordance with New York State Real Property Tax Law Article 4, Title 2, §421‑p." The public hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at 7:20 p.m.

Why this matters: the contracts move county Housing Action Fund dollars into specific construction and retrofitting work on existing projects, and the ADU tax exemption hearing could affect incentives for homeowners to add accessory units that increase rental housing supply.

Next steps: contracts were approved and funds are to be disbursed under the Department of Planning and Department of Finance; the ADU exemption will proceed to public hearing on June 17, 2025.