Plan to Address Homelessness in City of Poughkeepsie Drawing Opposition

Residents, business owners, and city leaders reportedly oppose controversial shelter plan at 26 Oakley Street.

According to the Dutchess County Government page, Dutchess County working on the plan to address the homeless issue in Poughkeepsie is moving forward. In April 2024, Dutchess County was awarded a $13,023,795 Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (HHAP) grant from the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) to fund the capital costs associated with retrofitting the 26 Oakley Street property in the City of Poughkeepsie.

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Not Everyone Happy About Shelter Plan

A press release was recently issued from PK Forward. PK Forward is a collective of residents and business owners in the City of Poughkeepsie. We are dedicated to fostering civic engagement and addressing important matters in the City of Poughkeepsie. Founded in 2023, the organization has rapidly become a cornerstone of local activism and community improvement.

According to a Press release, On Monday, May 12, residents, business owners, and city leaders gathered in force at the Dutchess County Legislature meeting to voice their opposition to the County’s sudden decision to move forward with a controversial shelter plan at 26 Oakley Street. The plan, which broke from a previously collaborative approach, sparked widespread concern throughout the City of Poughkeepsie.

For months, City officials had worked with County representatives to create a sustainable and compassionate strategy to address homelessness. City officials originally opposed the location of the shelter, which is in close proximity to residential housing, schools and parks, but worked with the County to come to a compromise, which would have earmarked the shelter for women and families.

That progress was abruptly halted on May 7, when County officials announced they would proceed with using the Oakley Street property for transitional housing for single men, discarding the shared plan that had been in development.

The City's response, issued via press release on May 9, expressed disappointment and warned of potential legal action.

“The City has done and continues to do more than its fair share when it comes to providing services for the most vulnerable. The original deal reached with the County recognized that we all have a part to play in addressing these most pressing issues and the City was willing to be an active participant. It is disheartening to now see a somewhat bipartisan effort to dump on the City. Rest assured, we will not go down without a fight,” Council Chairperson Da’Ron Wilson and Council Vice Chairperson Nathan Shook stated in a recently released op-ed.

At the May 12 meeting, public turnout exceeded expectations. Dozens of speakers used their allotted three minutes to express frustration and urge County officials to return to the table. Civic leaders underscored that the issue transcended politics and called for a return to cooperative planning.

Several individuals who spoke out at the Monday night meeting said the County had negotiated in "bad faith", and that City officials and residents were misled.

The City’s recent revitalization efforts — including a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant recently awarded from NYS, and the formation of the City's Business Improvement District, were also discussed, noting that the addition of more services in Poughkeepsie could hurt the City's positive momentum.

The demonstration highlighted the community’s unity and commitment to balanced solutions, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing dialogue between City and County officials. Whether the County will revise its course remains to be seen.

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The City of Poughkeepsie released this statement from Mayor Flowers on Tuesday. “We only seek a fair solution to this critical issue. But make no mistake: the City will not accept being a dumping ground for all the County’s unwanted problems,” said Mayor Flowers. “City of Poughkeepsie residents: It is time to unite and raise your voices and express your outrage!