Mayor's Message

Mayor Noble Announces ARPA Affordable Housing Fund

City & RUPCO Launch First-time Homebuyers Program

ARPA Small Business Grant Awards to 149 Local Businesses

Join Kingston Clean Sweep Tomorrow

Kingston Earth Fair on May 13

Paving & Roadwork Update

Join Community Fest on Saturday at Sojourner Truth State Park

City of Kingston Job & Board/Commission Opportunities

Parks & Recreation Senior Bus Trip

Mayor's Message:

Dear Friends -

We had a banner week for housing news. This week, we finalized the regulatory agreement to convert the Stony Run apartment complex to affordable and workforce housing.

Since we first proposed the concept of Stony Run converting from a market-rate housing complex to a regulated workforce housing complex, I have worked to bring all parties together to understand the process, the impacts to tenants, and the importance of creating 266 additional units of affordable housing in the City of Kingston.

Through thoughtful and deliberate discussions, all parties involved were able to come to a resolution that will benefit the residents of Stony Run and our entire community. With this agreement, Stony Run will become the largest private affordable and workforce housing complex in Kingston and Ulster County.

I was also pleased to launch the ARPA Affordable Housing Fund, an incentive for the creation of much-needed affordable housing. In the Economic Recovery Plan, we had set aside $5,000,000 from the City’s American Rescue Plan Act funding to help us get money directly into the community for housing initiatives. It’s very exciting to see these ARPA-funded projects beginning to launch.

We also announced the First-time Homebuyers Program, which will help boost homeownership in the City of Kingston and put ownership within reach of lower-income families. We are pleased to fund this program with our CDBG grant, and to partner with RUPCO, who will be facilitating the program. I look forward to seeing as many new first-time homebuyers as possible benefit from this vital housing program.

We continue to use every available tool to combat our housing crisis. I look forward to seeing how these efforts will positively impact housing in our community.

Learn more about all of our ongoing housing initiatives at https://kingston-ny.gov/housing.

-Steve

ARPA Affordable Housing Fund Launched

This week, Mayor Noble announced the launch of the ARPA Affordable Housing Fund to incentivize creating new affordable housing in Kingston.

The City allocated $1,000,000 of its federal American Rescue Plan Act funding for the Affordable Housing Fund, with the goal of prioritizing development or renovation projects that result in the creation of housing rented at no more than 60% Area Median Income for a period of 20 years. The fund will offer grants of up to $60,000 per affordable housing unit.

Owners may use funding to construct new housing, to rehabilitate currently vacant properties, or for adaptive reuse of nonresidential buildings.  

Application opens June 1, 2023. Awards will be made on a rolling basis until the program funds are exhausted.

For further info, eligible uses, application and more, please visit: www.engagekingston.com/arpa-affordable-housing.   

2023 RUPCO First-time Homebuyer Program

With $395,000 from the City’s annual Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) fund, the City of Kingston and RUPCO have partnered for a First-Time Homebuyer Program.

The First-Time Homebuyer Program will provide up to $50,000 in funding to six or more income-eligible first-time homebuyers in the City of Kingston to assist with acquisition costs, including up to 50% of a down payment required by the mortgage, reasonable and necessary closing costs, and subsidy of the applicant’s mortgage principal amount.

A RUPCO Counselor can assist households in navigating the first-time homebuyer process, review credit, and provide referrals to affordable loan options and determine eligibility for grant funding. To learn more about income eligibility and to apply for counseling, please visit www.rupco.org.

ARPA Small Business Grant Program Awards

Through the ARPA Small Business Grant Program, the City of Kingston is awarding $7,500 to 149 local businesses for a total of $1,117,500. Well over half of the awardees are minority, women, or veteran-owned businesses located in Kingston.

The Small Business Grant Program, which is made possible with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, was offered in response to the pandemic to help businesses keep their doors open, protect jobs, support community recovery, and increase resilience.

“We had an overwhelming response to this funding opportunity, way over the amount we anticipated. In response, I made the decision to give as many awards as possible to qualifying local businesses. We are now awarding more than a million dollars,” said Mayor Noble. “I’m thrilled to get this infusion of funding into the community. We value all of our small businesses and I hope this helps our business community continue to recover and thrive.”

For a full list of businesses who received the ARPA Small Business Grant, visit:

https://engagekingston.com/small-business-grant-program

Join Clean Sweep on Saturday

Join the 14th Annual Kingston Clean Sweep tomorrow, Saturday, May 6, from 9am to 12pm and help clean up the community!

Volunteers will pick up litter along the Kingston Corridor from the railroad crossing on Washington Avenue through the uptown business district, down Broadway to the Rondout waterfront, as well as some side streets.

The Kingston Clean Sweep is sponsored by the Friends of Historic Kingston with support from the City of Kingston and numerous other business, service and civic organizations, schools, churches and individual volunteers.

If you haven't already signed up, show up tomorrow morning at 9:00am at either the Maritime Museum downtown or the Friends of Historic Kingston uptown. Wear gloves and bring a trash bag.

Kingston Earth Fair on Saturday, May 13

The Ninth Annual Earth Fair will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2023, from 10:00am to 5:00pm at T.R Gallo Park on the Kingston Waterfront.

This free, family City of Kingston event is hosted in partnership with Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Hudson River Maritime Museum, Radio Kingston, Live Well Kingston, Climate Smart Kingston, Bike Friendly Kingston, Catskill Mountain Keeper, Friends of Forsyth Nature Center, and New Yorkers for Clean Power, and will feature performances by the Center for Creative Education's Energy Dance Company, Mid-Hudson Juggling Club, Percussion Orchestra of Kingston and Uptown Lowdown.

Live music performances will include Taína Asili, David & Jacob Bernz, Betty & the Baby Boomers, Tom Chapin, Reggie Harris, Lara Hope & the Arktones, The Mammals, Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, Maria y Matteo, Piedmont Bluz, The Slambovian Circus of Dreams and The Ulsterados.

The 2023 Earth Fair will also feature kid’s activities and games, face painting, a solar-powered merry-go-round, and free Solaris boat rides and Clearwater tours. Food vendors will include Reggae Boy Café, Gab’s Veg Table, and Urugula, as well as root beer floats from Keegan Ales.

At the Earth Day Exchange, attendees can swap used clothes, toys, books, or household goods. The City will be collecting electronic waste such as computers and televisions and offering refrigerants collection - free disposal of old refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, or air conditioners. 

The Kingston Earth Fair is free and open to all, and is made possible by our generous sponsors: Coldwell Banker and Village Green Realty, RYCOR Heating and Cooling, Keegan Ales, Ulster Savings Bank, Hot Water Solutions, Herzog’s, Ulster Federal Credit Union, New York State Solar Farm, and Wallkill Valley Federal Savings and Loan Association.

For more information visit www.kingston-ny.gov/earthfair. 

Paving & Roadwork Next Week

Lucas Avenue from Washington Avenue to the city line was paved this week. The next round of paving will be Pearl Street from Johnston Ave to the city line, which is expected to start on or about May 22, with milling to begin on May 15.

Central Hudson: Main installation will continue the week of May 8 on Fair Street between Main St and Pearl Street and on Main Street between Clinton Avenue and Wall Street with road closures and detours.

There will also be some gas main work on Crown and John St. Service replacements will continue on Fair Street between N. Front Street and Main St with road closures and detours.

Regular roadwork updates can be found here.

Paving on Lucas Avenue this week

Spring Fest at Sojourner Truth State Park

Join the community in celebrating spring at Sojourner Truth State Park at the free Community Spring Fest on Saturday, May 6, 2023 from 12-4pm.

The event will feature local food vendors, art, activities, live music, DJs, dancing, and more. This family-friendly event is fun for every age.

Sojourner Truth State Park is located at 100 Sojourner Truth Way, Kingston, and since parking is limited, there will be free shuttles from 11:45 to 4:15pm:

• To-and-from YMCA main parking lot (507 Broadway) 
• To-and-from Friends of Historic Kingston (63 Main Street)
• To-and-from Kingston Area Library (55 Franklin Street)

All are welcome! More info at https://scenichudson.org/springfest.

City of Kingston Job & Board/Commission Opportunities

The City of Kingston has the following full-time job openings: Motor Equipment Mechanic, Motor Equipment Operator, and Skilled Laborer at the Parks & Recreation Department.

Upcoming Civil Service exams:

Office Assistant - June 3, 2023

Office Assistant - Promotional - June 3, 2023

Assessment Data Collector - June 10, 2023

Deputy Assessor- June 10, 2023

Personnel Clerk- June 10, 2023

Water Treatment Laboratory Technician - June 24, 2023

More information about job openings and exams is available at kingston-ny.gov/employment.

The City of Kingston has over 25 boards & commissions, and we're always looking for volunteers to serve the community. Currently the Kingston City Land Bank is looking for Board Members.

Help the KCLB continue to fulfill their mission of placing vacant and abandoned properties back on the tax rolls. The KCLB actively works to create affordable, first-time homebuyer opportunities in the City of Kingston, and currently has 5 homes under construction and many more in the pipeline. 

Board members must be residents of the City of Kingston. For a full description of KCLB Board member duties and responsibilities, and to apply, see here.

Application link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KingstonBoards.

Kingston City Land Bank Board Members

Parks & Recreation Senior Bus Trip