In the 1970s, rural and urban Dutchess County was experiencing rising levels of homelessness. By the early 1980s the matter became acute and a Dutchess County Task Force was formed to address the growth in the homeless population. In 1982, Hudson River Housing (HRH) was incorporated with a focus on providing Resident Services for the homeless. Starting with a staff that consisted of three people they embarked on the first Hudson River Housing project when they opened the doors on Gannett House, an emergency shelter for homeless families, backed by The Dutchess County Department of Social Services and the Gannett Foundation. At Hudson River Housing providing emergency shelter is always the first and most immediate need, then care managers begin to address the issues that lead to homelessness .

In the late 1980s, Hudson River Housing adopted Dutchess County Coalition for the Homeless (DCCH) a program run by volunteers. Then and now volunteers amplify what our staff can do and carry our mission out into the community. It is their commitment that fuels our mission. In 1988, New York State designated HRH as a Neighborhood Preservation Company. The roles of these not-for-profit companies includes, housing rehabilitation, home buyer counseling, tenant counseling, landlord/tenant mediation, community rehabilitation and renewal, crime watch programs, employment programs, legal assistance, and Main Street Development.

Like many of the New York State’s more than 200 Neighborhood Preservation Companies, Hudson River Housing is also involved in the planning and development of capital projects including new construction and/or rehabilitation of older housing stock. Companies perform this work with the assistance of governmental sources and leveraged funds from the private sector.

By the 1990s, HRH knew that there were not enough homes to house the homeless and we needed to develop affordable housing for those moving out of emergency shelters. In 1991 we began Real Estate Development, breaking ground on our first homeownership project in Poughkeepsie.

Poughkeepsie offered potential for affordable apartments through the rehabilitation of existing properties. Hudson River Housing added Property Management to our roster of activities in 1992.

In the mid-1990s, Hudson River Housing was growing and so were our goals. In 1996 we began targeted Community Development with the Anchor-Based Neighborhood Revitalization (ABNR) initiative. We made a commitment to revitalize a three block area of Poughkeepsie’s Northside.

Economic pressures grew in Dutchess County in the second half of the 1990s with the downsizing of IBM, the passing of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act (aka Welfare Reform) and the rapid increase of foreign-born residents to Poughkeepsie. Our services were in greater demand and we continued helping the homeless and providing opportunities for low and moderate income residents, young adults and seniors to stay in the area. In 1997 we added Homeownership Promotion to our services and in 1998 founded “The First Home Club” – a savings program for homeownership.The continuum of services was growing increasing and succeeding.