Planning Board, Public Hearing: Bliss Towers Replacement Housing

1. 0:13Hi, we're live.
2. 0:16Yeah.
3. 0:17Are you getting it?
4. 0:24Welcome. Before we call the meeting to order, I want to make a personal comment. I've had a cold for about three weeks. I'm no longer contagious, but my ears are so plugged up that I'm really having a hard time hearing. So, if I lean in and I go, "What did you say?" It's uh because I couldn't be here. Um so, I will call the meeting to order and board clerk will call the role, please.
5. 0:47Michael
6. 0:48here.
7. 0:48Woodh Hall
8. 0:49here.
9. 0:50Black.
10. 0:52Oh, here.
11. 0:53Fogle
12. 0:54here.
13. 0:55Jetsky
14. 0:56here.
15. 0:56Spear
16. 0:57here. conference here.
17. 1:00We are present at quorum. Uh this is a special meeting of the board for the purpose of convening a public hearing for uh the 41 North 2nd Street. We do have one bit of business that we need to conduct before starting the public hearing and that is an applicant a new application from the Basilica Hudson uh 110 South Front Street. I believe we have representatives here that are going to make a presentation.
18. 1:30Hey there, my name is David Slaza. I'm the owner's rep for Basilica Hudson. Um, as some of you may know, the Basilica went under, um, pretty significant renovation of the building itself down on Front Street. Um, uh, won awards for its historic preservation property. Um, it's now running, uh, all electric. You know, we retired all the combustion on site. And the final piece of that project that we're trying to do um that we're here tonight for is to um install a a solar carport on the parking lot
19. 2:02that's just south of the building. Um that'll tie into the main panel at the basilica itself. And uh once it's up and going, it's designed to offset um hopefully 100% of the uh electrical demand on site that's not already being offset by the existing solar canopy that's to the north of the building. Um I'll let Jeff engineer talk to you more about the details on that.
20. 2:30Good evening. Um my name is Jeff Irish. I'm uh uh the owner of a company called Hudson Solar and Battery Solutions. We've been contracted by uh Hudson to design and install carport. I'm a licensed professional engineer in New York State, but I'm not the engineer of record on the project because I own the contractor contracting company that's going to install it. Um, I submitted or um uploaded this afternoon uh an updated site site plan, very slight changes to what you already have. Um, also some u
21. 3:09drawings showing you a little bit more what the carport is going to look like. Uh, I'm I don't know if you need printed copies. I have printed copies if you'd like to distribute those now. So you can look at those or um it's the same as what I uploaded this afternoon.
22. 3:27Um anybody want to print a copy?
23. 3:30Okay. If you have them available, that'd be great. And I think we've seen them also. They were on our portal. So and submitted prior to tonight's meeting. Um I think before we ask any questions from the board, we see Peter is representing our engineering firm tonight. uh if you would introduce yourself and if you have any comments you'd like.
24. 3:52Oh yeah, Peter Sander from Ren Engineering. I'm a AICP certified planner. Um and we just got this application so I'm not super familiar with it, but I'm happy to answer any questions you may have or the board may have.
25. 4:08Okay, any questions for the board?
26. 4:13I don't think we are obligated to to take any action tonight. We could choose to wave the public hearing for this project and allow it to move along at that pace or we can deal with it at our August 11th meeting. Is anyone inclined to move that we wave the public hearing?
27. 4:30Peter moves that we wave the public hearing a second.
28. 4:33Second.
29. 4:35Kaylee Linda, would you call the role?
30. 4:39Michael Woodhog.
31. 4:42Uh, yes.
32. 4:42Black.
33. 4:43Yes.
34. 4:44Bogle.
35. 4:44Yes. Shettsky.
36. 4:46Yes.
37. 4:48Veronica
38. 4:53is that
39. 4:54and Spear?
40. 4:55Yes.
41. 4:57So I uh I don't know whether we'd be able to wrap the project up in the August 11th meeting, but it certainly does facilitate moving uh along. And uh um if you have any questions of us,
42. 5:09uh one thing I did want to point out that was in the application is that uh the construction of a solar carport on an existing parking lot is an automatic type two action under seeker. Um I cited the clause uh in the application. So the state's already determined that no environmental further
43. 5:33and that is accurate. Mr. Chairman just wanted to point that out.
44. 5:37Is there anything more that we need to
45. 5:39So just just for purposes of clear record, I think the board could take a motion to classify this as a type two action for further review under seeker.
46. 5:51I Jean makes that motion. Is there a second?
47. 5:55Nathan seconds. Let call the role.
48. 6:01Michael,
49. 6:01yes. Wood hole.
50. 6:03Yes,
51. 6:04black.
52. 6:06I actually missed it.
53. 6:07It's repeat. It's just to classify it as type two exempt from further review on your seeker.
54. 6:15Yes.
55. 6:16Bogle.
56. 6:17Yes.
57. 6:17Shuty.
58. 6:18Yes.
59. 6:19Spear.
60. 6:20Yes.
61. 6:20Conqueror.
62. 6:21Yes.
63. 6:26I do have one question which is like the Amtrak folks park a bunch of vehicles. I think roughly where this currently in that parking lot. I don't know who owns I assume you all own the actual underlying ground, but that's my own that was my only like question.
64. 6:45The Amtrak parking lot is to the southeast.
65. 6:48Yeah. So, they own the propert. It's not right where they park. It's kind of adjacent to where they
66. 6:54park. It's just like further
67. 6:56further further to the river a little bit where they cool. I just looking at just trying to compare this that way.
68. 7:03Any additional discussion questions?
69. 7:05One question for the applicant. Uh is this based off an actual survey of the property?
70. 7:10Okay. Very good. All right.
71. 7:14I guess what just to clarify what the next steps are.
72. 7:17So, do we know we come back in August for formal approval or is there
73. 7:22not to put the cart ahead of the horse. I think we're going to wait for some more detailed engineering comments and those will be provided to you uh via the portal ahead of time and we would anticipate those comments being addressed prior to the submission date which I don't know off hand anyone else on that
74. 7:42or it does what our cut off date is for the next meeting. So, we would get comments and then
75. 7:49I'm not sure if they've been uploaded already.
76. 7:52They might have been uploaded to the portal already, but if not, we'll make sure you get them this week.
77. 7:57Yeah. Okay, that would be great. Thank you.
78. 7:58Yep.
79. 8:01So, then we're back. We'll get schedules for the August meeting to address comments.
80. 8:06And it looks like your deadline for materials would be the 27th, which is a week from
81. 8:12yesterday. That's Thank you. For example,
82. 8:16before we move into the public hearing, I want to have a comfort discussion. Um, we've got people scattered all over the place. We do have extra seats. We have extra space. There's some empty seats up here. So, I want to make sure everybody's comfortable and in a place you can hear. Um, so let's just take a minute to kind of shuffle about in our seating. There are three or four seats up the front. Are we ready to go? Okay. So, first I want to make sure that anyone who hopes to plans to speak tonight that you've signed up with Linda. Uh her signin sheet is over on the table there and you'll be called in
83. 9:00the order that you've signed up. Um want to make a few general comments before we get underway. This is a very important process for the planning board. Whereas many uh uh commissions and boards in town have public hearings or public comments in every meeting, our public comments are reserved for as the last phase of of a in most cases a multimonth uh process. And so rather than having public comments in the midst of that process, we conclude the process with public comments. So it gives the
84. 9:32community the last voice in uh in this process and it's an important part not just uh for philosophical reasons but also often it brings content, information and experiences that helps the board uh through the planning process and through the decision- making. Um our role tonight is to listen. Um this is not a Q&A. This is not a back and forth, but really we're here just to listen. And that can feel a little bit cold to the presenter if you're not getting any reaction. Uh but but that's really our our our place tonight is not to exchange ideas or to
85. 10:10answer questions but it is to listen not to exchange ideas or to answer questions but it is to listen to your uh shared information your lived experiences uh to help enrich our understanding of this important project. And it is an important project to the community. It's important in practical ways. Uh it's brick and mortar. It's solid. But it also is a part of a dialogue that we're having in our in our community that I hope can help us strengthen our civic infrastructure. Our ability to work together as a community to process difficult decisions and to find
86. 10:45solutions that really are in the best interest of the community and our residents. A few guidelines that will help guide our conversations tonight. We do have a threeminut time limit for speakers and our official timekeeper uh Jean is going to be monitoring the clock. Thank you.
87. 11:05It's a volunteer position. Okay. Uh he will notify you. I think this is right at 30 seconds.
88. 11:12So that means you need to begin to start wrapping it up and then at 10 seconds maybe have time for one or two more sentences. We're not doing this to limit the any one person's uh speaking time, but a to make sure everybody has an opportunity to speak and b to have um fairness across not only this meeting with some people getting 10 minutes and other people getting too, but also all of our meetings so that when citizens come, they know they're getting the same fair treatment that they're getting in any planning board public hearing. Um,
89. 11:44we ask you to introduce yourself and let us know where you live. Your name and your street, your ward or your town would be sufficient. Um, we ask you to address the planning board with your comments, not u the applicant or not other members of the audience. Uh, but really you're speaking to us and we ask you to stay on the agenda. Um, this is a single purpose uh public hearing. It's about the HHA project and the replacement of Bliss Tower. And so, uh, your comments should really be focused on those issues. Um, if you have documents or reports or other kinds of written information you think might be helpful in enriching the public record,
90. 12:23uh, provide those to Linda and she can mount them or post them on our portal. Finally, uh, this is a, as I said, this is an important project. Uh, there are a lot of strong feelings about it. And if we can conduct ourselves in a way that shows respect for each other as citizens and as neighbors, uh that gets us to the best possible outcome in tonight's conversation. The subject matters that might be most useful are focused around your observations as a neighbor or of the neighborhood. Uh comments about traffic, safety, design, environmental
91. 12:58issues, or other matters that you believe are relevant for our review. Um, tonight after our public comments are done, uh, we will adjourn the public hearing, not conclude, but adjourn. And it will remain open until our next at least until our next regular meeting, which is August the 11th. And we will continue to accept written public comments u during that period between now and August 11th. And those written comments will be posted on our portal as well. If you want to make written comments, you can do both public comments tonight and written comments if you'd like. Um, you can send them to our board clerk, Linda Finnoff, and her, you
92. 13:40mind if I give your email address, Linda? Elf Finnoff, that's finnoff at cityofhudson.org. Um so at the conclusion of tonight's hearing as I said we will adjourn the public hearing and the board u will be identifying those questions issues and comments that you all have made that we believe warrant written response from the applicant. So, I'm asking the board members during the uh presentations tonight to make note of those comments that you think warrant the um written response from the applicant. Um and then when we meet in August, August 11th, we
93. 14:23will review the written comments and go through the same process of identifying those written comments that we believe warrant a written response from the applicant. So, that's kind of the the step by step, but I wanted to mention it to you. Um, sometimes when we make comments, we wonder, well, where did these comments go? How do they affect the outcome? So, the board will really scrutinize and listen carefully to your comments and make note of those that we think really drive forward the community discussion in an effective and constructive way.
94. 14:59So, finally, I just want to say thank you for being here tonight. Thank you for being an active part of our community and and and bringing your point of view to this conversation. Uh the board is listening and ready to hear your comments. Has everyone signed up that wants to speak?
95. 15:14Okay. Um Jean, is the clock ready?
96. 15:18Oh, yes. Good.
97. 15:20Do you want the applicant to make presentation?
98. 15:24Um I didn't get a chance to visit with Jeff before the next meeting. Jeff, do you want to make comments now or do you want to make comments later or does your team
99. 15:34later? Okay. At the conclusion here some people come in sheet. So
100. 15:51I can there's another sheet there.
101. 15:54Okay. So, are we ready to go? Then a motion. Again, I understand what you're saying and it's not the best arrangement and I see empty space up here that chairs could be brought up, but um let's go ahead and get underway. Uh chair would entertain a motion to convene the public hearing open the public hearing. Thank you, Jean. Jean moves. Nathan seconds.
102. 16:24Michael. Yes.
103. 16:25Woodall.
104. 16:26Yes.
105. 16:27Ogle.
106. 16:28Yes.
107. 16:29Spear.
108. 16:30Yes.
109. 16:32Shepsky.
110. 16:33Yes.
111. 16:33Black.
112. 16:34Yes.
113. 16:34Cochra.
114. 16:35Yes.
115. 16:38And Linda, you're going to call the speakers.
116. 16:41Yes.
117. 16:41Okay.
118. 16:43Mary Decker.
119. 16:50Good afternoon. My name is Mary Decker and I live at 41 North Second Street. I lived there 46 years out of 47 years of my life. There has been different directors, been there, done that. Um, and Mr. Dawson has done a great job as far as now since he's been there. We definitely do need a new building due to the fact all breaking down and other things happening in our building. I raised my kids in this building and we don't know. A lot of us technically don't know where we're going to go or what we're going to do if this building
120. 17:29is not done in time. Thank you.
121. 17:33Thank you very
122. 17:36Lori Morland. Good evening. I am Lorie Morland. I moved here in November. I live on Richard I mean Robinson Street um as housing authority as fourth custo I don't care it's a need because not everybody can afford housing outside of that. And what I'm looking at with the project itself, it's not only building something fresh and new, but it also have open spaces on the bottom floor whereas they can have different training programs in it. They can have different learning systems in it. So it's something not only just to live but to learn. And only thing I'm
123. 18:27asking is that this board give them the opportunity to actually do the project itself. I've been in the building. I went from floor to Florida. Michael, the director on the um not the director but he's the manager as far as maintenance is concerned and he gave me a great tour. I looked at it and I looked at the floors and I saw what was going on and before he said anything I said wait a minute what's happening and he asked me what you mean? I said the floors itself
124. 19:00is unlevel which lets me know that the ground needs help. They're asking something from you and that is to live in Hudson continuously raise their children continuously right here in Hudson. So all I'm asking of you is to grant them the opportunity to do that and give them the chance to live comfortably and not struggling. Yes, they would love to have different jobs that pays the price that needs to be to live in Hudson, but I've been here this time since November. the pay raise here is not that great if you don't own the building itself or you don't own the uh
125. 19:46company itself. So, please grant it. Thank you,
126. 19:52Alan Beaver. Hello, Alan Weaver, fourth board. uh formerly member of the Hudson Housing Authority board. Um I was the chairman of the board when we went through this process last time of trying to develop the property. Um, and it didn't work out because basically the report I just gave to Linda is the engineering report we had the soil report we had done for the property of the state second and it wouldn't support the building that we had proposed without extensive uh huge major foundation work that made
127. 20:42cost prohibitive to build the structure and our structure was smaller than what we're proposing. Um, I am not against the goal, but I am against the vision. Basically, what you're looking at is adding four province halls to the second ward, um, which is is out of scale with the current neighborhood. Um, also the need of the residents. There's definitely a need to replace that housing, but you've got 84 tenants, last I heard, uh, that actually live in the complex. Uh, that number seems to bounce around. We also don't have an exact number of uh the cost of the project. Uh
128. 21:22but the state continues to express to the board and to the developer that the their concerns about the gap funding. Uh the state expressed a reduction in cost back in 12 of 25 to the development team. So we don't know what it's going to cost. We don't really even know what it's going to look like. We don't know exactly what the size is going to be. and they're coming for you and asking you to overstamp it basically. So it would be nicer to see something more in scale with the neighborhood as you know
129. 21:55does not need another 300 unit 260 276 whatever the end number is project. We have the John L. Edwards project which will add 65 lowincome senior housing units to the city so tenants from the housing authority could possibly move there. It's just uh at right now I don't see how the Hudson housing authority can absorb or fill 300 units. Um, you know, also the previous planning board uh had a market rate apartment building reduced from 23 units down to 15 seconds and uh at required additional parking. So, I don't see why this planning board cannot
130. 22:45get this project to a reasonable size that will meet the needs of the current residents and also be a benefit to Hudson and not just the developer.
131. 22:57Thank you. Thank you.
132. 23:04Ha. Hi, my name is Kyle Weidman. I'm a resident with Fifth Ward um Glenwood, but I'm also a nonprofit leader of an organization in the second ward which is almost adjacent to the site where the project will be built. Um, we are probably one of the largest parcels near this site of um, the building project and I am here to strongly advocate for your approval of this very deeply necessary project at its proposed size. I've worked with youth and families in the city of Hudson for nearly 20 years.
133. 23:55And the number one issue beyond number one issue, the most profound thing impacting the quality of life and the ability for the social fabric of this community to exist and for young people to our future here
134. 24:12is housing. a girl
135. 24:16is housing, affordable housing. If you care about this city, if you care about children, if you care about families, and if you care about the future of this city, we need this project to be built. We need it to be built on time. And it needs to be passed so that they can achieve the grant, the state grant funding and regulatory approvals needed. Every delay increases the cost through escalation and additional fees and a loss of state funding. I urge you not to delay this project any any further and improve it.
136. 24:52Thank you for getting it this far. This is the most important thing that could shape the benefit of our community going forward. Fritz Suckerman.
137. 25:13Hi, my name is Fritz Suckerman. I'm a licensed landscape architect and I live in the fourth ward. I my comments are prim primarily about the site. The circulation and the parking should not go down second street. Second street is a narrow residential street and cannot handle this traffic volume. The traffic should go through State Street to be safe. Housing along Second Street should be stepped back from the sidewalk. A four-story building right on top of an adjacent twostory building will create an imposing feeling for those residents and thereby destroying
138. 25:46their quality of life. I don't understand why the site is destroying the only shade trees in the in the five block radius around the second ward. The second w is the least planted of all of the wards in Hudson. The way this pro project is designed, we're killing the cops of trees adjacent to the gazebo. If you observe how the residents use bliss towers, they use their front courtyard quite frequently and they use the gazebo. They watch the streetscape. They enjoy watching their children get on the
139. 26:19bus. This design creates a park around with towers around the park. There's no streetscape engagement with the current design. I'd encourage the architects to adjust the design to engage more with the streetscape in scale and use. This this current design creates a loss of eyes on the street. It segregates the residents from engaging with the community. It creates dead zones. This is an encourages urban segregation. I also feel that the scale of this building is out of scale with the neighboring residential tower building. So they're about two and three stories maximum. This is a fourstory building or more. I think we should consider bringing it to scale. I'm in favor of
140. 27:06the project. I think it's desperately needed. But I would encourage the architecture team to consider the aesthetics of the building as well. The residents need a place of dignity and I believe architecturally this could be improved significantly.
141. 27:25Thank you. Did you get her last name?
142. 27:33Bill used really see anybody, but um um I live at 217 Columbia Street, the second ward. Um when we're looking at this project, as someone who was born and raised in Hudson, born at 12 War Street, which is the second ward, I know that area we're talking about right now, everybody talks about the beauty and the streetscape and all this. It it was a junkyard. That's what it was. And they did a brownfield project in the 70s and turned it into what they called at the time a diamond
143. 28:17project to put those people that HUD had displaced when they plowed downtown down what they believed to be new, you know, beautiful housing. It wasn't 10 years later before that building was having problems, right? And the problems just came, you know, continued to persist and persist and persist to where they come now. And I think the people the residents of this building absolutely deserve to have a new home that is fitting for them and their families. And when I serve I served in the city of Hudson from 2002 to 2017 as in various
144. 28:51offices as elected official. And I asked a lot of people when they moved here what were the qualities that made them move here and and some of the things that they kept working on was the architecture and the diversity. But when you look at the diversity of the city of Hudson, a large majority of the the minority population is located in that particular area. And if you look at the city as a whole, the city is being gentrified. And and some people will look at that as a negative. I looked at that as a positive because that means that there's positive building going on.
145. 29:26But that positive building shouldn't be just reserved for those neighborhoods. It should happen in this neighborhood as well. And I think these people deserve new housing. I think you guys should move expeditiously on this since this building has been um you know degrading for about 20 years now. Um and and the only benefit I see is if you guys were to vote and move this um quickly so that these people can make sure that they have secure housing. And also before I um step down is I I hear people talking
146. 29:57about the numbers. Well, yeah, the numbers are low in there because the building is worn down. A lot of families that we know have left this community and move to Filmont, Greenport, and the surrounding areas. They would like to come back here. They would like to come back to the root. Some of those had their families have been rooted in this community for five generations. They should be allowed to come back to this
147. 30:19and you guys can make that happen. Thank you. No. Hi, I'm just found out about today's meeting, so I'm not so prepared, but I do want to say that I support the project. Uh, born and raised, 215 State Street. I now live in Greenport. Just so you know, the rent Greenport is 2850. So, I'm pretty sure many of these a families can't afford to live there. But I also worked at Bliss. I also played at this. I worked for Head Start. I saw many families grow and become something.
148. 30:59So many of these families have gone on to college. There's so much benefits there. I just recently visited again maybe last week. I had an eye opening experience. It actually looked okay. You know, like people say so many things, but you know, like the building friendliness. I was so surprised. I walked to the office, they greeted me, residents were there to say hi. This is a community that's been together for a long time. I really urge you to support this and to support these families. Thank you.
149. 31:34Eli Delux,
150. 31:42um I'm Eli. I live on 15th Street. These people are my neighbors. Um, I've only lived for about 3 years now, but my experience of this tower has been excellent. Um, I think other people have tal talked about how it kind of is a public square in a way. I I feel that really hard, you know. Um, I feel so safe with my neighbors. Um, I I feel like I know more about them than I do my literal nextdoor neighbors, you know what I mean? Um, I've heard some comments here today that
151. 32:20don't really represent them. You know, I hear um what I feel to be pseudointellectual kind of nimi, you know, hiding behind numbers kinds of things. That is just not my experience uh as someone who lives with these people and who um 100% agrees that this project should move forward expeditiously. Um, when I hear things about aesthetics that feels like a dog whistle to me, um, I feel like it's kind of cowardly and sort of sad. So, I would, um, encourage the board to have a the same generous heart as that of my
152. 33:03neighbors when thinking of them and moving this project forward. Eli Burkowitz.
153. 33:23Good evening. My name is Eli Burkowitz. I live in the fifth ward here in Medic and I'm here tonight to express my strong support for moving this project forward and most importantly for the residents of Bliss Towers and the lowrises who have spoken in favor of it. Um I think ultimately it is their buildings and their voices that should carry the most weight in this conversation. And I also want to share, for what it's worth, my own desire to live in a community that has multiple types of
154. 34:01housing, but prioritizes affordable housing and keeping long-term residents in our community, which as other speakers have mentioned, have been failing to do thus far. And I know it is not the exact purview of this board. Um, but I would invite you to consider a holistic vision for the city of Hudson that balances uh quote unquote uh neighborhood um aesthetics with the needs of the actual people that live in the neighborhood. And um I am particularly excited about a project that provides the needed housing and also creates green space and
155. 34:44repurposes streets uh for human use that involves more than just driving cars. Um, I think that that is a smart design for the city of Hudson to pursue. And I think that this project could stand as, excuse me, an example for other communities of how these redevelopments can be pursued in a way that uh, most importantly prioritize the residents needs, prioritize the preservation of truly affordable housing, and um, balance the needs of the community. mind. I'd like to ask a question. Just pause now that we've been listening to speakers. Is everyone able to hear okay
156. 35:27in the back of the room?
157. 35:29And everybody's comfortable. They have a place to to sit.
158. 35:33We have a few more chairs up here.
159. 35:36Okay. Back to you.
160. 35:43Can you increase the mic sound, please? I think that's someone cousin. I live in the fifth ward. I'm on the common council, board member of the Hudson Catskill Housing Coalition, former commissioner on um HHA and director of youth power at Kites Nest. I would like to share my strong support for this project. Um, I could repeat what many people have already said, but I feel like what's missing from this conversation are some of the experiences that folks are shared to are scared to share in this moment. Um, some
161. 36:28of the foundation that led me to want to engage in community service, um, came from my experiences, uh, spending birthday parties in the community rooms at the high-rise, um, spending Christmases and every holiday at my aunt's house and witnessing what folks were able to do in deplorable conditions, conditions that other folks in this community who have such an opinion on aesthetic um would not subject themselves to. But there is no other option for the folks that live in Bliss. This building has been crumbling for decades. Um and folks
162. 37:05have needed to remain here because it's the only place that's affordable. Um the housing authority is the only housing authority in this county. So a project of this scale is speaking to the fact that displacement is not just moving folks out of the city of Hudson, but they're not even able to live in Columbia County. my family. If I want to visit my family, I'm going to Albany. I'm going to Filmont. I'm going to Kingston. I'm going to Pipsy. I'm going out of state because there is nowhere affordable to live. We are fighting as
163. 37:36we're struggling to afford to live here. Um, working at Kites Nest with young adults and teenagers. Um, we have a scale of programming and our our youth staff are encouraged to participate in the programming. But these are young people who have found a safe space in this program that are grappling with what it means to exist in the city of Hudson. Not just live in the city of Hudson, exist in the city of Hudson. They are wondering if if a project like Bliss does not go through, where can they live? There's not jobs that match
164. 38:11the cost of living. Um, I think considering what is on the table with the redevelopment of the housing authority and hearing the testimony of tenants and community members who have built their lives in the property of Bliss. Um, this is a project that is absolutely necessary at this moment. Um, at this moment, not further down the line. Um, not after other projects are built. This is where community lives. This is where community has continued to thrive. And this is where folks want to be. They're advocating to stay in their
165. 38:45homes. Thank you. Abdus may I also 20 years in the second as 11 years 9 years almost I'm strongly strongly support this positive. This need a diverse community. They pushed out the diverse community over here. They said they have no they have no enough job the high pay they have this they are fighting this this house was a problem. I'm pleased I told you that this is the community we want to stay and this is my community we want to stay in the second one please
166. 39:55I'm strongly supported please approve this um um this posit thank you
167. 40:07pastor Kim Singleary Good evening and thank you for the opportunity to present uh our views to the committee. I have served and served still on the Columbia County Housing Task Force. I have served and still served with Columbia County Housing Advisory Board. I formerly served as the sole assessor in the city of Hudson at the time when gentrification was beginning and housing turned from multiple units to McMansions. I remember when there was a a design to make Hudson the Hampton on the Hudson. And so what we are living through and experiencing has been in the framework
168. 40:56for this entire century. I have volunteered in my services at Bliss Towers as a pastor. So I have conversations, communications and relationships with people in West Towers that we in this community have an opportunity to provide housing for the 21st century. Housing built in the 21st century for our community family members, our residents. That we miss this opportunity would be shameful. Our community deserves to have housing that people can afford. Affordable housing is a nationwide issue. It's not just here in Columbia County. We here in Columbia County have an opportunity to
169. 41:39deal with that issue for our community. I bought my mother up here in 2023 and she moved into Joselyn Commons. She was there nine months and her rent went rent went rent went rent went rent went rent went rent went rent went rent went rent went rent went up $200 a month for an 80 year old person that's unconscionable but that's private property this is a public housing development and we certainly can make room for public housing to be improved to be made affordable to be what people
170. 42:11deserve in the 21st century so I'm looking at faces I'm looking for hearts that will make the right decision for the families that have grown up here, that are living here, that want to come back here. Thank you so much for your time.
171. 42:37Mr. Speak, Mr. Chairman,
172. 42:43there are no other names on the list. Okay. Okay. So, uh we're going to we've concluded the uh public hearing. Thank you all for your comments. Um and a motion to adjourn the public hearing would be in order.
173. 43:12Yep. Adjourn to the August 11 to the August 11th meeting. Provided there are no further comments, maybe just give it one more.
174. 43:20The applicant chose
175. 43:21Oh, that so is that a part of the public hearing or is that okay from my perspective? There are other people who want to put their names on lists at this point.
176. 43:33So, two things. If you want to sign up to speak, we're going to open up that window again. Now, sign up is on the table. Um, so Jeffrey, would you like to go ahead and talk now or do you want to let any other speakers speak first?
177. 43:48Okay.
178. 44:07My name is Carla S. Ward living the fourth ward. I'm also in support of the bliss. What I'm not in support of is what I consider at times disregarding um red flags. What I consider red flags whether it's the soil or the management from the construction company. But I am all for the support. That's basically it. Is there sufficient um information to the planning board? Does the planning board have any doubts about what's being presented to them? That's my question to have you consider all support. The people of Bliss Towers
179. 45:04need to have a home and this is their home. No question. Can this be built in the time frame? Is it set up well? Is it does it have the in the necessary infrastructure that's going to deliver? There's too many things that have been said that have been discovered that has been revealed that leave certain things in question that would have me personally questioned the immediate um acceptance of this. Thank you.
180. 45:40Okay. So, I'll introduce the executive director of HHA. We're not putting you on the clock.
181. 46:00Oh, I appreciate that. I appreciate that. Um, before I get started, I do want our attorney to say something. Um, but I do want to start from uh start by saying thank you to all who have come and taken concern about our community uh and and having this discourse. Uh I really wouldn't have it any other way. Um and I'd like all my residents to please stand. um their pumps come up, some have buzz, some have won walk, but these are our residents and these are the people that live in this community um and deserve to be recognized. Um and and these are the
182. 46:38people that I'm advocating for. Um so with that, I'm going to introduce Joy and then Commissioner Smith and Austin.
183. 46:46Hi everyone. Uh my name is Jonathan Joy. I'm an attorney from the law firm Man Rider McKay representing the housing authority. Uh we appreciate the public's overwhelmingly supportive comments tonight and their recognition of how important this project is. Uh as far as the status of our application, we were hoping to appear before the ZBA last week, but unfortunately they did not have a quorum. So we will have to appear next month, which I think is August 17th. So it'll actually be after the planning board's next uh regular meeting. Uh since our last meeting, we made a submission with among other things some engineering comment responses, updated plans, updated SWIP.
184. 47:24Uh in between now and next meeting, we would be happy to answer any comments in writing that the planning board would like us to address.
185. 47:41My name is Randa Smith. I am the Hudson Housing Authority board chair. I was also born and raised in the Hudson Housing Authority. My parents still live there. My mother and family is here tonight. And you know, I just want to really speak on the duty of the board of commissioners of the housing authority and also the executive director. Our duty is to continue to build. It isn't just to stop, let something squat, let something rise. It is to take care of, keep building. if we can keep building max out. Um Jess and Malcolm is very
186. 48:15nice to agree with going smaller about going big because when you're a chair, you go to conferences and they let you know that you are to build as much as you can and you do not stop there and we're not going to stop here. You'll see us again. Um but that's all I want to say is thank you all for being here tonight and we're not done.
187. 48:37Thank you. Um and Lastly, I'll say uh these couple things. When I uh was hired for this position by Revi Smith and the board of commissioners, um one of the things I believe they took into account is the fact that uh not only was I a not only am I an advocate for housing, I too was a resident. Um so this doesn't and I'm not somebody that stayed in an apartment for a day or two. I lived in public housing myself for 23 years. And part of my vision is to is to uh share
188. 49:16the fact that you can become self-sufficient um if you have a decent place to live, if you have a place to think through your problems, uh to you know build be built around good schools. um have the opportunity to uh call uh you know be together with your neighbors uh and and make us a part of the community. You know, one of the things that the mayor's done um the current mayor has done that I really love is that he's had his uh uh ward meetings at
189. 49:48different locations. And one in particular, he comes to Bliss Towers, which other people have to come to Bliss Towers to actually participate in that meeting. And that's important because we are part of the community. We're not separate and we're not asking to be separate. The building is not designed to be separate. It's going to have a park-like atmosphere. Um we have folks that I see that are on the border and around the neighborhood that walk in and around our community on a regular basis and we'll continue to do so, I'm certain. Um but we want to be a part of the community. We want to be able to
190. 50:21have an economic impact, a further economic impact on uh Hudson and we will do that as we currently do. Um and we just really appreciate uh your support. Uh you know, physical comprehensive physical needs assessment was done uh prior to my arrival and declared the building obsolete. Uh I can't sit there and do nothing. the disinvestment of public housing uh by the federal government uh has been ongoing and continues and but they've given us tools to uh sustain and create and be better and that's those are the tools that we're using. And the last thing I'll say is that you know I can't speak to the maintenance of the building prior to me getting it. Um, but I've been there for four years and taken care of the building as best I could within uh, you
191. 51:14know, our resources. Uh, but we had to make a decision and there's a decision to go forward to build and as Raanda said, this is just the beginning. Um, housing is the number one problem in the world on any ballot. Uh, it's either number one or number two along with the economy. uh Hudson has an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people and be an example of university. Thank you.
192. 51:43Thank you all. A motion to adjourn the public hearing until August 11th.
193. 51:50Shane second. Linda
194. 51:57Michael.
195. 51:58Yes.
196. 51:58Whipple.
197. 51:59Yes.
198. 52:01Spear.
199. 52:02Yes.
200. 52:03Chetsky. Yes.
201. 52:05Black.
202. 52:05Yes.
203. 52:06Conquer.
204. 52:06Yes.
205. 52:08Thank you all again. Um any comments from the board to our citizens, to our neighbors? Uh this was a great conversation. We thank you. Um it's good for the community to be able to come together like this and have a constructive and respectful conversation about such an important project. Thank you all. Um,
206. 52:32so I have an alternative proposal for what we do next. When previously I suggested that we look at the question tonight and I just consulted with Andrew and I think rather than discussing it tonight, I'll just send an invitation to the board to send any questions between now and the 11th May. I'll assemble that in a in a package and bring it to the board discussion on August 11th. In the meantime, I I'm expecting a fairly heavy volume of written comments. So, check our portal. Um and then we'll also be
207. 53:07looking at the portal to see what So that's really Huh? I know. Defense generally agreeable that I will send an invitation to the court a motion to adjourn this order. Second.
208. 53:47Who made the Oh, made the post. Thank

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