Columbia County Fair Housing

Fair Housing Officer
William Fisher
Phone: 518-828-0342
Email: wms123123@live.com

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

February 7, 2025

The Columbia County Housing Advisory Board Announces
 its 2025 Fair Housing Poster Contest

The Columbia County Housing Advisory Board (HAB) is pleased to announce that
 "THIS IS MY NEIGHBORHOOD" is the theme for this year's Fair Housing Poster Contest, which is open to all third and fourth graders. With the chill of winter upon us, this is a great time to encourage your students to capture the warmth and diversity of the houses and people in their communities. Posters must reflect this year's theme “THIS IS MY NEIGHBORHOOD” which can be created using pen, crayon, markers or colored pencils and must be12" x 18" in size. Informational packets outlining specific contest rules will be distributed to all Columbia County Schools and arc available to those students being home schooled upon request.

 The deadline for submitting posters for judging is March 26, 2025. Entries may be submitted prior to this date, but no later than 4:00 p.m. on March 26, 2025. Entries should be delivered or mailed to the Attention of William Fisher, 401 State Street Hudson. NY 12534. If the posters are being delivered in person, please call William Fisher 518-828-0342, to advise as to the date and time they will be arriving. Each entry will be judged based on its adherence to the contest theme, originality, neatness, and composition.

First. second, and third place, as well as honorable mentions will be awarded in each grade level. First place, second place and third place winners in each grade level will receive Gift Cards of $50.00 $35.00, and $20,00; respectively from Staples. First, second and third place winners and honorable mentions will receive an 82-piece Color Art Set. Also, the first-place winning student's teacher will each receive a $50.00 Gift Card from Staples to be used for classroom school supplies. Every student who participates will receive a Participation Certificate.


 Contest winners will be notified by mail on or about April 9, 2025. They, along with their family members and art and classroom teachers, will be invited to attend an evening awards reception on April 30, 2025.  For more information:


Contact: William Fisher

 Columbia County Fair Housing Officer

 Poster Contest Chairman

 Phone: 518-828-0342

4-16-25 Fair Housing.pdf

For Rental Payment Assistance, please contact the following organizations:

Promise Neighborhood 518-929-7732
Catholic Charities  518-828-8660
or
Columbia Opportunities 518-828-4611


Contact information for Landlord/Tenants Rights 

 

Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York 518-462-6765

 

Hon. John (Jack) Connor, Jr., Hudson City Court; 

HudsonCityCourt@nycourts.gov; 518-267-3082

 

Barbara Palmateer, Director, Community Action of Greene County; 

bpalmateer@cagcny.org; 518-943-9205 x111

 

Dale-Ann Brown; Program Director, Housing Choice Voucher Program; 

dbrown@jeminc.com; 518-372-8846, x-120

 

William (Bill) Fisher; Columbia County Fair Housing Officer; 

wms123123@live.com; 518-828-0342

Fair Housing Officer (FHO) - William Fisher             

The Fair Housing Officer (FHO) is appointed by the County Board of Supervisors (BOS). The BOS is comprised of Supervisors from the County's eighteen towns and the five wards within the City of Hudson. The FHO, William Fisher is charged with the responsibility of reporting all matters, which effect or may effect housing within its borders, to the County Government Committee. The FHO is assisted by a Housing Advisory Board (HAB) which consists of volunteers from local government and individuals who make up the County's religious, business, financial, and housing, communities. The HAB is fully committed to fair housing, widely diverse in its membership, its knowledge of the County's demographics and the housing needs of its residents.  It is with sincere thanks and gratitude that we list here the names of those volunteers currently serving on the HAB, together with their affiliations.          

Housing Advisory Board (HAB)

Dominick Merante, Chairperson -- dmerante@ilchv.org (Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley)
Rev. Kim Singletary -- klsomic@gmail.com (Overcomers Ministries)
Lisa Dixon-Watson -- lisa.dixon-watson@cbna.com  (Community Bank)
Joseph Pomeroy -- jpomeroy@st-cath.org  (St. Catherine's Center for Children)
Barbara Palmateer -- bpalmateer@cagcny.org (Community Action of Greene County)
Theresa Joyner -- CIty of Hudson Fair Housing Office - tjoyner@cityofhudson.org
Magnolia McBroom -- magnolia.mcbroom@columbiacountyny.com (Columbia County Department of Health)
Trish Mayo -- Columbia County Department of Mental Health -  tricia.mayo@columbiacountyny.com
Randall Martin - City of Hudson 1st Ward Supervisor - randall.martin@columbiacountyny.com
Danielle Hotaling - ReEntry Columbia - danielleh.reentry@gmail.com
Jared Camacho - St. Catherine's Center for Children - jcamacho@st-cath.org 

Purpose: The purpose of the Fair Housing Department is to assure that no member of the community is discriminated against in either the rental or purchase of housing based on the following "protected characteristics:" Race, Religion (creed), National Origin, Sex, Age, Disability, Marital Status, Military Status, Family Status, Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity, as guaranteed under the Federal Fair Housing Act and the New York State Division of Human Rights (518-474-2705). Part of its mission is also to insure that tenants' rights are not violated as set forth in the Tenants' Rights Guide and mandated by the Attorney General's Office of New York State. These include but may not limited to the Landlord's obligations and requirements as they relate to the Warranty of Habitability and Repairs, Security Deposits, Rent Increases, Leases, Harassment, Retaliation and Evictions. These rights have been further enhanced and strengthened by the enactment of New York State's Housing Stability and Tenant's Protection Act of 2019.