Columbia County Fair Housing
Latest Update from Fair Housing Officer, William Fisher
Attention Tenants and Landlords: The following is an important and direct quote, as of April 28, 2022, from the OTDA regarding the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), "The 2022-23 State budget includes additional funds to support the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). Prior to the addition of these funds OTDA anticipated funding applications submitted through October 7, 2021. As a result of the additional funding OTDA is processing eligible ERAP applications through March 31, 2022. Currently applications submitted through December 31, 2021 are under active review and processing is to be followed in coming months by applications submitted from January 1 through March 31, 2022. This notification will be updated if additional funding is available to pay eligible applicants after March 31, 2022."
Based on this encouraging news Columbia County's Fair Housing Department urges tenants and landlords to call the Emergency Rental Assistance Call Center at 1-844-691-7368. If you have already applied you should check the status of your application. If you have not yet applied you should call 1-844-691- 7368 to determine eligibility and if you meet the criteria make application as soon as possible. William Fisher, Fair Housing Officer Columbia County at 518-828-0342.
As of 10:00 PM on January 11, 2022, the ERAP application portal reopened and is accepting new applications. Applying for State ERAP will provide tenants with certain protections while the State makes a decision on their application. Clients may apply by going to http://www.otda.ny.gov/erap, by calling 1-844-NY1-RENT (1-844-691-7368). Please refer to the following link from News 10 WTEN for information: https://www.news10.com/news/ny-news/erap-accepting-applications-again-those-applying-not-guaranteed-money/
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

Previous Updates (also refer to the NYS website at https://hcr.ny.gov/tenants)
10-7-21 LRAP Assistance Application
6-1-21 ERAP Application
5-10-21 Moratorium on Evictions Extended update
2-8-21 Moratorium on Evictions and Foreclosures update
1-5-21 NYS Update to Moratorium on Evictions and Foreclosures
NYS HCR Rent Relief Overview & Eligibility
10-7-21 LRAP Assistance Application
6-1-21 ERAP Application
5-10-21 Moratorium on Evictions Extended update
2-8-21 Moratorium on Evictions and Foreclosures update
1-5-21 NYS Update to Moratorium on Evictions and Foreclosures
NYS HCR Rent Relief Overview & Eligibility
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)
Theresa Mayhew – HAB Chair – mmayhew1@nycap.rr.com (Community member, retired Cornell Cooperative Extension Columbia Greene Counties)
Bertram Downes – bert.reentry@gmail.com (Reentry Columbia County)
Jeffrey Fineout -- jeffrey.reentry@gmail.com(Reentry Columbia County)
Brenda Adams -- supervisor@canaannewyork.org (Town of Canaan Supervisor)
Carol Michael -- chaconiagold@hotmail.com (Community member, retired from Housing Resources)
Dominick Merante -- dmerante@ilchv.org (Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley)
Gail Paone -- gpaone@columbiaopportunities.org (Columbia Opportunities)
Rev. Kim Singletary -- klsomic@gmail.com (Overcomers Ministries)
Kylie Proper -- kproper@st-cath.org (St. Catherine’s)
Letty Malin -- lmalin12521@gmail.com (Mental Health Association of Columbia & Greene Counties)
Lisa Dixon-Watson -- lisa.dixon-watson@cbna.com (Community Bank)
Stephanie Snyder -- stephanie.snyder2@dfa.state.ny.us (Columbia County Department of Social Services)
Barbara Palmateer -- bpalmateer@cagcny.org (Community Action of Greene County)
Theresa Joyner -- onestophomeshopping800@yahoo.com (One Stop Realty)
Claire Cousin -- cousin.c1218@gmail.com (1st Ward Supervisor-elect, City of Hudson)
Daniel Rockefeller -- fixitman117@gmail.com (Consumer Sector Rep./COI Member