Progress for HHA Development

At last night's meeting of the Hudson Housing Authority (HHA) Board of Commissioners, the four commissioners present--Revonda Smith, Claire Cousin, Rebecca Wolff, and Nick Zachos--voted unanimously to enter into an option agreement for three parcels owned by Hudson Community Development and Planning Agency (HCDPA). The three parcels are 202-206 Columbia Street, what remains of the community garden at the corner of Columbia and Second; 2-4 Warren Street, now an urban renewal era park known fondly to some as "Promenade Prospect Park"; and 2 to 14 State Street, the land on the north side of the street from Front Street east to the park across the street from Bliss Towers.

The option agreement is for one year with the right to renew the agreement for an additional two years. HHA will pay a $25,000 fee to HCDPA for each year the option is in effect, and payments will be applied to the purchase price of whatever parcels they decide to use. 

The parcels will be offered to potential development partners in the RFP (request for proposals), and the developers will decide which parcels to propose for development. The goal is to build replacement housing so HHA will be able to demolish its existing properties, Bliss Towers and Columbia Apartments. Jeffrey Dodson, executive director of HHA, promised the RFP would be ready to be released as soon as possible.

Dodson, who became executive director in May, said of the agreement, which he called "a step in the process," "This is exciting, and this is one of the reasons I chose to come to Hudson." He told the commissioners he had in the past month visited the HUD field office in Buffalo and reported, "They have confidence in my leadership."

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