Housing Resource Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

(Newburgh) - Orange County Department of Social Services and Catholic Charities Community Services hosted the official grand opening of the Housing Resource Center located at 280 Broadway in Newburgh last Friday. A ribbon-cutting ceremony launched the grand opening, which was followed by tours and open house celebrations by all partner offices and businesses co-located in the building.

“When Vinny Capeletti bought the old Bank of New York building on Broadway he had a vision,” Newburgh Mayor Nick Valentine said. Capeletti wanted to transform the building into a place where residents could come to get help from a variety of sources: a one-stop shop for social services. “We worked with Vinny and Orange County Department of Social Services Commissioner David Jolly to make it happen,” Valentine said, “we’re on a roll of no more boarding up, we want to open up!”
Orange County Executive Edward Diana said that the Housing Resource Center in Newburgh has been modeled after a similar center known as the Housing Resource Alliance (HRA), which opened in Middletown in 2005. It is a partnership between the Department of Social Services, the Regional Economic Community Action Program and the Joint Members of Health and Community Agencies (JMHCA). “While the Middletown HRA serves western Orange County, the Housing Resource Center in Newburgh will now provide similar services for eastern Orange County residents,” Diana said.
Each center is a collaborative partnership to more effectively respond to housing issues impacting individuals and families such as rising housing costs, lack of affordable housing options, eviction and homelessness.
The Housing Resource Center is a unique example of public and private co-location servicing the community. Safe Homes Project of Orange County, Youth Advocate Program, Rehabilitation Support Services, O.C. Re-entry Program, Step Stone Financial, Law Office of Paul Trachte and the Hudson Valley Showcase, all call 280 Broadway home.

Pictured to the Left :Mayor Nick Valentine, Deputy Mayor Regina Angelo, Nolly Climes, Orange County Executive Edward Diana, City Manager Jean-Ann McGrane, and Orange County Department of Social Services Commissioner David Jolly participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Pictured at the top of the page: Orange County Safe Homes Executive Director Michele McKeon and Honorable B. Harold Ramsey attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Housing Resource Center in Newburgh.