The Dutchess County Legislature approved the Homeless Outreach & Program Engagement (HOPE) Center, a new emergency housing facility for people experiencing homelessness, with a $13 million grant from the state's Homeless Housing and Assistance Program.
The facility will be located at 26 Oakley Street in Poughkeepsie and will provide housing, structure, and support services for up to 99 individuals. The center will operate 24 hours a day with security, cameras, enhanced lighting, and a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. A stakeholder group will be established to communicate about operations and address safety and quality-of-life concerns in the surrounding area.
The HOPE Center will replace temporary housing units (PODS) at 140 North Hamilton Street in Poughkeepsie, which have reached the end of their useful life and require costly repairs, including a major roof replacement.
Every resident will complete an intake process and participate in case management. Staff will assess each person's needs and connect them with services including mental health and substance-use treatment, job training, education, and other support to help them gain independence and secure permanent housing. The facility will operate with clear rules and a structured environment designed to help residents make lasting changes.
From opening until the end of 2031, the HOPE Center will serve adult men and women. After that period, it will transition to serving single women and families. Dutchess County also committed not to establish or fund another emergency shelter in Poughkeepsie for 35 years and will work to provide alternate shelter for single men after 2031.
The county's Department of Community & Family Services launched an intensive case management program in 2024 that has already helped nearly 110 people move from emergency shelter into assisted, transitional, or permanent housing. Construction on the HOPE Center is expected to begin in late 2026, with the facility anticipated to open by the end of 2027.