Editor’s Note: After FEMA was in Beacon to register people for federal assistance at the Veterans Memorial Building after a hurricane caused damage to some homes, a representative with FEMA who lived out of state asked ALBB where homeless people can go in Beacon. They were approached by a person who needed homeless services, and did not know where to go. This is not the first time ALBB has been approached with this question by people in immediate need, who do not have time to research and apply for programs to maybe be approved, if they even finish or attain an application.

We asked our new writer, Alexis Rosa, a recent graduate from Beacon High School to investigate this process. Alexis set out to find out what it was like to need homeless services right now - tonight - in Beacon.

By Alexis Rosa

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. census reported that at one point in time in 2020 there were 17 homeless people per 10,000 residents. A decrease from the previous years, but any amount more than 0 is too high. In this article, I will explore where someone in Beacon can go if they are going to be homeless that night. But homelessness doesn’t happen without life situations, sometimes contributed by mental illness. Therefore, I explore both mental illness support and home shelters available, and how to access them.

How Dutchess County Handles Mental Health From An Accessibility Perspective

Dutchess County has a mental health problem. To be clear, I am not referring to the amount of people with mental health issues in Dutchess County. I am referring to how we deal with people with mental health issues.

“I think that housing should be considered as infrastructure, meaning that communities should think of housing as a basic need that has to be adequately met in order to have a healthy and productive community”

— Javier Gomez, Hudson River Housing

Most people agree that there is a homelessness crisis, very few people want the solution to be in their backyard.

The fact of the matter is that anyone could find themselves in an emergency situation like this. A dangerous amount of people are one paycheck away from being on the streets. When you find yourself in this situation, what do you do? How easy are these resources to access, really?

Dutchess County has a 24/7 Crisis Hotline listed as being available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year—even on holidays. They offer calling or texting at 845-485-9700 with professional crisis counselors. Knowing how useful and important having the option to text a crisis hotline can be, I was eager to try it out for myself.

Calling Dutchess County’s Hotline

Editor’s Note: We wanted to experience Dutchess County’s Crisis Hotline ourselves, not through them giving a media publication information, as that would be done in a more perfect, optimistic way. We wanted the real experience. We asked Alexis to find out.

I reached out to them through their texting service to see how they might help someone in a crisis situation. I wanted to see about the quality of assistance they offer.

It took a moment, but after the initial text I sent, I was met with the standard chatbot letting me know about messaging rates, and telling me to reply with “Yes” to consent to continued texts. Not even a minute after the bot responses, a counselor was made available to help me, and joined the session.

Counselor: Hi. How can I help you?

Me: I’m going to be homeless tonight and I’m not sure where to go. I was hoping someone might be able to point me in the right direction?

Counselor: I am sorry to hear that. Are you in Dutchess County?

Me: Yes, in Beacon

Counselor: Do you have transportation?

Me: No, I might be able to take the bus though

Counselor: Ok. Have you ever been in any housing in this county before?

Me: No

Counselor: I mean applied for housing OR been to Hudson River Housing in POK?

Counselor: Ok

Me: No, I’m on my own for the first time

Counselor: How old are you if you don’t mind?

Me: 21

Counselor: Ok, so here are some numbers. You can also go to the stabilization center at 230 North Road, Poughkeepsie. They are open 24/7. It is NOT a hospital. They have licensed social workers and mental health counselors who can help you navigate housing. I STRONGLY recommend that you go there ASAP so they have the ability to make calls and help you.

Counselor: Hudson River Housing 845-473-5166

Counselor: Rose House 845-452-2728

Counselor: Alliance House 845-452-5015

Counselor: The PODS (emergency housing) is the same as Hudson river housing.

Counselor: Porchlight Program 845-337-4407

Counselor: Are you safe in this moment?

Me: Yeah I’m safe for now. Is there something I can do if I don’t have money for the bus?

Counselor: IF you have medicaid, you can possible get medicaid transportation

Counselor: Can anyone bring you to Poughkeepsie?

Me: I’m trying to ask around to see if someone can, but I’m not certain right now. How does the medicaid transportation work? Is there a number I can call?

Counselor: Ok I am going to give you the number to stabilization so you can arrange this with them. 845-486-2849. Call them now, so you can make sure you get all the information you need.

After providing me with all the information they could offer me, based on the questions I asked and the answers I gave them, the chat was closed, but only after I gave my okay for the counselor to end the session.

In the short duration of our chat, I learned about multiple places that would offer me assistance, and an alternate form of transportation. Ultimately, I was satisfied with the level of assistance. But considering I wasn’t actually in dire need of these services, and for the sake of this article, I couldn’t just stop there. I reached out via email to multiple companies and organizations all with the same goal of helping people in need find emergency shelter and housing.

Exploring Rose House

Rose House is another organization with a similar goal of assisting those who need housing in the Hudson Valley. They have multiple short term shelters across New York that are available to those in need 24/7, all year round. What’s unique about Rose House is that they are listed as being “peer-operated”, completely run by people who have been in similar situations and wish to give back. I had some trouble finding their website initially, but once I did, I learned that their shelters are available to any one 18 years of age or older living in Dutchess, Orange, Ulster, Putnam, Warren, and Washington Counties. There is a screening process for these facilities. Once you become a registered guest at the Rose House, they offer up to a 5 day stay, and assistance with developing skills to better care for and maintain one's mental wellness. The programs they offer are voluntary, and residents can come and go as they please.

Exploring Alliance House

Alliance House is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1987. They follow a “clubhouse model” and that makes anyone who uses their services members, not clients. “To have Membership in an organization means to belong, to fit in somewhere, and to have a place where you are always welcome. For a person living with the effects of mental illness, these simple things cannot be taken for granted. In fact, the reality for most people with mental illness is that they have a constant sense of not fitting in, of isolation, and rejection,” as said by Joel Corcoran, the executive director for Clubhouse International.

Alliance House owns two properties that are exclusively for members. In order to become a member you must be over 18, have a diagnosed mental illness, and not be a safety concern. Your diagnosis has to be an Axis 1 diagnosis, and you need a referral made by a medical professional in which a mental health evaluation and treatment plan must be included. This process of becoming a member is not the easiest by any means, especially considering the waiting period for something as basic as setting up an appointment with a medical professional today. Using this as a solution requires a lot of time.

Exploring Hudson River Housing

Hudson River Housing is a company that prides itself on its life and community improving services. To take a quote from their website, they “create pathways out of homelessness through empowerment, education, and advocacy.” In the economy we are living in today, organizations that are dedicated to preserving affordable housing and ultimately helping to build, and maintain strong communities are becoming more and more of a necessity.

Grassroot organizations are popping up all over with this mission in mind, but companies like Hudson River Housing have been around for a time. What started as a task force quickly evolved. In 1982, Hudson River Housing was officially founded.

Hudson River Housing offers overnight emergency shelter all year round at 150 North Hamilton Street in Poughkeepsie. There is a curfew of 6:30 pm. Additional emergency shelters can be found at Webster House for anyone 18 years of age or older. There is a screening process, and guests are expected to meet with a “care manager” to discuss reasons for homelessness and set up a plan for permanent housing. Their website also lists emergency housing for families as well as for runaways or otherwise homeless children and teenagers.

Project Porchlight is a drop in shelter that is listed on the Hudson River Housing website. What that means is, during their hours of operation between 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, anyone is welcome. You’ll receive a place to sleep, food, basic supplies, access to showers, and assistance from care managers.

Alexis Interviews Hudson River Housing

I was able to interview Javier Gomez, the Director of Community Development at Hudson River Housing. He was able to answer a lot of questions for me that I was unable to find the answers to on the HRH website, answers to questions that I feel to be important when discussing housing and the resources we have available.

Javier is a Hudson Valley native, and has been a resident of the Hudson Valley since 2002 where he grew up in both Beacon and Wappingers.

As the Director of Community Development, Javier has a wide range of responsibilities that he oversees. Some of those responsibilities include community engagement activities, neighborhood revitalization and community programs, advocacy, partnerships, and impact measurement.

On the topic of the housing crisis being a human rights issue, Javier said that HRH does believe housing to be a human right. It is the vision of HRH for all communities to have sufficient affordable housing for its residents. Everyone should have the opportunity to live in safe, affordable housing that meets their needs regardless of income, family makeup, race or ethnicity, gender, physical or mental health, or any other defining factors.

“To go a little bit further, I think that housing should be considered as infrastructure, meaning that communities should think of housing as a basic need that has to be adequately met in order to have a healthy and productive community,” Javier added.

Javier explained to me that Hudson River Housing is the largest non-profit developer of affordable housing in Dutchess County. They primarily work out of Poughkeepsie, but they do have some reach over in other parts of the Hudson Valley. Hudson River Housing develops and operates a variety of housing and services to meet the diverse housing needs of the people that call the Hudson Valley home. These services range from the aforementioned emergency overnight services to transitional, supportive, and permanent rental housing, as well as homes for first time homebuyers.

In addition to developing and operating affordable housing, HRH also provides other services for people experiencing homelessness or any other housing needs, such as life skills-based care management, job training, homebuyer education. HRH also offers specialized services and housing for youth, elders and veterans, specialized small business support, outreach and neighborhood revitalization programs, and landlord and renter assistance.

I asked Javier what the process of working with Hudson River Housing might look like for someone seeking affordable housing. He explained that people access their housing through a variety of ways. Hudson River Housing has community partners all over the Hudson Valley that provide referrals to people seeking housing, such as the Dutchess County Department of Community and Family Services and other social service offices.

For permanent rental housing, there are applications online and in-person, and people will become notified when a unit that meets their needs becomes available. I asked Javier how long it would take to be notified, and he went on to explain that it can be up to a month before you hear anything so HRH encourages people to apply before they find themselves in an emergency situation. They work their way through the wait-list and Javier assured me that nobody gets skipped.

“HRH acknowledges that there is an unmet need for affordable housing in communities throughout the Hudson Valley. ”

— Alexis Rosa, when interviewing Javier Gomez, Hudson River Housing

Since HRH’s establishment in 1982, they have developed over 1,400 housing units and currently co-own or manage over 1,300 affordable housing units across 8 towns and municipalities throughout the Hudson Valley. In 2022, HRH was able to provide emergency shelter and services to 995 adults and 325 youth or young adults. They’ve also offered 91 households their support in moving from emergency housing to permanent housing, and helped 40 households with home buying.

I asked Javier what difficulties HRH faces while trying to get this help to people who need it. He acknowledged that HRH’s most notable challenge is that their emergency and supportive housing is primarily located in the City and Town of Poughkeepsie.

“We’re seeing a rise of people experiencing homelessness throughout Dutchess County and the Hudson Valley, but most of our resources to address homelessness are concentrated in Poughkeepsie. We get calls from towns throughout the region to provide outreach to people who are homeless and, like many of us, these folks have ties to a community that make it difficult for them to leave the town where they live in and uproot to another place where they would need to rebuild their life. If we could create more opportunities for people to enter into housing and get services where they are already, that would go a long way to getting people the help they need to get off of the street.”

Javier noted that people come to them as a last resort whether it be emergency housing, rental assistance, foreclosure prevention counseling, or because they’re about to lose their apartment.

“I think we do a great job at getting people connected to the help they need now to address the housing issue they are going through no matter what it is, and we also strive to get people connected to resources and opportunities that will make it less likely for them to be in this situation again.”

HRH manages their own properties, but they offer property management services to property owners of affordable housing as well. HRH operates similarly to any other property management company; they communicate with tenants, collect rent, maintain properties, and manage leases. What sets them apart, aside from being a nonprofit and all the resources they offer, is that they’re familiar with a broad range of state, local, and federal affordable housing compliance regulations. This knowledge allows them to be able to ensure that properties remain in compliance with those regulations as a part of their service.

Javier had some amazing things to say about the people affected by this crisis and how communities tackle the situation too!

“Homelessness and housing insecurity is caused by a variety of individual and societal factors, and I find that people who don’t work directly in housing will sometimes approach the issue by thinking about how to prevent the circumstances and decisions that may have led to someone becoming homeless or housing insecure. I don't want to take anything away from that because addressing the cause is absolutely important, and HRH is doing that work too, but to offer another perspective preventing housing insecurity is only part of the solution and it is also really important to concern ourselves with the immediate needs of people experiencing housing insecurity, and invest in the resources that help people.”

I asked Javier if he was satisfied with the work that his organization does, and whether or not there was more that they could be doing. He expressed that he thinks HRH is doing a great job with the resources they have, but that HRH acknowledges that there is an unmet need for affordable housing in communities throughout the Hudson Valley.

HRH welcomes any opportunity to form relationships with any communities interested in creating more housing for their residents. If anyone is interested in helping HRH, they do accept donations in the form of financial contributions as well as supplies for their housing. HRH also does work with individuals, companies, and organizations to host fundraisers, as well as an Adopt-a-Night program where people can volunteer to prepare or donate a meal for their housing.

Becoming more engaged in the public approval process for housing in your towns or cities is another great way people can get involved and help. Speak with your local elected officials, talk about why affordable housing matters.

“It’s true that there is a housing crisis across the country, but the decisions about what kind of housing gets built and where takes place at the local level and it's important to be informed about what is going on here in our community and not just what can be done at the national level.”

The other organizations, Rose House and Alliance House, never reached back to me about answering any questions unfortunately, but their websites offered a fair amount of insight. In my quest to find out if the process was easy or hard, I didn’t really get my answer. But, it indicates the answer of accessibility being a long road.

Immediate Shelter Need In An Emergency Situation

For someone needing immediate shelter in an emergency situation, Hudson River housing offered the most accessible solutions. Transportation is another thing entirely. The counselor I spoke to over the hotline did detail that if you have Medicaid, you could possibly get medicaid transportation, but that doesn’t offer a solution for someone who doesn’t have Medicaid.

A bus ride up to Poughkeepsie is $1.75 one way. Poughkeepsie residents do get to ride for free when they’re under the age of 20, however, and there are discounted prices for the elderly, children, and students.

Depending on which bus driver you get, most of them will let you ride on just one payment, but on the weekends there is one bus driver who requires you pay twice if you get on at the wrong bus stop (depending on which way you’re going). $1.75 might not seem like much in the grand scheme of things, but in an emergency situation it can be a lot harder to make that money than one would think.

Alexis’ Conclusion

“Beacon is a bustling tourist spot now, but what about the people with strong roots here? How are they doing? We as citizens need to be sure we’re asking the right questions to the right people.”

— Alexis Rosa

It’s apparent to me that we as a community need to be more willing to have these life-saving resources more readily available. Housing is, and should be considered, a human right and the property values of our homes are not worth more than the life of a human. You can tell a great deal about whether or not a town or city is thriving based on how they treat their residents who are struggling financially or mentally. Beacon is a bustling tourist spot now, but what about the people with strong roots here? How are they doing? We as citizens need to be sure we’re asking the right questions to the right people.

For new residents who don't know, certain parts of Beacon used to be considered dangerous. Even today a lot of the apartment complexes and certain areas in Beacon still carry that stigma of being dangerous or undesirable to be in. With the cost of living in Beacon continuing to rise, we will continue to see an uptick in crime. Whether or not it will match those levels previously held is uncertain, but what we do know is that when people’s needs go unmet, crime rises.

While I may not have found the answer to the question of whether or not all of these resources are easily accessible, I did learn a lot about resources we have here in the Hudson Valley that I was not previously aware of. As we know, any knowledge is good knowledge. Knowledge is power.

More information on these organizations can be found on their websites and by calling the numbers provided in this article.