Katie Olson reached out to Hudson Valley One this week to report that she has secured permanent housing in Ulster County and is no longer in need of placement assistance from the Department of Social Services.
Even better, said Olson, the new digs are close to nature. She and her son love the fact he now has front and back yards.
“Hearing the birds every day and then the neighboring roosters crow has really made it special to him,” said Olson. “He is excited to start gardening with me and looking for bugs and fossils. He’s a smart boy.”
Citing DEC violations, county executive Jen Metzger on April 27 halted the placement of those in need of temporary emergency housing at the Rodeway Inn off Route 28 west of Kingston.
To those who would say that the net result of closing the location is fewer beds for those in need, consider these words of Katie Olson: “Often people would not go back there because of the conditions. People were choosing alternative situations. If we do not have placement where a place is up to code, then we were already short of adequate housing [in the first place]. “
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