October 22, 2026, Hudson, NY — The Hudson Catskill Housing Coalition (HCHC) is celebrating a major victory for affordable housing following the Hudson Planning Board's October 19 vote to approve Phase One of the Bliss Towers redevelopment project. The decision advances plans for 166 new affordable housing units, with a broader vision of 276 homes upon full completion.
The approval represents a significant step toward addressing Hudson's affordable housing needs and replacing aging public housing infrastructure. For working-class families, seniors, and longtime residents facing rising housing costs and displacement pressures, the redevelopment offers an opportunity to preserve affordable housing and strengthen the community for generations to come.
"This is more than a local victory. It is part of a national struggle over who gets to live in our communities," said Quintin Cross, Executive Director of HCHC. "For too long, development has meant displacement, and progress has been measured by property values rather than the lives of people. With this approval, we move closer to a different future."
The redevelopment plan calls for new housing to be constructed before existing Bliss Towers and Columbia Apartments residents are relocated, allowing residents to move into new homes before the aging buildings are demolished.
HCHC's commitment to Bliss Towers residents predates the current redevelopment approval. In 2022, through a generous $65,000 donation from Spark of Hudson, the coalition helped residents cover outstanding rent and prevent evictions. That effort reflected the importance of community partnerships in addressing immediate housing instability while advocating for lasting solutions.
Throughout the redevelopment review process, residents and housing advocates have emphasized the urgent need for safe, dignified, and affordable homes. HCHC has publicly supported moving the redevelopment forward while advocating for a future in which longtime residents are not displaced by the very investments intended to improve their communities.
The October 19 approval follows months of public hearings, community discussion, and Planning Board review. While the decision is an important milestone, HCHC emphasizes that the success of the redevelopment must ultimately be measured by its impact on residents.
Approval Is a Milestone, Not the Finish Line
As the project moves toward implementation, HCHC will continue advocating for meaningful resident engagement, strong relocation protections, the right to return, deep and long-term affordability, and transparency and accountability throughout the redevelopment process.
"As activists, we know this approval is not liberation. Liberation means residents are protected, promises are honored, affordability is preserved, and nobody is sacrificed in the name of progress," said Cross. "Our communities are not disposable. Our people are not obstacles to development. And our right to remain is not negotiable."
The significance of the Bliss Towers redevelopment extends beyond Hudson. Across New York and the country, communities face growing affordable housing shortages, aging public housing infrastructure, and development pressures that threaten to push longtime residents out of the places they call home.
The redevelopment offers Hudson an opportunity to demonstrate that investment in housing can prioritize people over property values and that community progress should not come at the expense of working-class residents.
HCHC recognizes the residents, advocates, community partners, and public officials who have worked to move the project forward and remains committed to ensuring that the promises of redevelopment translate into meaningful, lasting improvements for the people of Hudson.
"We celebrate this victory, and we will keep organizing to make sure every promise becomes reality," said Cross.
About the Hudson Catskill Housing Coalition
The Hudson Catskill Housing Coalition is a Black-led nonprofit advancing housing justice, education equity, and criminal justice reform across the Hudson Valley and Capital Region. HCHC leads the Albany Free School and works across generations to build grassroots power through organizing, advocacy, and cultural programming. In partnership with community members, HCHC creates space for Black, Brown, low-income, and working-class families to thrive.
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Media Contact:
Hudson/Catskill Housing Coalition
communications@hudsoncatskillhousing.org
