Ulster County Housing Action Fund, Round 3 (2026)
Ulster County, New York is accepting applications for Round 3 of its Housing Action Fund for the development, revitalization and preservation of affordable, workforce and supportive housing in Ulster County. The application opened September 17, 2026 and closes December 11, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. EST. This is a competitive county financial-assistance program, not a government purchasing contract.
Applicant awards compared with the program pool
Round 3 has $2,000,000 in total program funding. This is the combined pool, not an individual applicant award. Published maximum total project awards depend on category: rental units affordable at up to 60% of area median income (AMI) $700,000; rental units at up to 80% AMI $400,000; for-sale units up to 80% AMI $700,000; certain 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit projects $300,000; preservation for housing co-ops and community land trusts $600,000; supportive housing projects $1,000,000; housing-related infrastructure projects $400,000; and most new workforce housing categories up to $700,000. The county identifies $40,000-$70,000 per unit ceilings for several workforce categories. Other financing and special categories, including 4% LIHTC, require review of the detailed Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) rather than an assumed universal cap.
Eligible activities and applicants
Qualifying Ulster County affordable housing developers, nonprofits, municipalities and housing partners may pursue eligible projects; the county program also describes some applications by individuals, subject to the controlling NOFA and the specific project track. The 2026 Round 3 categories include affordable rental housing, affordable homeownership, preservation of existing affordable housing, supportive housing, housing-related public infrastructure and new workforce housing for agriculture, artists, skilled trades, essential public services, and healthcare or home health workers. Projects principally serve households earning no more than 80% of Ulster County AMI. Awarded housing generally must remain affordable for at least 50 years, with a preference for permanently affordable homes. The county describes non-fossil fuel equipment and systems as a project requirement.
Application process, funding conditions and restrictions
Applicants should first review the Round 3 funding notice and linked detailed NOFA. Applications are available through the county Housing Action Fund application page as an online submission or a fillable PDF package. Gather the prescribed budget worksheets, application certification and required supporting documentation. Applications must be received by December 11, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. EST; email submissions are not accepted. Send questions to the county by November 20, 2026. Awards require review and county approval; grant contracts contain monitoring and recovery provisions. County public guidance states funds are released only after construction permits have been issued. A single mandatory applicant match percentage is not published on the accessible general program summary, so applicants must consult the controlling NOFA for financing and matching requirements applicable to their category.
Official sources and verification status
Primary references are the September 3, 2026 county announcement, Round 3 official grant notice with award ceilings and official application portal and document index. These public materials were checked October 30, 2026. Verification hold: the detailed Round 3 NOFA PDF was not independently retrieved. The county’s 24-page fillable application and document checklist were reviewed, confirming the required project narrative, development-team qualifications and resumes, proposed unit mix, site-control evidence, development budget and funding sources, affordability and sustainability information, and nonprofit/private-developer supporting documents. Applicant-specific cost sharing, formal entity restrictions, detailed scoring and mandatory documents must be confirmed from that controlling NOFA before publication approval.