Housing Rights and Resources

Learn about resources to help you stay in your home.

January 16, 2022

Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York provides free legal services to low-income people: 833-628-0087.
Columbia County Fair Housing office offers free advice for housing discrimination and tenant’s rights: 518-828-0342.
Columbia County Office of the Aging provides free legal services to seniors: 518-828-4258.

Department of Social Services (DSS)
DSS provides support for back rent, threat of eviction, and/or security deposits. Recipients of Temporary Assistance contact your Temporary Assistance worker by phone or in person. If you are not receiving Temporary Assistance and have an emergency need, apply for Emergency Assistance at DSS.
518-828-9411 or 25 Railroad Avenue, Hudson NY
Community Action of Greene County (CAGC)
CAGC provides rental assistance and backrent: 518-943-9205
St Catherine's
Rapid re-housing, homeless prevention, and rental assistance: 518-337-7021 or kproper@st-cath.org
Galvan Housing Resources
Foreclosure prevention services, housing counseling, and home repair grants: 518-822-0707 x15 or mortgagehelp@galvanfdn.org
Emergency Assistance and Neighbor to Neighbor Grants
Apply for emergency assistance help with overdue utilities, medical bills, short-term housing costs, and transportation problems. Contact Columbia Opportunities at 518-828-4611 or Catholic Charities at 518-828-8660.
HomeSave
This foreclosure prevention initiative helps homeowners prevent and solve problems with delinquent or costly mortgages.
Assistance for homeowners who are at risk of default, foreclosure, or displacement as result of a financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
RUPCO Homeownership Classes
Learn more

Columbia County Department of Health Healthy Neighborhoods Program
Safety inspection, referrals, and free products
518-828-3358
Columbia Opportunities
Weatherization Assistance Program
518-828-4611
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
Columbia Opportunities: 518-828-4611
Office of the Aging - 518-828-4258
Department of Social Services - 518-828-9411
Eligible households can receive up to $3,000 to help repair or replace your furnace, boiler, and other direct heating equipment necessary to keep your home’s primary heating source working. Eligible households can receive up to $400 for energy efficiency services, which includes the cleaning of primary heating equipment, but may also include chimney cleaning, minor repairs, installation of carbon monoxide detectors or programmable thermostats, if needed, to allow for the safe, proper and efficient operation of the heating equipment.
USDA Loans and Grants
For households with income of $44,350 or less, loan of up to $40,000 and grants up to $10,000.
Cornell Cooperative Extension can help you determine if you are eligible for support to lower energy costs through EmPower+, HEAP, or Comfort Home. Contact Fiona Hynes at fmh44@cornell.edu or 518-941-4041.

There are several affordable housing providers in Columbia County that offer below-market housing.