RUPCO Forms Affiliation With Rural Sullivan Housing Corporation

Sullivan County Residents will benefit from the affiliation of two New York State Rural Preservation (RPC) organizations.

KINGSTON, NY – On January 1st of this year, RUPCO, which creates homes, supports people, and improves communities, welcomed the opportunity to affiliate with Rural Sullivan Housing Corporation upon the retirement of former Executive Director Shari Trust. This affiliation expands collective reach and impact while maintaining state funding for each Rural Preservation Company (RPC) to continue providing quality homeowner programs to those who need it most.

The union will preserve access to foreclosure prevention counseling and enhance access to homebuyer grants, single-family home repairs, and manufactured home replacements in Sullivan County while maintaining the delivery of much-needed homeownership services to the region. Rural Sullivan Housing Corporation will remain in its office at 33 Lakewood Avenue, Monticello, with lifelong Sullivan County Resident, Serra McDowall as the Operations Director. Serra’s professional and personal experience is well suited to lead the housing and community work that is desperately needed in Sullivan County.

Kevin O’Connor, RUPCO Chief Executive Officer, said: “In recent years, RUPCO has worked with the Sullivan County Land Bank on several projects, including the new construction of three modular homes in the Villages of Liberty and Monticello and administering several first-time homebuyer grants. We’re thrilled to welcome Rural Sullivan Housing Corporation to the RUPCO umbrella and provide the Sullivan County community with more services to better serve their needs.”

Jill Weyer, Rural Sullivan Housing Corp. Board President, said: “The ability to create the subsidiary under RUPCO allows our organization to expand our resources and reach into the housing community and address housing issues to meet our resident’s needs. I look forward to working with RUPCO and building on their many successful projects and building on their knowledge to improve housing in the county.”

This is not the first affiliation that RUPCO has formed to expand its services. In 2015, the Orange County Rural Development Advisory Corporation (RDAC) joined the RUPCO family as a subsidiary in Orange County.

To learn more about the current opportunities that Rural Sullivan Housing Corporation can provide, call 845-794-0348 or email Serra (smcdowall@rupco.org)

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About RUPCO
RUPCO creates homes, supports people, and improves communities across a broad spectrum of community development solutions, including housing, historic preservation, and neighborhood revitalization in the Hudson Valley. RUPCO creates and maintains quality, sustainable housing and rental opportunities, inspires understanding and acceptance of affordable housing initiatives, and champions pathways to opportunity. For more information, visit www.rupco.org.