Like many communities across New York, the city of Kingston is facing a housing crisis. A new initiative is trying to turn vacant houses into affordable homes for first-time buyers.

The initiative will result in 10 rehabilitated vacant houses going on the market for low-to-moderate income homebuyers.

They’re houses that local leaders say have long been eyesores.

“Most of them don't have any heating systems," Mayor Steve Noble said. "Most of them don't have any working appliances. Most of them sometimes don't even have a ceiling or a floor. And so we really just we knew we needed to bring resources to bear. And I think it was a team effort here."

The funding for the renovations will come through several groups, including donations from the WMCHealth Network and the NoVo Foundation, and grants from New York state.

Affordable housing provider RUPCO will also be a big funder.

“They're going to be very affordable, totally rehabbed," RUPCO CEO Kevin O’Connor said. "Here's a rendering of the property where we're sitting here today: big yard, you know, walkable to towns, a great location for homeownership.”

The announcement comes at a time when housing is tight in the area. According to Realtor.com, houses in Kingston are selling for nearly $150,000 more these days than they were three years ago.

New York ranked worst in the nation for home ownership, according to state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Experts believe the pandemic brought in higher-income homebuyers from neighboring cities looking for larger homes, more space and cheaper prices.

Noble said by the end of 2024, the 10 houses will be homes for up to 14 families. The structures are a mix of single-family and multi-family houses.

“Both my staff and the RUPCO staff’s determination to get these projects done, really, what's gotten us to today and what’s going to get us to the groundbreakings and the ribbon-cuttings for each of these homes," Noble said.

O’Connor said making homes affordable to local, first-time purchasers is important. Putting these homes back in the housing stock will increase Kingston’s low homeowners rate.

“Nothing better than introducing a 10-year-old to a home of their own, a room of their own and with their parents. So really looking forward to the success of homeownership,” O’Connor said.

To fit the state’s clean energy plans, O’Connor said the homes will also utilize highly energy-efficient designs.