Saugerties aims to use a $115,750 state grant to determine who’s being shut out of the housing market as costs surge throughout the Hudson Valley.

The town, one of three so-called “Pro-Housing certified” municipalities in Ulster County that received a share of $5 million in grants last month, will probably hire its planning consultant, Nelson Pope Voorhis, to conduct the study, said Supervisor Fred Costello. The Village of Ellenville got $200,000, and the Town of Rochester received $167,000.

Saugerties will examine options for first-time homeowners as well as empty-nesters who are seeking to downsize, Costello said.

“We’re excited to get this award,” he said. “This is a real opportunity to tackle an issue facing just about any community.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s housing initiatives, including an $87 million affordable housing project in Kingston, come after the median price of homes in every Hudson Valley county reached $350,000 or more in 2025 for the first time, according to the Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress. In every county except Greene and Sullivan, the price topped $450,000, the group said in a January report, while year-over-year prices in Columbia, Greene, and Sullivan jumped by more than 8 percent.

In Saugerties, the median sale price of a home reached $549,000 in December as the square-foot price jumped 70 percent to $251, according to Redfin.

Applicants for the Pro-Housing grants are seeking to create master plans, conduct market studies and zoning analyses and streamline building permits. Eligible municipalities will also get help for planning and engineering in an effort to spur housing availability.

John W. Barry is a reporter for The Overlook. Reach him at john@theoverlooknews.com.