KINGSTON- Citing a steady drop in the jail population following the passage of bail reform legislation last summer, Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figtree announced last week that he would place the unused cells at the county jail on the popular short-term rental site Airbnb.
“The rated capacity for the Ulster County Law Enforcement Center is 426 inmates,” said Figtree. “We’re now at less than 150.”
As of press time, rooms in the jail were available for rent on the site.
“Located just north of NYC and nestled between the picturesque Catskill Mountains and majestic Hudson River, Justice Heights Village is a charming and amenities-packed hidden gem just waiting to be discovered by you and your guests!” reads the description. “Short walk to bus stop with links to Up-and-Coming Kingston, Funky New Paltz and Groovy Woodstock. Go skiing, hiking, rock climbing, kayaking or just kick back with a bottle of our house hooch!”
Features listed include:
- New building (built 2007)
- Gated community with onsite security
- Cozy rooms, private or double
- Honeymoon suite available (comes with complimentary handcuffs!)
- Laundry service
- Strict no cell-phone policy (disconnect and recharge!)
- Free parking on premises
- Heat (toasty!)
- Easy walk to cafeteria and gym
- Extended stays available (up to 1 year)
- Interesting and diverse neighbors with stories to tell!
Under capacity has been a long-running issue at the jail. In previous years, Ulster brought in nearly $1 million by housing inmates from other counties. But that supply has mostly dried up, and with other jails also seeing large drops in inmate populations, it’s unlikely to rebound any time soon. County officials hope the sheriff’s plan will help make up that shortfall.
“If this means keeping county taxes down, I’m for it!” said County Executive Ryan K. Patrick, who has already asked the county tourism director to add the jail to this year’s “Ulster County Alive” tourism guide. “This is this kind of creative problem solving that is vital for the Ulster County economy to thrive in 2020 and beyond.”
In many communities across the Hudson Valley, an increase in Airbnb use has led to conflict between homeowners looking to make extra money and neighbors irked by the increased noise and activity.
“We thought the frequent turnover of guests coming and going might disrupt the inmates’ routine and cause complaints,” said Figtree. “But the opposite turned out to be the case. When we explained to them that the anticipated guests were mostly young, attractive, well-to-do urbanites, both male and female, the inmates were actually quite enthusiastic about the new initiative.”