On Thursday, Jan. 30, the Poughkeepsie Social Security office, located at 332 Main St., temporarily closed to undergo renovations.
Residents who use services at the office have been directed instead to the Middletown Social Security office, located at 85 Crystal Run Road, for full, in-person services.
There will be a small contact station at the Poughkeepsie office beginning Monday, Feb. 17, offering limited in-person services.
No date has been given for when the Poughkeepsie office might reopen and the limited services that may still be offered on site are not clear. Local government leaders have consequently called on the Social Security Administration for greater transparency, months after another Hudson Valley Social Security office in Newburgh was permanently shuttered.
Local leaders call on SSA for answers
“It’s absolutely outrageous that the only Social Security office in Dutchess has closed its doors to seniors seeking in-person assistance,” U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan said in an email statement, “and it’s completely unacceptable that almost two weeks later, the Social Security Administration still hasn’t responded to the most basic of questions.”
Ryan, in a letter addressed to the Social Security Administration, called for a detailed timeline of renovations, with a projected reopening date for the office, as well as a commitment from Social Security to engage in community input from local stakeholders, implementing measures that minimize disruptions for those who rely on its services.
“Disruptions like this, temporary or not, cause real, tangible challenges for those who need timely access and support,” New York State Senator Rob Rolison said in an email statement. “The well-being of so many in the Hudson Valley depends on access to the Social Security Administration office and staff, and forcing transportation to Middletown is simply not an option for too many individuals.”
Rolison said the SSA “must provide better and clearer communication to our residents regarding this closure.”
The Social Security Administration’s New York region and the Poughkeepsie office did not respond to requests for comment.
Help from Dutchess County Office of the Aging available
“Our residents, especially our senior citizens and the disabled, rely on the Social Security Administration’s downtown Poughkeepsie office for a host of services from a name change so one can update a driver’s license or passport to apply for earned income or medical benefits,” Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said in a statement when the closure was announced. “With the Social Security Administration requiring in-person visits for most transactions, our residents shouldn’t be forced to travel out of the County for assistance.”
Serino’s office directed seniors who have been affected by the temporary closure to stop by the Dutchess County Office for the Aging, located at 114 Delafield St. in Poughkeepsie, for help navigating the Social Security phone system or online benefit applications.
The OFA office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The phone number for the OFA is 845-486-2555. There’s also a toll-free number to use: 866-486-2555. Email the OFA at OFA@DutchessNY.gov.
