HUDSON — The heavily bundled woman paced her familiar spot at the corner of one of the city’s busiest streets, holding a handwritten sign that read, “Homeless please help.”
Despite plunging temperatures, she has remained a constant presence in a city with few other panhandlers or visibly homeless residents. City and county officials said the woman has repeatedly declined offers of assistance, limiting their ability to help her move off Hudson’s streets.
The Times Union is identifying her only as Tessia. As homelessness rises across the Hudson Valley — forcing agencies to rely on motels to house residents for months or even years — Tessia’s situation sheds light on the difficulties of helping people experiencing mental health crises in public spaces.
Tessia told the Times Union she slept outdoors behind a private garage during the summer. As colder weather set in, she began paying an acquaintance $20 a night to stay indoors. While Columbia County’s mental health department said she uses its overnight warming center, where she has access to a bed, shower, and laundry facilities, Tessia said she prefers to pay for a place to sleep on nights when panhandling provides enough money.
Nearly every day this month, as temperatures frequently dipped below freezing, the 36-year-old has stood at the corner of Third and Allen streets at the city’s southern entrance. Wrapped in a thick brown coat, she approaches cars when she sees an open window and an outstretched hand. Most drivers pass without stopping.
On one recent morning, she sat cross-legged on the icy sidewalk with a takeout food container beside her. Another evening, as the sun sank below the trees, she stood surrounded by exhaust drifting from a car idling at a stoplight.
While extreme cold poses serious health risks that can extend well beyond winter, county officials said low temperatures alone are not enough to justify intervention. Because Tessia consistently wears warm clothing, she is not considered to be putting herself in immediate danger — the primary standard used to determine whether a mental health evaluation can be mandated.
“There are always active efforts to try to engage her and try to encourage her to accept services,” said Dan Almasi, director of community services for Columbia County Mental Health. “Up until now, she has emphatically declined.”
Under New York law, county officials can require individuals living on the streets to undergo psychological evaluations at a hospital if certain conditions are met. These provisions allow for emergency assessments that may lead to treatment for people in crisis.
Almasi said mental health staff had held “many discussions” about whether Hudson’s most visible panhandler met the legal threshold for a forced evaluation. They ultimately determined she did not present a significant risk to herself or others.
“This is the complication when it comes to serving people with mental health issues,” he said. “They still have their civil liberties.”
Originally from the Chicago area, Tessia said she is accustomed to cold weather. She moved to the Hudson Valley to live with her sister, who worked on a local farm, and became homeless after her sister relocated last year. Tessia said she relies on meals from the Salvation Army and donations from passersby to buy food and Sonoma cigarettes.
She said she earns about $60 a day standing on the corner and chose the location because of heavy traffic and its proximity to the Salvation Army. Though she previously worked as a waitress and cleaner, she said she no longer believes employment is possible for her.
“The Lord has put in my heart that I cannot work, but I can ask for charity,” she said.
Darcy Connor, director of the Salvation Army in Hudson, said staff regularly welcome Tessia inside to use the restroom, get water, or charge her phone. Connor said she was unaware of any nearby businesses objecting to her presence.
Hudson Councilman Gary Purnhagen, whose district includes the intersection, said several local nonprofits have discussed Tessia’s situation and offered her housing. Seeing the level of concern has strengthened his confidence in the county’s support systems, even if those efforts are often unseen by the public.
Speaking more broadly, Purnhagen said some homeless residents choose to remain in Hudson rather than accept temporary housing that could place them in more rural areas of the county. According to a report released in January by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, homelessness in Columbia and Greene counties increased by 39% between 2022 and 2024.
Purnhagen said he did not know what brought Tessia to his district but noted a visible decline in her condition.
“I have noticed a deterioration,” he said. “It’s not sustainable.”
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