The Social Security Office in the City of Newburgh ended its in-person services on Thursday, July 18 at its location at 3 Washington Center. The Social Security Administration (SSA) released in a statement on July 25 the office has been relocated to 85 Crystal Run Road in Middletown, and opened for business on Friday, July 26 after a resolved facilities issue. Social Security office hours are from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. A reason for the Newburgh office closure has not been disclosed.

A search of the Middletown address showed that the new location is now more than 20 miles away from the city and the general area. Residents in the area either rely on public transportation or ride sharing services to get to their destinations to conduct their business or other related activities if they do not have their own personal vehicle. In-person services are still available and offered at offices located in Peekskill or Poughkeepsie.

“This unnecessary closing of the Newburgh Social Security office places a hardship on many Newburgh residents, whom I represent. There is no affordable transportation to the new location in Wallkill, which is 30 miles away,” said Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson in a statement. “At a minimum, there should be weekly office hours in Newburgh. This is the least we can do for those seniors who worked their whole lives to receive their Social Security and Medicare benefits and to live with dignity in retirement.”

Orange County Legislator Genesis Ramos said several of her constituents reached out to her regarding the closure in the past several days.

“While I am not fully clear, and it seems like most folks are not fully clear on the reason behind the sudden and abrupt closure of the office, I do think that this merited more time, more notice and awareness for the public, so that folks could prepare ahead of time,” she said.

While Ramos believes the Middletown community will benefit from the office now located in their community, transportation still poses a concern for those in the city and surrounding areas that would now need to travel to access particular services.

“Being that this is a federal agency, I will be in contact with Congressman Pat Ryan’s office to try to determine next steps, or at least how we can get more clarity and information around the closure of the office for our community here,” Ramos continued. “I’ll add that this is a taxpayer funded agency and office, so even more of a reason as to why our community deserves transparency and answers around this sudden closure.”

Orange County Legislator Kevindaryán Luján also concurred that the closure of the office has been a great disappointment and calls it a disservice to the community. “The lack of person centered care, the lack of empathy to make sure that the community was aware that this was going on. So many individuals in the last couple of days alone have reached out, frustrated and just devastated by this news, knowing that they’re going to have to go so far away,” said Luján. “We understand and recognize the importance of trying to centralize and trying to go to more modern offices but the reality is that the rollout was deplorable. They really didn’t give any notice.”

Luján, an advocate for transportation, also raised concerns about the challenges with individuals needing transportation to get to the new office location. A direct bus from Newburgh to Middletown is not available. With specific challenges already in the community such as poverty exacerbating the lack of transportation, Luján hopes that a satellite office will be set up in the Newburgh area for the community to receive those Social Security services they require in their lives.

Congressman Patrick Ryan and Senator Rob Rolison released a joint letter to Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O’Malley on July 23, raising questions about the move and other related questions for services for constituents.

The congressman’s office has since announced that on Friday, August 9, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Social Security Administration will be brought back to Newburgh with their C.A.R.E.S. Van. These services will be available at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center and this event is in partnership with the NAACP Newburgh/Highland Falls Branch #2162. Representatives from the Social Security office, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Medicare will be there alongside caseworkers from the congressman’s office to assist residents with their benefits.

A representative from Orange County clarified that The Social Security Administration is not a county office The decision to relocate was made by the Federal Social Security Administration.