Aliya Schneider is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media seven off-line apartments at Bliss Towers in Hudson that were expected to be renovated in January have been delayed again, with contractors leaving the city Housing Authority in the dark. After assessing 25 offline apartments, the HHA determined in December that seven of the units would be ready for occupancy by the end of January. The renovations were initially delayed because an asbestos variance from the state was needed, but construction was able to start more than a month ago. On January 27, HHA Executive Director Timothy Mattice said an environmental assessment determined there were no hazards for workers, a variance was given and repairs could begin once an abatement contractor was hired. But Mattice is now waiting for contractors to commit to and begin the project, and he does not know why that has not happened, HHA Chair Marie Balle said."He doesn’t understand what the holdup is,” Mattice will push things along by contacting the state agency that oversees the variance if nothing happens, she said. Contractors C&C Unlimited and Ambient Environmental visited the site on February 23 and Mattice is anticipating a proposal this week. A local contractor visited the site on February 27 to make a proposal for the remaining work after the asbestos work is done. “I’m just as frustrated as everyone else and the level of courtesy that some of these contractors kind of convey or have is a little less than desirable,” Mattice said. “They’re supposed to be professional companies and when they completely disappear on you or just throw their hands up and say, ‘no we’re not going to do it,’ that’s kind of frustrating and that’s unprofessional, but I guess that’s the industry we are dealing with.” Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.