Recently, President Biden and the White House marked National Homeownership Month with a new proclamation affirming the importance of expanding access to safe, affordable housing. June celebrates Pride and now with federal recognition, Juneteenth is a remarkable reminder of an exercise toward the American Dream of homeownership. Real estate is the root of economic growth,…
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It’s my sincere hope that by discussing these inequities through the lens of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and focusing on the power of stories and personal experiences, we will create more meaningful and lasting change. On June 14th HGAR, in collaboration with the National Association of Realtors, the New York State Association of Realtors, the…
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The New York State Legislature gaveled out in the early hours of June 4th, marking the end of Kathy Hochul’s first session as governor and the beginning of what promises to be a chaotic election season courtesy of court-imposed electoral maps that will upend the political landscape in New York and beyond. Obfuscated by the…
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My administration’s brand-new Office of Buildings and Codes (OBC) has been working tirelessly following the official takeover of the Building Department in the Village of Spring Valley on Feb. 14, 2022, a directive from the New York State Department of State following years of code enforcement issues. Since assuming control, the Rockland County Office of…
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The American political process not only provides the opportunity for citizen involvement, but good government demands it. It is wise to follow Plato’s analysis: “The punishment of wise men who refuse to take part in the affairs of government is to live under the government of unwise men.” From the very beginning, Realtors have supported…
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Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell recently advocated for the adoption of a new sales-tax sharing model. For years, villages and towns have asked Putnam County to share their revenue from taxes on goods sold within our borders. The county will only share tax revenue for years in which Putnam County’s sales-tax revenue increases over the…
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For those of you who regularly read my monthly columns in Real Estate In-Depth (and I know it’s a massive number—I say tongue-in-cheek), you will note that I often return to common themes. This is one of those times when I revisit a topic that I have written about often—advocacy. The reason is simple: Advocacy…
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Here in county government, we are always working to improve the lives of everyone who calls beautiful Rockland home. This month I am proud to announce two more grant programs that will utilize $7 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to do just that supporting small businesses and urban green spaces. We know…
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We honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a national holiday because he was a transformative leader whose words and actions advanced a vision of the nation as it should be—one in which all people have equal opportunity. However, too few people realize just what a huge role housing plays in this legacy—or that these…
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This April marks the 54th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, the landmark civil rights law signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on April 11, 1968, that made discrimination in housing transactions unlawful. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability and…
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There are a lot of questions and concerns from our members relating to the newly instituted Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). This month’s article can serve as a “cheat sheet” on the basics and, hopefully, will answer many of your questions. NYSAR’s SOPs template can be found here. • The new SOPs requirement is effective April…
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Residential real estate is the primary focus of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors. That is the focus of most of the members of HGAR, and residential real estate makes up the large majority of inventory in OneKey MLS. Having said that, HGAR must always actively support and engage with the commercial real estate brokerage…
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I challenge you to learn about women in various fields who you may not have heard of before. My goal in offering this challenge is to inspire and/or infuriate, and I’m including men in this. Most of us know March is National Women’s History Month, but sometimes it is not well recognized. National Women’s History…
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My administration and Rockland County government achieved the impossible; in only three months, Rockland launched a brand-new County Office of Buildings and Codes. I want everyone to know that this has been an incredibly difficult, detailed, and time-consuming process to create an entirely new office within county government. It was only 90 days ago that…
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When HGAR conducted our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion survey last year we had close to a 9% response rate. While we would have liked a higher response rate, 9% was a terrific start. Overall, the feedback to the survey was very positive, though we did receive some comments questioning why we were conducting the survey.…
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A new year may well bring new challenges, but it will also bring an opportunity to learn from our past and build on our strengths. It is time for all allies to make a renewed commitment to building on racial equality. For Black History Month last year, there was a significant difference to how the…
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After New Year celebrations wind down, organizations begin their annual discussions on what and how to celebrate Black History Month. Many begin by recognizing the lives and contributions of Black Americans throughout history, while others post messages of recognition on social media. I believe it all has a role to play but it is also…
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As I open my computer to start writing my first article as 2022 HGAR President for Real Estate In-Depth, I go through several thoughts, emotions, and directions! I quickly check my e-mail, look at the Instagram posts and click around the MLS……I feel a sense of urgency, a sense of optimism and resilience despite all…
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When I first moved “upstate” to Putnam County 26 years ago from New York City, I experienced culture shock on many levels. Among the many differences, trees, grass, subdivisions, and the shocking relative quiet among them, one change stood out. I was startled by the lack of diversity. In many respects the adjustment to Putnam…
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As we begin 2022, I have to admit it does seem a bit like “Groundhog Day.” After having high hopes for the new year as 2021 was winding down, we were confronted with yet another COVID variant, Omicron, and everyone is saying, here we go again. We also have the drum beat of negative news,…
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