The Catskills and the Hudson Valley are feeling the strain of rising housing prices, while outsized real estate development threatens our farmland, forests, and open spaces. Housing and preservation are sometimes pitted against each other, but in reality, local communities need both affordable housing and a healthy environment to thrive.
The Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act, currently under consideration in Albany, enables NY towns to opt-in to use a critical tool for land preservation: a Community Preservation Fund. If the HVCPA passes in the state legislature, each town will have the option to create a new revenue stream to preserve farmland, forests, open space, and historic sites.
In this informational webinar, Mike Sweeton, former Town Supervisor of Warwick, shares practical insights on how the HVCPA works. Drawing on Warwick’s successful experience, he will discuss the role of town officials and local interested parties in creating effective preservation programs.
Use this link to view the webinar. Continue here for additional resources.
As we discussed on the webinar, it is crucial that our elected officials in Albany hear our vocal support for the HVCPA. Scenic Hudson has prepared a template letter for local officials in Sullivan County to demonstrate their support (linked here). We encourage municipal leaders to send a letter to Assembly and Senate leadership, and please cc Carli Fraccarolli at Scenic Hudson ([email protected]) so she can amplify your advocacy. Individuals can also send letters by modifying the template to represent an individual perspective, and we also encourage you to speak with your local elected officials about this issue.
Please find the following additional resources provided as follow-up from the webinar:
