EDITORIAL: What do you hear from the fair?

By DOUG LAROCQUE

NEW LEBANON – The December 12 edition of the New Lebanon Town Board monthly meeting started about 90 minutes late, in deference to the Jr/Sr high school’s annual Winter Concert. When it did begin with two public hearings, it showed some members of the public were not necessarily singing the same tune as perhaps the board had hoped to hear.

The Zoning Re-write Committee (ZRC) brought forth a number of proposed code changes earlier this year, one of which triggered some debate. That would have prohibited any new commercial self-storage units or the expansion of existing units. Those currently operating would be allowed to continue in their current capacity. Supervisor Tistrya Houghtling was initially the sole voice on the board in opposition to the change, citing what she felt was a need for such storage space and that most of the current facilities were at capacity. She convinced two other members to join her in sending the storage provision back to the ZRC to consider changes.

The ZRC then proposed to allow new construction or expansion, but with a strict set of guidelines. That proposal was drafted into a local law, on which a public hearing was held. Conrad Coon, who along with his son owns Coon Storage, spoke about a number of what he perceived as problems with these new guidelines. In particular, he spoke of building and roofing designs and levels of screening. He indicated any expansion he would do would be 400 feet off US Route 20, and not noticeable. Supervisor Houghtling indicated she was concerned the new guidelines could create a stark difference between new and existing construction.

When it came time to vote on the local law, the matter was tabled. The current board was hesitant to approve the changes, with three of its members leaving at the end of the year. They decided to as some in attendance put it “kick the can down the road” and let the incoming board make the decision.

The second public hearing was on a change in the Freedom of Information proceedings, sometimes known as a FOIL, as it pertains to the appeal process. Currently, if such a FOIL is filed but denied, the full town board acts as the appeal officer. The new law would make the town supervisor alone that appeal officer. Four people spoke against the change, feeling the entire board should consider appeals. The board felt the current process to be cumbersome and waiting for a board meeting to decide the issue, might not meet state-imposed deadlines for a decision. In the end, the board voted unanimously to approve the change.

Also at the meeting:

*An incident at the Town Hall earlier in the year, sparked a discussion about security. In October, the board debated whether to install four bullet-proof doors or go to a “ring camera” system, where anyone who wished to enter the building could be seen first. The Town Board decided to go with the bullet-proof doors, put the measure out to bid and reviewed those bids in November. None contained installation costs. That was then bid separately, but with no takers. It was decided to put the matter on hold and instead talk with the town’s employees on what they think might be the best approach.

During the first public comment session, William Benker spoke against the doors. He identified himself as the person in question involved in the security incident, but vehemently stated he did nothing criminal that day

*In November, when the board saw the final numbers on creating a new splash pad in Shatford Park, the proposal was scuttled. There is a current non-working water feature the board decided at that time to investigate repairing in such a way as to grandfather it in under new and more stringent NYS Health Department regulations. The board agreed to hire local engineer Paul McCreary, to handle the project, for a $6,000 fee

*The town is looking for public input for grant applications for the Walkable Downtown project. A form letter seeking these comments is being sent out

*The board agreed to continue outgoing Highway Supervisor Jeff Winestock’s health insurance as long as he remains a part-time employee or until he is eligible for Medicare, in honor of his 30 years of service. They will not, however, continue to pay for his cell phone

*A change order to pay for needed repairs for the pavilion kitchen was approved.

The swearing in of new town officials was set for January 2 at 5:30 p.m. at the town hall. The re-organizational meeting will follow.

New Community Center opens in town

NEW LEBANON – Thursday, December 21 brings about the opening of the New Lebanon Community Center in the former firehouse at 523 U.S. Route 20. The new center features a game room with foosball, ping pong, or hockey and pool, a video game area and a cozy corner for watching DVDs and TV and reading and hanging with friends.

The center will be open on Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Special holiday hours include Saturday, December 23 from 9 to 11 a.m. where Santa hosts a pancake breakfast. Other special days are Saturday, December 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Tuesday, January 2 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Children 11 and younger must be supervised by someone at least 18 years of age.

The town’s Free Store is also moving to the new center and will be open Wednesdays from noon to 5.p.m and Sundays 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Doug LaRocque

By DEBORAH E. LANS

HUDSON – On October 19, 2023, Assemblymember Didi Barrett (D-106th), joined by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie at a press conference, announced that $1.5 million in funding is being awarded to Columbia County Habitat for Humanity to create affordable housing for first time homeowners in the county. On a per capita basis, the funding is equivalent to more than $200 million being committed to New York City.

Another $1.5 million has been awarded for Dutchess County-based Hudson River Housing to construct affordable rental units. Both organizations have committed to use a significant portion of the funds to create affordable homes – for ownership and rental – in Hudson.

This sizeable commitment to rural affordable housing was the feather in a cap-ful of recent steps to address the local housing crisis.

Under the Habitat program, Columbia County homeowners will pay no more than 30% of their income for housing (the generally-recognized measure of affordability), and the homes will be targeted for low to moderate income families seeking a starter home. Habitat has developed a quality, low cost, energy efficient (all-electric) and replicable model home that will be consistent in scale and construction with the county’s rural look and feel. Locally-sourced natural materials will be favored.

The homes will also use engineered waste disposal (septic) systems that allow for building in areas lacking municipal waste systems (i.e., most of the county) and that reduce the required lot size, allowing for greater density where appropriate. Consistent with the nature of its forward-looking plans, last week Al Bellenchia, CEO of Habitat, was named Advocacy Champion of the Year at the Habitat Northeast Regional Affiliate Conference.

Many of the speakers at the press conference noted Assemblymember Barrett’s early and long-standing commitment to affordable housing and her understanding that the issue does not lend itself to “one-size-fits-all” solutions. As architect Dennis Wedlick, who has led Habitat’s efforts to build energy-efficient homes, put it, “Didi has been with the effort all the way.”

This sizeable commitment to workforce housing also demonstrates, as the Assemblymember said, that even if statewide housing initiatives cannot be implemented, there are solutions available to ease local housing challenges.

The next day, the county Housing Task Force (Task Force) learned that its application to create a county land bank was approved by the Empire State Development Authority. That approval was the key hurdle in the process of establishing a land bank, according to Chris Brown, the Coordinator for the Task Force.

A land bank is a not-for-profit entity that specializes in the transformation of vacant, abandoned and foreclosed properties into productive use. Most commonly, land banks acquire property through the tax foreclosure system. A property is foreclosed, and then transferred to the land bank, which may pay the back taxes, so that the local taxing authority is made whole.

Land banks are recognized as an effective tool to resolve situations of tax delinquency and blight. Typically, land banks seek to sell their properties, often in aid of the rehabilitation or construction of affordable housing. For example, the Albany County Land Bank returned 118 properties to productive use in 2022 alone.

Land banks are typically run by a board that includes community residents, government officials and housing professionals. They often partner with other groups, such as financing companies, to provide low cost mortgages or to issue mortgages to families who do not qualify for traditional financing. Partnerships can also be made with developers, to create low and moderate income housing.

For example, the Albany County Land Bank created a partnership in 2021 with a non-traditional lender and expects it to have issued more than 50 mortgages by the end of this year that allow for the purchase and rehabilitation of vacant buildings from the land bank. It also formed a partnership in 2022 with Habitat for Humanity Capital District to build 100 new affordable homes in the City of Albany in five years for first-time homeowners.

As Columbia County’s land bank finishes the steps to incorporation, it will also be seeking public funding for administrative and start-up costs and then for the demolition of abandoned structures (typically a land bank’s greatest expense) and acquisitions.

Often land banks partner with Community Land Trusts (CLTs). CLTs are also typically private non-profit groups. They hold land in trust as part of a plan to provide affordable housing in perpetuity.

Often CLTs acquire land from land banks. A home is built on the land. The land is leased to the homeowner (often for 99 years). Home ownership accordingly is less expensive because there are no land acquisition costs paid by the homeowner.

The homeowners agree that when they sell the home they will do so at a restricted price, to keep it affordable in perpetuity. Usually there is also an equity sharing arrangement so that when the home is sold, the homeowner will receive some of the appreciation in the home itself.

In Columbia County an informal group has been working to establish “Trillium” (named for a locally prevalent wildflower that heralds spring) as a county-wide CLT. The Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC) and the Columbia Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) are each fiscal sponsors of more than $20,000 in grants received to assist in the planning effort. The Housing Justice Coordinator for the City of Hudson Michelle Tullo, Housing Development Coordinator for CEDC Chris Brown, and Marissa Codey, of CLC, are among the leaders of the effort.

The group expects that within the next year Trillium will be incorporated, will have established a Board, will have articulated the criteria for its projects, will have completed a business plan, and will have selected a pilot project for affordable home ownership.

These three interrelated and innovative efforts are indicative of the gathering momentum in the county to address its affordable housing issues.

Additional information about affordable housing efforts in the county can be gleaned at a forum to be held on Saturday, October 28 from 10 a.m. to noon at the West Taghkanic Firehouse featuring Mr. Bellenchia (Habitat CEO), Mr. Brown (CEDC Housing Development Coordinator) and Ms. Codey (CLC Special Project Advisor).

On November 1 at 4 p.m. the 2023 Columbia County Housing Forum will be held virtually. Mr. Brown will moderate a discussion as to pending state and local efforts to increase affordable housing. The panel members are: Darren Scott of NYS Homes and Community Renewal; Adam Bosch, president and CEO of Pattern for Progress; and Mike Borges, executive director, Rural Housing Coalition. Registration can be made through the CEDC website (https://columbiacedc.com)