Attendance and Voting January ‘24 to January ‘25
These were the votes that were in some way “controversial” and for which we received the most public engagement. Most had to do with housing affordability and stability.
This is how I voted and the reasons why.
2/20/24 Resolution Calling for a Ceasefire in Gaza
I voted Aye – This resolution not only condemned ongoing violence against the Palestinian people in Gaza but also declared that the City of Hudson “is united against all forms of violence including antisemitism and Islamophobia in all its forms, and recognizes all life as precious”
2/28/24 Resolutions Authorizing the Mayor to Execute a Regulatory Agreement between the City of Hudson and HudsonDots QOZB, LLC
I voted Aye – This resolution used the New York State real Property Tax Law giving Hudson Dots a tax break on 9 affordable housing units which they had refurbished.
It was creative thinking around housing affordability. The agreement could be terminated at any time and was to last 2 years.
4/29/24 Resolution Supporting and Authorizing an Application to Round 8 of The Restore NY Communities Initiative for The Hudson Housing Authority Redevelopment Project
I voted Aye – This vote was Supporting and Authorizing the application for a grant (for demolition funding). It was not an endorsement of the project as a whole.
In the end the application was rejected. The real looser in this was Lil’ Debs Oasis who withdrew their application for the same grant. I still have concerns around the scale of this project especially around maintenance but there is no question that Bliss Towers is in incredibly poor shape and needs to be replaced with something better and that we need affordable housing.
10/15/24 A Local Law Amending Chapter 174 of the Code of the City of Hudson to Prohibit Evictions Without Cause
I voted Aye – I still have mixed feelings about this law. One of my concerns is that a landlord has the right to raise rents by 5% + the rate of inflation. In Hudson’s case that would be over 8% a year. As wages do not generally rise at that rate I think it would be difficult for any renter to stay in a living situation if their landlord to advantage of this section of the law. I pointed this out to the Brahvan Ranga who was involved in the law’s creation. I was also concerned at the lack of data around just who the small landlords in our community were and if this law would adversely impact them. After a lot of thought and communication with constituents via email and in person, I decided to vote yes. We received over 30 communications from Fourth Ward constituents and of those only about 6 were against the law. In the end I chose to vote the way the people I am representing wanted me to vote.
***I have attended and participated in all Legal and Parking Committee meetings and all Common Council meetings except January 25’s formal meeting as I had a family emergency and was on a plane.