STRs (short-term rentals) are usually cast as the boogeyman in discussions of the shortage of affordable housing in Hudson. Interestingly, Adam Bosch, president and CEO of Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress, dismissed the topic of STRs in his report to the Columbia County Housing Task Force last week, saying STRs served tourism, which was a significant sector of the economy in Columbia County, and noting that were the houses currently being used as STRs to come on the market, they would not be affordable to the segment of the population for whom homeownership is out of reach.
That being said, Hudson's short-term rental law, Section 325-28.3 of the city code, is on the agenda of tonight's Common Council Legal Committee meeting. In preparation for the meeting, Councilmember Margaret Morris (First Ward), who chairs the committee, submitted a number of questions about STRs in Hudson to Michelle Tullo, Housing Justice Director, who plays a role in monitoring STR compliance. Morris's questions and Tullo's answers can be found here.
The Legal Committee meeting takes place today at 6:00 p.m. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Microsoft Teams. Click here for the link to join the meeting remotely.
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I wish I had been paying attention to upcoming meetings and so I missed this one. Now it's gonna be weeks before its recording shows up on YouTube - Michael Hofmann has never been missed more sorely than now.
ReplyDeleteAdam Bosch is right in pointing out that doing something about STRs is not a silver bullet and will not fundamentally change housing affordability in isolation. Even if Hudson's vacancy rate went down by, say, ten percentage points, it would only have a mild effect on home prices and rents. At 15%, it would also still be way too high to be considered healthy.
He however overrates the economic value of tourism, especially when these tourists are staying in buildings where otherwise locals could live in (or other folks that might consider moving to the county long-term).
He doesn't seem to consider the value of community which is something that gets destroyed by an STR economy. I know there's a lot of people in Hudson who are openly dismissive about the municipalities surrounding the city. Given how terrible and unappealing the strip malls on Fairview Ave seem, that's not a surprise. What gets forgotten is that places like Greenport, Claverack or Stockport have a continuity in its population that makes it in many ways a lot nicer to live in: I know all my neighbors, and I know that the majority of them will be here for the long haul, just as I am.
Incidentally, this is one of Margaret's complaints about what Hudson has become. I hope that other members of Hudson's leadership listen for once.
Why is a non-constituent redisent of Greenport lobbying to Hudson's elected representatives? Stop inserting yourself in our politics for your drama. Why are you writing letters and co-signing them with Linda Mussmann? She's empowered to speak for herself, it's never stopped her before.
DeleteWhere are you getting your bizarre statistics? 30% vacancy rate? I live on Union. My block is full. I know all my neighbors and have for years. Stop with the Hudson stereotypes you hear from your bitter Greenport neighbors and work with them to better that blighted town.
See, Jack, this is why my life is so great and yours ain't: I can sit all day on the peanut gallery and with impunity post here just to displease you. And that's not at all why I am doing it.
DeleteI do by the way pay school taxes for your failing school district so on that note alone, you will have to live with me from now on.
The reason why Linda's name appeared on said letter is because I had asked her if I could add it and she said yes. Is this agreeable in your view of the world?
Don't assume the recording will even appear on youtube at all. July's informal council meeting never made it up, but the regular meeting did. Tom Depietro may prefer it this way.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm not expecting much since Michael left. You can't even make out their voices or get documents on screen if you do happen to catch it live
DeleteWhat a spectacular waste of money. In the meantime, you can’t walk safely on most sidewalks for fear of tripping, or being assaulted.
ReplyDeleteWhere can one access a list of registered STRs?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if a Freedom of Information request could surface them. Hudson's website outlines the process here: https://www.hudsonny.gov/public_records_foia/index.php
DeleteThe Freedom of Information Law provides certain exemptions. I don't know what exactly they are but I could imagine that addresses of STRs are considered personal information that they might not have to give out.
On the Treasurer's website, near the middle, is the list. However, it has not been updated since February of last year, which is ridiculous. The list is still in no particular order and there is no information besides an address. The list used to offer all sorts of helpful info until Heather decided it was more info than necessary. That was about the same time she stopped updating the list. It all points to a city that is not taking the issue seriously enough while allowing an outside company to be our enforcers.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bill. Very helpfull.
ReplyDelete