Newburgh, NY – The board of directors at Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress today announced the appointment of Alexandra S. Obremski to be the organization’s next president and chief executive officer. Obremski, a native of Rockland County, has worked in public service in the Hudson Valley for nearly two decades, including roles in community development and municipal law. She will become Pattern’s seventh president since the organization was founded in 1965.
“The opportunity to lead this renowned regional research and planning nonprofit is one I am grateful for and humble to take on,” Obremski said. “I am excited to expand Pattern’s longstanding commitment to regional planning and its passion for objective research on complex affordability and quality-of-life issues that are critical to the future of the Hudson Valley. I look forward to using my background in public service to continue Pattern’s impressive legacy and doing the work that has benefitted our communities, businesses, and municipalities for more than 60 years.”
“The Pattern for Progress Board of Directors is delighted to welcome Alexandra Obremski as our next President and CEO,” said Mary Beth Bianconi, chair of the Pattern Board. “Her background in community development, and as a public-sector attorney with diverse experience, makes her ideally suited for this role. Her lifelong dedication to public service positions her to lead Pattern’s next chapter as the Hudson Valley’s premier research, planning, and civic educational organization. She brings a clear passion for regional planning and evidence-based decision making that will support communities throughout the Hudson Valley as they consider the many challenges and opportunities that are shaping our region.”
“She is ideally suited to lead Pattern’s next chapter as the Hudson Valley’s premier research, planning, and civic educational organization as a result of her life-long dedication to public service. However, it is the passion with which she describes a deep desire to support vibrant Hudson Valley communities that accommodate all ages, occupations, educational attainment, urban and rural lifestyles, sustainable infrastructure, and other factors that are the foundation upon which Ms. Obremski will expertly advance the mission of Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress.
Obremski will join Pattern for Progress on May 18. She can be reached at aobremski@pfprogress.org.
Obremski has been the director of the Rockland County Office of Community Development since 2022, where she oversaw the development and implementation of the county’s first comprehensive housing plan. She also led the effort to create and manage Rockland’s $13.5 million Housing Action Loan Opportunity (HALO) fund to develop and preserve affordable and workforce housing. Obremski’s career has demonstrated a steadfast passion for, and commitment to, public service. She previously worked for a number of state and local government agencies, including the Rockland County Attorney’s Office, the New York State Division of Human Rights, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. In addition, Obremski currently serves in leadership positions for the New York Women’s Affordable Housing Network and the Rockland County Women’s Bar Association.
Obremski will become the first graduate of the Pattern Fellows Program – a regional leadership and education program created in 2007 – to become the president of the organization.
She is a graduate of the University at Albany and St. John’s University School of Law. She lives in New City with her husband and four children.
About Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress
Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress is a nonprofit organization that provides objective research, planning, and educational training throughout the region. Its work identifies civic challenges and promotes regional, equitable, and sustainable solutions to constantly improve the quality of life in Hudson Valley communities. Pattern develops its work upon a considerable foundation of facts and experience, without political aims or affiliations.
Pattern was founded in 1965 by the region’s academic, business, and nonprofit leaders. Our work focuses on housing, community and urban planning, downtown revitalization, land use, infrastructure, transportation, demographic change, and more. We serve the counties of Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.
Learn more www.Pattern-For-Progress.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
About Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress
Hudson Valley Pattern For Progress is a policy, planning, advocacy and research nonprofit that has promoted regional, balanced, sustainable, and equitable solutions for the Hudson River Valley since 1965. Visit Pattern-For-Progress.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Pattern for Progress welcomes three regional leaders to its Board of Directors
NEWBURGH – Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress announced today the appointment of three regional leaders to its Board of Directors. The new directors bring diverse expertise from across the housing, planning, and labor sectors, strengthening Pattern’s ability to deliver independent research and practical solutions for the Hudson Valley.
Board members support Pattern for Progress’s nonprofit mission by guiding strategic planning and governance, advancing research and education efforts, supporting fundraising, and helping ensure the organization’s work informs decision-making across the nine-county region.
The directors were nominated in the fall and formally elected in December by Pattern for Progress’s membership, which includes businesses, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and local governments from throughout the Hudson Valley.
Monique Clarke is a mortgage officer with The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC), where she finances affordable and multifamily housing developments across the Hudson Valley. With more than 20 years of experience in real estate, lending, and community development, she works with mission-driven developers and public partners to expand access to equitable, high-quality housing. She is active in regional housing initiatives through CPC and is a member of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors.
Tom Gandolfini is the business manager and financial secretary of Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 373. He also serves on the executive boards of the Hudson Valley Building Trades and the New York State Pipe Trades Association. A graduate of Newburgh Free Academy, Gandolfini began his career as an apprentice with Local 373 and is dedicated to creating strong career opportunities for union men and women throughout the Hudson Valley.
Matthew Steinberg, AICP, is a senio
r associate at DTS Provident, where he leads environmental and land use planning for major development projects across the Hudson Valley. With more than 20 years of public- and private-sector experience, he has overseen high-profile initiatives including Broadview Senior Living at SUNY Purchase and the redevelopment of the former Reader’s Digest campus in Chappaqua. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Pattern was founded in 1965 by the region’s academic, business, and nonprofit leaders. Our work focuses on housing, community and urban planning, downtown revitalization, infrastructure, transportation, demographic change, and more. We serve the counties of Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.
About Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress
Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress is a nonprofit organization that provides objective research, planning, and educational training throughout the region. Its work identifies civic challenges and promotes regional, equitable, and sustainable solutions to constantly improve the quality of life in Hudson Valley communities. Pattern develops its work upon a considerable foundation of facts and experience, without political aims or affiliations. Pattern was founded in 1965 by the region’s academic, business, and nonprofit leaders. It serves a nine-county region that includes Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties. Visit Pattern-For-Progress.org.
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Pattern CEO Adam Bosch to step down after tenure marked by regional impact
Board of Directors opens a search for next chief executive of the Hudson Valley’s regional planning and research organization
NEWBURGH —
Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress today announced that Adam Bosch, its president and CEO since 2022, will resign from his role at the end of the year. The Pattern Board of Directors has begun a structured transition process to search for a new executive while continuing the organization’s invaluable role as the Hudson Valley’s regional planning and research organization.
During his time as chief executive, Bosch led Pattern with a deep understanding of regional issues and a spirit of service. Bosch utilized Pattern’s research and planning efforts to help federal, state, and local leaders, civic organizations, and community partners make well-informed decisions about challenges and opportunities throughout the Hudson Valley. He led new research efforts on adaptive reuse and childcare, established an inter-regional planning partnership with New York City, and oversaw reports on housing stress and demographic changes that attracted national attention.
“Leading the team at Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress has been one of the great honors of my life,” Bosch said. “My career has allowed me to work with so many wonderful, smart, and civic-minded people across the Hudson Valley and Catskills. I am grateful to the dozens of communities and organizations that invited me to share Pattern’s work, and to those who made important decisions based on our research and planning. I am proud that our work drove zoning and regional development decisions, influenced state programs on infrastructure and childcare, and completely reshaped the regional conversation about housing. There are few nonprofits like Pattern in the United States. The Hudson Valley is fortunate to have an organization the provides objective research, develops strategic planning, and convenes the region around issues that genuinely affect our quality of life.”
“With Adam Bosch as President and CEO, Pattern tackled many of the region’s most pressing quality-of-life concerns through ground-breaking research and robust communication,” Mary Beth Bianconi, Chair of Pattern’s Board of Directors said. “Adam extended Pattern’s reach to new audiences and gave voice to the Hudson Valley in ways that attracted statewide and national attention. The breadth and depth of Pattern’s independent and directed research flourished under Adam’s direction. When we consider Pattern’s goals, we focus on moving the dial, being an honest broker, and examining topics that are regionally significant. Adam exceeded all expectations with respect to advancing Pattern’s mission. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Pattern for Progress, I extend our sincere gratitude for Adam’s skillful leadership, unbounded passion, and commitment to Pattern’s values. We extend our very best wishes for his continued success.”
Bosch will continue to serve Pattern as a special advisor during the leadership transition.
The Pattern Board of Directors has convened a search committee to lead the process of selecting the organization’s next president and CEO. Additional information about this important regional role can be found by clicking here, and qualified candidates are invited to submit resumes to domenica@normannstaffing.com.
Upon his departure, Bosch will step into a senior leadership role at the New York City water supply, where he worked for 10 years before joining Pattern. Pattern Vice President of Operations Robin DeGroat, who has served the organization for more than 18 years, will manage the daily operations of Pattern until a new chief executive is hired.
About Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress
Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress is a nonprofit organization that provides objective research, planning and educational training throughout the region. Its work identifies civic challenges and promotes regional, equitable, and sustainable solutions to constantly improve the quality of life in communities throughout the Hudson Valley. Pattern develops its work upon a considerable foundation of facts and experience, without political aims or affiliations.
Pattern was founded in 1965 by the region’s academic, business, and nonprofit leaders. Our work focuses on housing, community and urban planning, downtown revitalization, infrastructure, transportation, demographic change, and more. We serve the counties of Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.
About Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress
Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress is a nonprofit organization that provides objective research, planning, and educational training throughout the region. Its work identifies civic challenges and promotes regional, equitable, and sustainable solutions to constantly improve the quality of life in Hudson Valley communities. Pattern develops its work upon a considerable foundation of facts and experience, without political aims or affiliations. Pattern was founded in 1965 by the region’s academic, business, and nonprofit leaders. It serves a nine-county region that includes Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties. Visit Pattern-For-Progress.org.
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Pattern launches research into corporate housing ownership in the Mid-Hudson
Special study made possible by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant
Research will fill critical data gap on the corporatization of housing in five Mid-Hudson counties amid new state laws to protect homebuyers and tenants
NEWBURGH — Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress has received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to conduct the first comprehensive study of corporate housing ownership and consolidation in the Mid-Hudson region, focusing on Columbia, Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties. The project will unearth and quantify trends of housing corporatization and the increasing prevalence of short-term rentals to better assess impacts of these trends on housing affordability and access. To pursue this research, Pattern is partnering with nationally renowned data partners: the Center for Geospatial Solutions (CGS) at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and Inside Airbnb. The team’s analysis will equip communities and policymakers with data to better inform public decision-making around this issue.
Pattern was one of 30 organizations selected from more than 1,900 applicants nationwide to receive the Local Data for Equitable Communities grant. Pattern will share some of the initial data findings at its annual housing conference on October 14 at SUNY New Paltz. The full project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The project will specifically examine the quantity of homes in the Mid-Hudson that have been purchased by corporations in recent years. It will focus on single-family homes, along with duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes. The data analyzed by Pattern and its partners will show how the rate of corporate homeownership has changed over time, and whether market disruptions, like the Covid-19 pandemic, caused corporations to purchase more homes in the Mid-Hudson region. The research will also outline the total quantity of investor-owned homes are owned for the purposes of long-term rental versus short-term rental, and the project will yield the first comprehensive database of short-term rentals in all five counties.
The consolidation of residential ownership by large corporations is likely exacerbating the regional wealth gap between rich and poor, driving rents further out of reach for tenants, and significantly reducing access to homeownership and generational wealth for first-time homebuyers. Despite this problem, no public or private agency in New York has yet published data that would empower communities to understand the issue of corporate housing ownership. As a consequence, public discourse about investor-owned housing has not been grounded in data and facts, limiting the ability of state and local governments to make informed decisions about housing policy.
“Through anecdotal evidence and limited local data, we know that affordability challenges, displacement, and barriers to homeownership in the Mid-Hudson region are being intensified by private equity firms and other corporate entities acquiring large residential portfolios,” said Pattern for Progress CEO Adam Bosch. “But because no public agency has collected or published comprehensive data on this issue, many decision-makers remain unaware or unconvinced that it’s occurring. This project will change that.”
The project team will synthesize and analyze parcel and ownership data, map the relationship between corporate ownership and short-term rentals, and host a series sense-making sessions across the region to work with community organizations, legislators, and housing providers on strategies and policy responses.
This research comes as New York State took new steps to rein in speculative real estate practices. In their latest state budget, New York lawmakers imposed a 90-day waiting period before certain institutional investors can purchase one-family and two-family homes. This new law generally applies to entities that directly or indirectly own 10 or more homes, or have at least $30 million in net value or assets under management. The new law builds on other reforms such as the state’s LLC Transparency Act, which will require disclosure of beneficial owners of limited liability companies starting in 2026. These measures aim to level the playing field for first-time buyers and local residents in competitive housing markets.
By closing the current data gap on ownership consolidation, Pattern for Progress hopes to provide Mid-Hudson communities with information that can support local decision-making, support a more equitable playing field for housing access, and contribute to broader discussions on housing policy at the local state and national levels.
About the Local Data for Equitable Communities Grant Program
Supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute, the program helps nonprofits use data to catalyze local action and address inequities in the physical, economic, or social conditions of a place. Each project demonstrates how local data can be a powerful tool for self-determination, grassroots action, and improving quality of life.
The 30 Local Data for Equitable Communities grant program grantees are located in 19 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Information about the selected projects, as well as updates related to the program, are available at https://localdataforequitablecommunities.org/
About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime. To get there, we must work to dismantle structural racism and other barriers to health.
Through funding, convening, advocacy, and evidence-building, we work side-by-side with communities, practitioners, and institutions to achieve health equity faster and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.
About the Urban Institute
The Urban Institute is a nonprofit research organization founded on one simple idea: To improve lives and strengthen communities, we need practices and policies that work. For more than 50 years, that has been our charge. By equipping changemakers with evidence and solutions, together we can create a future where every person and community has the opportunity and power to thrive.
About Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress
Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress is a nonprofit organization that provides objective research, planning and educational training throughout the region. Its work identifies civic challenges and promotes regional, equitable, and sustainable solutions to constantly improve the quality of life in communities throughout the Hudson Valley. Pattern develops its work upon a considerable foundation of facts and experience, without political aims or affiliations.
Pattern was founded in 1965 by the region’s academic, business, and nonprofit leaders. Our work focuses on housing, community and urban planning, downtown revitalization, infrastructure, transportation, demographic change, and more. We serve the counties of Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.
The Center for Housing Solutions & Community Initiatives was created by Pattern in 2012 to promote the regional significance of diverse housing through research, planning, and policy recommendations. We utilize our housing expertise in collaboration with public and private partners to create a positive impact for the Hudson Valley. Our research, technical assistance, planning, and innovative policy solutions have helped dozens of communities throughout the region learn about their housing needs and act to meet those needs.
About Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress
Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress is a nonprofit organization that provides objective research, planning, and educational training throughout the region. Its work identifies civic challenges and promotes regional, equitable, and sustainable solutions to constantly improve the quality of life in Hudson Valley communities. Pattern develops its work upon a considerable foundation of facts and experience, without political aims or affiliations. Pattern was founded in 1965 by the region’s academic, business, and nonprofit leaders. It serves a nine-county region that includes Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties. Visit Pattern-For-Progress.org.
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Discussions to focus on shared opportunities for economic growth, vibrancy and collaboration
POUGHKEEPSIE – Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress (Pattern) and the New York City Department of Department of City Planning (DCP) today announced a new partnership to explore regional connections between New York City and the Hudson Valley on economic development, tourism, agriculture, and other key issues. The partnership will include biannual meetings between Pattern for Progress and New York City officials, including discussions of how to build on the robust economic ties and transit connections between the regions and how to support jobs in life science, tech, food, and film production, among other industries.
The partnership was announced on Tuesday at a Pattern event at Marist University with New York City DCP Director Dan Garodnick, exploring opportunities for collaboration between the Hudson Valley and New York City.
“I am grateful that New York City has agreed to collaborate with the Hudson Valley to discuss a wide range of opportunities and actions that will benefit our regions,” Pattern CEO Adam Bosch said. “Pattern will coordinate routine discussions for civic and business leaders to connect with their peers in New York City. These collaborations will aim for specific actions on business attraction and growth, tourism, food systems, housing, transit, and other topics that stitch together the Hudson Valley and New York City. I want to thank Dan Garodnick and his team at DCP for bringing the city’s government agencies and nonprofits into this active collaboration between our regions.”
“New York City and the Hudson Valley are deeply intertwined, from our housing market to transportation infrastructure to supply chain and more. When New York succeeds, the region succeeds, and vice versa,” said Dan Garodnick, Director of the NYC Department of City Planning and Chair of the New York City Planning Commission. “That’s why this ongoing partnership is such an exciting opportunity to coordinate our planning efforts and further grow the largest regional economy in the western hemisphere.”
The partnership formally began this week with a discussion between DCP, Pattern, and the planning commissioners from several Hudson Valley counties following the Pattern event. The discussion identified several topics on which the Hudson Valley and New York City will collaborate, including economic development, tourism, agriculture, and other key issues. Planners also explored potential action items that might be pursued. For future discussions, Pattern and DCP will bring together economic development experts, tourism bureaus, farmers and food-system operators, and other stakeholders who would benefit from planning across both regions.
New York City and the Hudson Valley have strong economic connections. The two regions include more than 267,000 commuters, and account for more than half the jobs and nearly 40% of the housing permits in the greater metro area. Several planning efforts have recently pointed toward the need to develop inter-regional strategies that strengthen and develop these connections. For example, the city’s “New New York” action plan challenges its leaders to “develop regional strategies that foster mutually beneficial connections between NYC and the surrounding region.” The latest comprehensive economic development strategy for the Mid-Hudson Region, published by Empire State Development in 2024, also articulates this goal. It says, “Frequent communication between regional leaders and elected and appointed officials from New York City should be encouraged to explore the development and expansion of markets for goods that are made in the Mid-Hudson region.”
Pattern will provide regular updates to Hudson Valley civic leaders about the regional discussions with New York City, including action items that are identified throughout the year.
About Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress
Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress is a nonprofit organization that provides objective research, planning, and educational training throughout the region. Its work identifies civic challenges and promotes regional, equitable, and sustainable solutions to constantly improve the quality of life in Hudson Valley communities. Pattern develops its work upon a considerable foundation of facts and experience, without political aims or affiliations.
Pattern was founded in 1965 by the region’s academic, business, and nonprofit leaders. It serves a nine-county region that includes Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties. Visit Pattern-For-Progress.org. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @PatternForProgress, and on Twitter @HVPattern.
About the Department of City Planning
The Department of City Planning (DCP) plans for the strategic growth and development of the City through ground-up planning with communities, the development of land use policies and zoning regulations applicable citywide, and its contribution to the preparation of the City’s 10-year Capital Strategy. DCP promotes housing production and affordability, fosters economic development and coordinated investments in infrastructure and services, and supports resilient, sustainable communities across the five boroughs for a more equitable New York City.
In addition, DCP supports the City Planning Commission in its annual review of approximately 450 land use applications for a variety of discretionary approvals. The Department also assists both government agencies and the public by advising on strategic and capital planning and providing policy analysis, technical assistance and data relating to housing, transportation, community facilities, demography, zoning, urban design, waterfront areas and public open space.
Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress is pleased to announce the addition of 10 regional leaders to its Board of Directors. Directors on Pattern’s board support its nonprofit mission to provide objective research and planning to the Hudson Valley by helping the organization with strategic planning, governance, research, education, fundraising, and by bringing the nonprofit’s work to regional leaders who can use it for action.
The newest directors were nominated last autumn and voted onto the board in December by the broader membership of Pattern for Progress, which includes academic institutions, businesses, nonprofit organizations and local governments throughout the nine-county region that it serves.
The following were appointed as new board members:
Nicole Carino is a senior vice president at M&T Bank. Carino has more than 18 years of commercial banking experience in the Hudson Valley. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business management from the University at Buffalo in 2006. Carino is dedicated to serving her community. She also serves on the board of directors of Greystone Programs, and on various committees with the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce. She is a member of her church staff-parish relations committee, where she has served as chair for three years.
Conor Eckert is senior vice president at the Orange County Partnership, where he works closely with national site selectors, corporate brokers, elected officials, and end-users to facilitate industrial and commercial projects that create jobs and positive economic activity in the county. He also leads the strategic business development and site selection efforts of the Orange County Partnership, with a focus on life sciences, manufacturing, food and beverage, and logistics. He has worked with nationally recognized brands such as Tesla, Amazon, City Winery, PharmaCannis, Cardinal Health, UAP, Prime Source, Poly Craft Industries, and Royal Wine/Kedem, leading to significant jobs creation and private investment in Orange County. Prior to his role with the Orange County Partnership, Eckert served as executive director of the Town of Montgomery Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and Director of Economic Development and Planning. Eckert earned his bachelor’s degree in public policy and his master’s degree in public administration from Binghamton University. He also earned a graduate certificate in real estate development from Cornell University
Frank Filiciotto is the principal traffic engineer and New York metro area market lead at LaBella Associates. Filiciotto is a traffic engineer and planner with 20 years of diverse experience across the public and private sectors. He enjoys improving transportation systems so they are safer, more walkable, and more inviting for everyone. He also enjoys helping developers deliver the best in land use by incorporating thoughtful and cutting-edge multi-modal design aspects. Filiciotto also serves on the board of the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation (HVEDC) and the Poughkeepsie Alliance. He lives in Poughkeepsie with his wife and daughter. He’s an avid runner and a jazz music enthusiast.
Anthony P. Luisi is senior counsel at Harris Beach Murtha Cullina, where he leads the environmental practice group. Luisi has more than 15 years of professional experience throughout the Hudson Valley and across New York State, including as a former regional director for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), where he served as senior manager of 12 regional divisions and offices in the Capital Region, and as regional attorney of the DEC. Luisi is well versed in federal and state environmental statutes, regulations, and case law. He represents companies, municipalities, and individuals in connection with real estate development and management, land use and zoning, regulatory compliance and permitting, and litigation. He has served on the boards of several not-for-profit organizations, including Greenburgh Nature Center in Scarsdale and Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless in Albany, and as chair of the board of directors of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission. Luisi earned his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University. He resides in the Capital Region with his wife and two children.
Michele O’Connell is president and CEO of Orange & Rockland Utilities, Inc. O’Connell previously worked at Con Edison, where she served as vice president of customer service operations and in several other roles throughout New York City and Westchester County. O’Connell currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation (HVEDC), the New Jersey Utilities Association (NJUA) and the New York Building Congress. She is a member of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) Operating Company Leadership Group, New Jersey Energy Coalition Advisory Board, Partnership for NYC Urban Resiliency Advisory Board and Women’s Forum of New York. She is a former David Rockefeller Fellow and was an executive committee member at both the AEIC (Association of Edison Illuminating Companies) and EEI. She earned her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and her master’s degree in business administration from Montclair State University.
Michelle O’Reilly is a partner at PKF O’Connor Davies Accounting and Advisors. She has 25 years of audit and advisory experience, working with the not-for-profit and healthcare sectors, including charities, social service agencies, education, the arts, membership organizations, nursing homes and voluntary health and welfare organizations. She also serves affordable housing entities including low-income housing tax credit limited partnerships and other commercial enterprises. O’Reilly is a founding member of the firm’s diversity and inclusion council and has authored various articles for its though leadership publications. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Marist College.
Stephanie Raymond is President & CEO of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, where she is responsible for setting company-wide strategic direction, operational leadership, financial management, and regulatory oversight. Prior to joining Central Hudson, Raymond served as president of PPL Electric Utilities Corporation, where she oversaw electric delivery operations for more than 1.5 million customers across 29 counties in Pennsylvania. During her 12-year tenure at PPL, she held various executive roles, covering strategic planning, operations, customer service, regulatory compliance, financial management, and business services. Raymond also spent a decade in the telecommunications industry, holding several senior leadership positions. Raymond volunteers for several business and community organizations. She serves on the boards of the SUNY New Paltz Foundation, the Business Council of New York State, the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies (AEIC), the American Gas Association (AGA), and serves on the advisory board of ESource. Ms. Raymond earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on finance/strategic management from California State University, Sacramento, and is an alumna of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Education Program.
Jonathan W. Roberts is the President & CEO of Hudson Valley Credit Union (HVCU), one of the largest credit unions in the United States, with more than $7 billion in assets, more than 1,000 employees, and has 30 branches in Dutchess, Ulster, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Westchester, Greene, Columbia, Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, and Saratoga counties. Prior to joining HVCU, Roberts served as executive vice president at Webster Bank in Connecticut, where he led community banking and served on the bank’s operating committee. Roberts has extensive banking experience over the past 30 years with several well-respected institutions, including Fifth Third Bank, Citizens Bank, FNB Corp and Santander North America. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati and Stonier Graduate School of Banking, he is also an alumnus of The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania where he graduated from the General Management Program in 2018. He currently serves as a board member for the New York Credit Union Association, and ChildFund International.
Kelly Ryan vice president of technology lifecycle services at IBM. For the past 12 years, Ryan has been an executive leader in IBM’s infrastructure division, which designs, builds, delivers and supports industry-leading solutions that meet enterprise scale requirements. She currently drives IBM multivendor infrastructure support and manages global technology lifecycle services client innovation centers. Ryan is the executive sponsor of IBM’s Hispanic Business Resource Group and has built women’s leadership programs around the world. She began her career in a technical role in operating systems development as a content developer and was also an associate partner in IBM Consulting focused on both K12 and Higher Ed. Kelly earned her bachelor’s degree from Clarkson University. She earned a master’s certificate in project management from George Washington University and is an IBM Certified Project Executive and holds project management certification from the Project Management Institute. In her spare time, Kelly does the important things in life – spending time with her family and friends and doing anything outside including playing tennis, skiing and hiking, and watching her son play golf.
Curt Schultzberg is vice president and strategic market manager at Hudson Valley Investment Advisors. His career in finance has focused on the intermediary and business side of the industry. Schultzberg has wholesaled for several organizations, been the chief administrative officer for a national broker dealer, ran domestic mergers and acquisitions for a multi-national insurance company, and has been responsible for the build-out of both large and small business development teams. Schultzberg graduated with a dual major from the State University of New York, College at Oswego, and as an active alumnus he currently serves as vice chair on the Dean’s Advisory Board for the School of Business. He is also a member of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce Non-Profit Committee. Outside the office, Schultzberg spends significant time enjoying live music as well as hiking, biking, camping, motorcycling, paddling the Hudson Valley and beyond.
Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress is a nonprofit organization that provides objective research, planning, and educational training throughout the region. Its work identifies civic challenges and promotes regional, equitable, and sustainable solutions to constantly improve the quality of life in Hudson Valley communities. Pattern develops its work upon a considerable foundation of facts and experience, without political aims or affiliations.
Pattern was founded in 1965 by the region’s academic, business, and nonprofit leaders. It serves a nine-county region that includes Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties. Visit Pattern-For-Progress.org. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @PatternForProgress, and on Twitter @HVPattern.
Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress is pleased to announce the addition of seven regional leaders to its Board of Directors. Directors on Pattern’s board support its nonprofit mission to provide objective research and planning to the Hudson Valley by helping the organization with strategic planning, governance, fundraising, and by bringing the nonprofit’s work to regional leaders who can use it for action.
Directors are nominated and voted into office by the broader membership of Pattern for Progress, which includes academic institutions, businesses, nonprofit organizations and local governments throughout the nine-county region that it serves.
The following were appointed as new board members:
James Arrabito is an attorney with Catania, Mahon & Rider, PLLC in Newburgh. His practice focuses primarily on all aspects of environmental regulation, diligence, and litigation under state and federal law. Arrabito also works with clients on commercial real estate transactions and development matters, providing multi-faceted legal counsel with a strong emphasis on mitigating environmental liabilities. Arrabito also represents landowners in negotiating ground leases and purchase options for utility-scale renewables projects in the Hudson Valley. Arrabito earned his law degree from Rutgers Law School and, prior to entering private practice, served as a law clerk to the Honorable Jaynee LaVecchia (Ret.), Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court.
Susan Browning is western regional president of Nuvance Health and president of Vassar Brothers Medical Center, where she oversees the center’s operations, including financial performance, patient satisfaction and quality of care. She works closely with a team of healthcare professionals to ensure the medical center continues to be a leader in healthcare in the Hudson Valley. Prior to joining Nuvance Health, Browning served at Northwell Health for more than 24 years in numerous roles. She was vice president for administration at New York Presbyterian-Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where she managed hospital operations and support services, as well as strategic ambulatory care development and outpatient operations. Browning earned her master’s degree in public health from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and her bachelor’s degree of arts from Barnard College at Columbia University. She is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, past president of Healthcare Leaders of New York, and also served as an examiner with the United States Department of Commerce Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Program.
Alison Buckley is the seventh president of SUNY Ulster. She assumed office in 2022, bringing a student-centered approach to leadership and cultivating a culture of inclusive excellence to increase degree completion and transfer to four-year colleges and universities. Buckley previously served as vice president for enrollment management and student affairs for Connecticut State Community Colleges, and associate vice president of enrollment management at Howard Community College in Maryland. She is also experienced in the classroom; she taught at the American College Dublin, the Community College of Philadelphia, Delaware County Community College, and Howard Community College. She currently serves on the advisory committee of Presidents for the Association of Community College Trustees, the National Junior College Athletic Association Presidents’ Commission, and has served on the American Association of Community Colleges Commission on Institutional Infrastructure and Transformation. Buckley earned a doctoral degree in organizational leadership studies from Northeastern University, a master’s degree in history and a postgraduate certificate in museum studies from the University of Delaware, an M.Phil. in women’s studies from the University of Dublin, Trinity College, and an M.B.A from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park. She holds a bachelor’s degree in classics and history from Randolph College, where she currently serves on the Board of Trustees.
Javier Gomez is the director of community development and impact for Hudson River Housing. He oversees advocacy, communications, and various community programs and local partnerships for the agency. He also reviews internal data and prepares reports related to the nonprofit’s organizational impact. Gomez held previous positions within the agency as a real estate development program coordinator and manager of real estate development, where he coordinated the development of affordable housing projects throughout the Hudson Valley. Before joining Hudson River Housing in 2018, he completed a one-year service term as an Americorps VISTA for the Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative in the City of Newburgh sponsored by the United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region. Gomez has a deep interest in the issues of regional community and economic development as demonstrated by his other professional experiences as a Pattern for Progress Fellow, Good Work Institute Fellow, and as a cohort-member of the Community Preservation Corporation’s ACCESS program. He is a second-generation American of Dominican and Colombian heritage, and a lifelong resident of the Hudson Valley. Gomez earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Marist College.
Tony Marmo is the president of Normann Staffing, a staffing and recruitment agency based in Kingston. Normann Staffing has served hundreds of businesses and placed thousands of employees in Ulster, Dutchess, Orange, Greene, Columbia and Sullivan counties. Marmo previously served as the CEO of Kingston Hospital, and as an administrator at three skilled nursing facilities in New York and New Jersey. He continues to hold an active license to administer a nursing home in New York. Marmo is an active community volunteer. He is currently the Hudson Valley District Membership Chair for Rotary International; is the co-founder and current president of the Ulster County Italian American Foundation; serves as president of Ulster Strong, and a board member for the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation. He serves on the board of the Ulster County Workforce Development Board and volunteered as a co-host on Kingston Community Radio/WGHQ for 18 years, most recently as co-host of Tutto Italiano! on Radio Kingston/WKNY. Marmo earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Pace University and his master’s degree in public administration from Long Island University.
Julika von Stackelberg is the family and community resilience educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County. She is an educator, resilience trainer, and researcher focused on building communities of belonging based on strategies that promote well-being and equity. She is a speaker and community organizer with insights and strategies for professionals, families, individuals, and youth that reduce stress, foster connection, increase protective factors, build resilience, and create belonging. Julika has a culturally diverse background and is internationally experienced through work and research. She is a leader of innovative community-based approaches to increasing public health through programs like the Master Community Builder Program, a research-based program she developed, piloted, and launched in 2023. The program is built on a culturally responsive and sustaining framework that centers on human and planetary well-being and expertly trains individuals to build resilient communities. Julika serves on several community coalitions and organization boards and holds appointments on statewide advisory and advocacy committees. Julika holds a bachelor’s degree in African studies and development studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London and a master’s degree in social justice and community organizing from Prescott College. Von Stackelberg is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in sustainability education at Prescott College, AZ, where she is researching social imaginaries as a framework for the transition toward resilient and regenerative communities.
Clarissa Timbrouck has worked in the banking industry for 12 years, and with Rondout Savings Bank since 2017. She has worked in both retail banking and lending, currently in commercial lending. She is knowledgeable in providing community members with exceptional service and delivering solutions to help them achieve their financial goals. Timbrouck is passionate about learning about local businesses, guiding them through their financial needs and helping them succeed in the community. She is very involved in the community by sitting on a variety of boards including, The YMCA of Ulster County, The YWCA of Ulster County, and the Kingston Midtown Business Foundation.
Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress is a nonprofit organization that provides objective research, planning, and educational training throughout the region. Its work identifies civic challenges and promotes regional, equitable, and sustainable solutions to constantly improve the quality of life in Hudson Valley communities. Pattern develops its work upon a considerable foundation of facts and experience, without political aims or affiliations.
Pattern was founded in 1965 by the region’s academic, business, and nonprofit leaders. It serves a nine-county region that includes Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties. Visit Pattern-For-Progress.org. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @PatternForProgress, and on Twitter @HVPattern.
PATTERN REPORT EXAMINES HOW NEW YORK’S NEIGHBORS ARE TAKING STATE-LEVEL ACTIONS TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS
Report underscores that New York is lagging behind its neighboring states to create policies that address the severe underproduction of housing and the affordability crisis
Decades-old strategies and legal precedents in other states help to strike a balance between home rule and the production of housing to meet statewide and regional needs
NEWBURGH – Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress today released a new research brief that examines the strategies, requirements, and legal precedents utilized by New York’s neighboring states to produce affordable housing for their residents. The report – Local Zoning, Regional Needs – outlines how other states have preserved the core intent of home rule while also requiring their towns to allow for the development of diverse housing that meets statewide and regional needs.
“Proposals to create statewide housing policies in New York are often decried as attacks on home rule,” Pattern CEO Adam Bosch said. “But our research found that practically every state surrounding New York balances home rule with reasonable mandates to diversify zoning and meet regional housing needs. Our neighbors prove that states can allow towns to govern and design themselves, while also requiring those towns to allow for certain housing that meets the greater public interest.”
The report examines the underlying laws, regulations, and legal precedents related to zoning and housing in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. All those states are so-called “home rule” states, except Vermont.
Among the six states, New York stands out as lagging in its efforts to create statewide policies that address the severe underproduction of housing in its municipalities. There is longstanding case law in New York that requires local governments to diversify their zoning to protect “the greater public
interest that regional needs be met.” However, these legal precedents have not inspired mandates or programs in New York like they have in our neighboring states.
The following are some examples of state-level actions that our neighbors have taken to maintain home rule, diversify their zoning, and meet the growing need for housing:
- Under the “Anti-Snob Zoning Act” in Massachusetts, developers are entitled to appeal municipal decisions to a statewide Housing Appeals Committee when a municipality rejects a building proposal or imposes onerous conditions. Developers can only appeal if their project includes at least 20-25% affordable housing. Municipalities in which 10% or more of the housing is already affordable are not subject to the authority of the Housing Appeals Committee.
- Massachusetts also requires that all municipalities served by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, including those directly adjacent to those municipalities, establish at least one multi-family zoning district within one-half mile of rail, bus, subway, or ferry stops. Development in that district must be permitted at a minimum gross density of 15 units per acre and may not be subject to age restrictions.
- Court cases in the 1970s and 1980s established the “Mount Laurel Doctrine” in New Jersey, which requires its municipalities to provide their fair share of affordable housing based on population and economic-growth trends that are reassessed every 10 years. The next update and recalculation will happen in 2025.
- Zoning reforms in Connecticut required all its municipalities to increase the variety of housing types they allow to affirmatively further fair housing across the state. This reform barred municipalities from using “neighborhood character” as a reason for denying approvals by land-use boards, and it prevents municipalities from capping the number of units allowed in a multifamily development.
- Although it is not a home rule state, Vermont has also taken steps to improve the quantity and diversity of its housing stock. For example, municipalities in Vermont must zone all areas served by public water and sewer at a minimum density of five dwelling units per acre. They must also permit duplexes in all single-family zones.
Additional examples of actions by our neighboring states can be found in Local Zoning, Regional Needs.
This research brief builds upon a guest lecture by Alan Mallach at Pattern’s annual housing conference in 2023. Mallach, a longtime urban scholar and a senior fellow at the Center for Community Progress, shared a list of state-level actions taken by other states to improve the production of housing. Mallach helped Pattern to compile the information that is published in the Local Zoning, Regional Needs.
The report was also inspired by Pattern’s examination of migration trends that track the movement of people into and out of the Hudson Valley. In its latest report on domestic migration, Pattern found that many thousands of people have moved out of the Hudson Valley and into our neighboring states in recent years. Outward migration from the Hudson Valley has far outpaced the number of people moving into the region. Along with certain tax advantages (the average family saves about 25-60 percent on taxes when they move to neighboring states), the availability of more diverse and affordable housing is likely a factor that contributes to this outward migration. A U.S. Census Bureau survey of people in the Northeast found that housing – affordability and availability – was the No. 1 reason people moved out of the region.
Local Zoning, Regional Needs was produced by The Center for Housing Solutions & Community Initiatives, which was created by Pattern in 2012 to promote the regional significance of diverse housing through research, planning, and policy recommendations. The center collaborates with public and private partners to create a positive impact for the Hudson Valley. Its research, technical assistance, planning, and innovative policy solutions have helped dozens of communities throughout the region learn about their housing needs and act to meet them.
Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress is a nonprofit organization that provides objective research, planning, and educational training throughout the region. Its work identifies civic challenges and promotes regional, equitable, and sustainable solutions to constantly improve the quality of life in Hudson Valley communities. Pattern develops its work upon a considerable foundation of facts and experience, without political aims or affiliations.
Pattern was founded in 1965 by the region’s academic, business, and nonprofit leaders. It serves a nine-county region that includes Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties. Visit Pattern-For-Progress.org. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @PatternForProgress, and on Twitter @HVPattern.