Sunday, July 9th, 2023 Data suggest that climate change could push more people into the Hudson Valley in the years ahead as droughts, fires, and extreme weather make other parts of the United States less sustainable for living. The research team at Pattern for Progress has identified this signal in recent migration data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which uses tax filings to track the movement of people county-by-county [...]

Friday, February 4th, 2022 The COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt many aspects of our life in the Hudson Valley. Schools, businesses and public spaces have all needed to adjust the way they operate the account for the health of the people they employ or serve. Though the effects are widespread, the fallout from the pandemic has been particularly challenging for main streets. Many of the things main streets traditionally rely [...]

Hudson Valley, We Have a Problem. Sunday, October 24th, 2021 Hudson Valley, we have a problem. It’s been brewing for a while and it’s only gotten worse in the last few years: We do not have enough homes available for the people of our communities. It’s certainly not a problem that is unique to our region – communities all over [...]

Housing Pathway Forward: A “Blueprint” to Advance Housing Development Sunday, October 17th, 2021 The lack of a balanced supply of housing at all levels, from affordable to workforce to market rate, is apparent. The shortage is real. The demand for housing appears to be insatiable at all price points, type, and tenure. There is a strong market for single family [...]

The Pathway Forward: The Digital Valley Sunday, October 10th, 2021 As the pandemic (hopefully) continues to wind down here in New York, it is important not to lose site of the valuable lessons we learned during this trying period. One of these lessons was that conducting business, classes and even healthcare online has benefits.  The virtual space can increase efficiency, [...]

The Pathway Forward: Workforce Sunday, October 3rd, 2021 As the region surveys the damage incurred by the pandemic and the economic disruption, many businesses and institutions are thinking about the best way forward. To assist in that process, Pattern has convened several working groups of its board members to discuss and determine what happened, and to suggest what might be [...]

Changes in the Number of Housing Units in the Hudson Valley Sunday, September 26th, 2021 One of the few data points currently available from the 2020 census is the number of housing units. The census definition of a housing unit is as follows: A house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room that is [...]

A Housing Crisis: Finding A Place to Call Home Sunday, September 19th, 2021 As the fall approaches, the days get shorter, temperatures start to drop, and Pattern has been busy designing and assembling the Housing Forum for October. The Hudson Valley region is no different from other regions and communities across the country – we are in a housing crisis. [...]

Back to School-ish Sunday, September 12th, 2021 Having arrived to New York a few years ago from a different state situated a little further down south, where children begin school at the very beginning of August, I’ve kept a watchful eye on my Southern friends and their families as they shared their back to school photos. In the school district [...]

It's Labor Day Weekend - A Reflection about Workforce and those Help Wanted Signs Sunday, September 5th, 2021 It is Labor Day weekend.  No better time to reflect on the state of the workforce in the Hudson Valley. The most obvious observation is that there are “Help Wanted” signs everywhere. There seems to be a shortage in every sector of [...]

Traveling During COVID Sunday, August 29th, 2021 For the past year and a half, if you told someone you were traveling they looked at you kind of funny… you are getting on a plane and going somewhere? For some of us, travel was not so fearful. You did what you thought was best: get vaccinated, wear your mask, follow the [...]

What is on the Mind of a Parent Right Now? Sunday, August 22nd, 2021 With schools reopening in just a few weeks, parents have a lot on their minds. Last year’s remote education proved to be an extremely challenging situation for both stay at home and working parents alike. For working parents, there were not enough hours in the day [...]

Eviction Moratorium  Sunday, August 15th, 2021 As the COVID pandemic overtook every aspect of our world in 2020 and into 2021, and people’s livelihoods were put on hold the federal and state government quickly established policies to mitigate evictions and created programs to assist with rent and forbearance for mortgage payments. The goal of the federal and state moratoriums was [...]

Get Vaccinated – Part Two Sunday, August 8th, 2021 Listening to the news all week, I think it is time to up the “appeal” for an increasing number of people to be vaccinated. So here are some things to consider: It is almost time for k-12 schools to start and we are heading into the third consecutive year where schooling [...]

Get Vaccinated Sunday, August 1st, 2021 On Wednesday July 14th, my wife and I were having dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Provincetown, Massachusetts.  Two days later we received a phone call to inform us that someone had tested positive in the restaurant.  We were trying to get back to normal and instead we got that horrible feeling [...]

Exploring the Future of Everything Sunday, July 25th, 2021 The early days of March 2020, seem a bit hazy in the rearview mirror. If I sit for a moment, the feelings of uncertainty that lingered over all of us as we faced a pandemic head on come rushing back. I can remember asking myself over and over again, “Is this [...]

Sustainable and High Performance Development Sunday, July 18th, 2021 As we transition to a low-carbon economy, states, counties, cities, towns, and villages across the country are rapidly adopting low carbon goals and there is growing pressure to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. We are entering a new phase in real estate development, where high-performance will become the new baseline. [...]

The Return to Normal Sunday, May 30th, 2021 It’s Memorial Day Weekend, which means backyard BBQs with neighbors, trips to the beach, or enjoying a walk on one of the region’s main streets or trails. And, if it weren’t so cold and rainy outside, we would be almost there. Take a moment to think where you were a year ago. [...]

Sunday, May 2nd, 2021 On Monday, April 26th, The U.S. Census Bureau released the first high-level results of the 2020 Census. These preliminary results include state-level population totals and the resulting reapportionment of congressional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. As we detailed in a blog post from April of last year, the Decennial Census has major implications for civic representation, federal funding, and policy decisions. Before the count began, New [...]

Sunday, April 25th, 2021 As the restrictions slowly phase out and vaccinations continue, most of us are looking forward to doing some of those things that have been on “pause”. You know what I am talking about, or maybe it has been too long…you remember… going to dinner and then…dare I say to the movie theater, or going out to a bar with friends and hearing live music. Or, maybe [...]

Sunday, April 18th, 2021 “On April 11, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which was meant as a follow-up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The 1968 Act expanded on previous acts and prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, sex, (and as amended) handicap and family status. Title VIII of the Act is also known [...]

Sunday, April 11th, 2021 In times of trouble, I always think of Mr. Rogers’ reflection of his own mother’s offering of comfort when he saw scary things in the news, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people helping.” Certainly over this past year, we have seen so many acts of service, neighborly goodwill, kindness, and volunteerism. It is inspiring and hopeful to see so many people supporting their neighbors and working [...]

Sunday, April 4th, 2021 February is Black history month, March is Women’s History month, and April 1st marks the beginning of the lesser known Fair Housing Month. I know about Fair Housing month because housing is a topic near and dear to Pattern, as evidenced by last week’s blog as well as the numerous housing events and housing reports published by Pattern. But Fair Housing Month got me thinking - what other national [...]

Sunday, March 28th, 2021 This week’s Blog is a collaborative effort between Joe Czajka and John C. Cappello, Partner, Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP (www.jacobowitz.com). Over the last several years, the Hudson Valley has experienced significant commercial development and growth in the warehouse/distribution, hospitality/leisure/tourism, and retail industry sectors. Although the later two industries have been hit hard from the pandemic, recovery has already begun. The growth in these three industry sectors brings the need [...]

Sunday, March 21st, 2021 As the winter snow melts away and the early spring bulbs produce bright flowers, you may notice something else uncovered by the thaw:  garbage.  All winter long discarded plastic, paper, and other human made materials have accumulated along roadsides, in open spaces, and around our communities.   Visitors to our region who come for the natural beauty of the Hudson Valley are met with piles of rubbish! For local economies [...]

Sunday, March 14th, 2021 On March 12, 2020, I packed up my papers and computer and said, “That’s it. I’m staying home.” That was my moment when I knew that the novel coronavirus was real and scary, and that coming into our office in Newburgh no longer made sense. No one was coming to visit us and I no longer thought it was safe for our staff to travel about the region. Fortunately, [...]

Sunday, February 28th, 2021 I want to tell you about my friend named Tripp. Tripp is 35 years old and lives with his parents, Al and Sue. Al and Sue are perfectly nice people, and while they love their son, they are desperate for him get his act together and move out of the house. You may be nodding along at home thinking about people in your life who have gone through a [...]

Sunday, February 21st, 2021 “I hope some day you’ll join us And the World will be as one” Those are the last lines of John Lennon’s song "Imagine." I am a sports fan.  Always have been. Watching sports is not just a passion but it provides an opportunity to see athletes excel and often results in exclamations of, “How did they do that?” as I watch in awe and am inspired to do [...]

Sunday, February 14th, 2021 It is no secret that people of color are underrepresented in the planning profession.  Historically, white men have dominated the field.  This is not to overlook the many significant contributions made by people of color, such as that of Dorothy Mae Richardson, an African American community organizer from Pittsburgh who challenged the practice of redlining and helped found Neighborworks America, the national community development institution; or more [...]

Sunday, February 7th, 2021 We have been living in a very different world for nearly a year; we see this in our everyday life. Still wearing masks and social distancing remains a vital element in fighting the pandemic and spread of COVID-19. Typically, remote work is often viewed as a satellite office or a co-working space, whereas working from home, is actually, working from home. For purposes of this blog, the terms of [...]

Sunday, January 31st, 2021 This week, the quarterly Pattern for Progress Housing Update is being released, which will provide an analysis of the residential real estate market of 2020. As many of us know, no matter what field we are in, the residential real estate market skyrocketed in 2020 as interest rates dropped and the housing inventory declined. Simultaneously the region witnessed an influx of buyers from NYC looking to buy a home [...]

Sunday, January 24th, 2021 Written by Robin DeGroat Vice President for Operations & Executive Assistant to the President, Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress

Sunday, January 17th, 2021 A big question on our minds at Pattern for Progress is what the long-term demographic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will be. Unfortunately, more often than not, data we rely on is not available in real time. There is typically a time gap to allow for data processing and quality control. For example, In December 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau released data from the 2019 American Community Survey (ACS). [...]

Sunday, January 10th, 2021 As the CEO of a regional think tank, I have been asked over and over, “What can I do about the increased polarization in our country?"  This sense of urgency has only been made worse by the events of this past week. FDR declared that in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941 would be, “A date which will live in infamy.” What then shall we call January [...]

Sunday, January 3rd, 2020 There is little reason to dwell on 2020. Each of us experienced its wrath in one form or another. So let’s offer some ideas for moving forward: 1) Living with the virus. One way or another the virus is going to influence how we live and work in 2021. One way to build consumer confidence is to create an app with a bar code for those who have received [...]

Sunday, December 27th, 2020 2020 in Hindsight. It seemed an auspicious year, 2020 – a year for perfect vision. A great year to mark anniversaries and the achievement of big goals and the beginnings of journeys and new adventures. By this point, looking back over the year from December, the joke is that this year has felt like it’s been about twelve years long, and it’s no wonder why - so much has [...]

Sunday, December 20th, 2020 This week we asked the Pattern Staff, "What are your favorite holiday traditions?" Favorite Holiday Traditions "There are many favorite holiday traditions I have enjoyed over the last 54 years. As I have grown older and lived through many events and chapters of life – my traditions and their meaning has changed over the years. The traditions enjoyed as a child are far different from traditions [...]

Sunday, December 13th, 2020 This last week a group of Orange County mothers held a protest demanding that schools reopen for full time in person classes.  One of the signs at the protest listed schools as “essential” along with hospitals, police, fire and grocery stores.  The same group “Parents Against School Closure” created a social media page on December 2nd and by Wednesday December 9th the group had 423 members.  The parents claim [...]

Sunday, December 6th, 2020 The holiday season is here and this year it is more important than ever to consider where you spend your money as you make purchases for your loved ones. Numerous factors contribute to holiday shopping this year.  With so many families affected by the coronavirus, unemployment levels still surging, eviction moratoriums expiring, and the end of the federal stimulus package, families are choosing very carefully how much and where [...]

Sunday, November 22nd, 2020 It's the week of Thanksgiving in 2020. We asked the Pattern team, "What are you thankful for this year?" "In this crazy year where the world has seem to have gone topsy-turvy, the word thankful seems almost trite. It goes without saying that I am thankful for my loving family and amazing friends. That they are all healthy and safe and those who have been affected [...]

Sunday, November 15th, 2020 Pattern for Progress traces its roots to 1964, when some 400 of the region's leaders met in New Paltz for a daylong conference to discuss the social, economic, and environmental issues facing the Hudson Valley region. Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller addressed the group and gave his enthusiastic support for developing a regional approach to help resolve these issues. Lelan Sillin, CEO of Central Hudson Gas and Electric, emerged as [...]

Sunday, November 1st, 2020 Democracy is not a spectator sport. Now... Go Vote. Written by Jonathan Drapkin President & CEO, Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress

Sunday, October 25, 2020 In 1948, the United States signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), recognizing adequate housing as a component of the human right to an adequate standard of living. The challenges surrounding this basic right have been exacerbated over the last 8 months of the pandemic and the need for housing has reached epic proportions. The Hudson Valley region is not immune from these challenges and the housing crisis [...]

Sunday, October 18th, 2020 If you haven’t been to the City of Middletown recently, do yourself a favor and make it your next weekend destination. Recognizing the importance of a thriving main street, for the past couple of years, Middletown has been making significant investments in its downtown. If you visit Middletown today, you will see for yourself that these investments are paying off in a big way. In 2016, Middletown successfully secured [...]

Sunday, October 11th, 2020 This year, the economic and social fallout of COVID-19 has hit communities across our region hard. Pattern sees a great need for community leaders and projects that will help re-build communities and to do so in a way that is more inclusive and equitable. Pattern is excited to launch the Community RE-Builders Program, an intensive course for the advancement of community focused projects. The program will provide participants with [...]

Sunday, October 4th, 2020 The wake up alarm goes off at 6:00am and every one begins to move in our house. Coffee is brewed, tea and breakfast are laid out on the dining room table between Chromebooks and paper notebooks as teenagers wander down in their comfy pants and sweatshirts with their headsets in hand. A white board with their individual schedules hangs in the corner. They sit quietly sipping their hot tea [...]

Sunday, September 27th, 2020 I wanted to be a Planner. This is what first brought me to Pattern for Progress. It was here that I discovered an innovative group of creative thinkers and planners. Each were seeking out opportunity, and the means to overcome the issues of a highly diverse and expansive region. Hopeful and eager to learn, I sought out an internship experience amongst these inspiring professionals. At Pattern, I developed valuable [...]

Sunday, September 20th, 2020 Imagine this.  As part of the solution to the economic challenges brought on by COVID-19, the federal government passes an infrastructure stimulus package in the next year.  The want is clear:  we need improved access to the internet, public transportation, roads and bridges, and upgrades to energy infrastructure to support renewables.  Investment in infrastructure can provide well-paid and long-term jobs for low-skilled workers, and thereby serve as an indirect [...]

Sunday, September 13th, 2020 As outlined in a previous blog from early April, the 2020 Census is an extremely important undertaking that directly impacts congressional representation, federal funding, and informed policy decisions. Unfortunately, the already immensely complex task of accurately counting and gathering information from over 300 million Americans has been further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has created confusion among respondents and hampered the ability of the Census Bureau to [...]

Sunday, September 6th, 2020 This weekend the smell of BBQ’s, melting S’mores and the sound of socially distant laughter will be seen and heard throughout the valley. Most people celebrate Labor Day as the end of the summer season. In the northeast, that is not really something to celebrate because that can only mean one thing…winter is coming. But Labor Day actually has a much more significant, and sometimes dark, start. In the [...]

Sunday, August 30th, 2020 Like Roller Coasters?  Welcome to the school year that is 2020-21. Except the joy and excitement of a roller coaster ride will not be present. Your school district will open in person.  Nope.  Your school district will open as a hybrid. Nope. Your school district will be operating entirely virtual for the first week or two. Nope. Your school district will be operating for the first four weeks virtually.  [...]

Sunday, August 23rd, 2020 By the second or third grade, as a parent, you pretty much have the routine down for sending your children back to school in September. School supplies, transportation, which teachers, maybe some new clothes. It was pretty routine. Welcome to 2020. The first question is, do you want to send your child back to school in the middle of a Pandemic? The second question is, how is your school [...]

Sunday, August 9th, 2020 Leading up to the beginning of our class last October, it seems I kept bumping into Pattern Fellows Alumni. Every one of them with an impressive resume, a leader in our community. They would knowingly smile as I was heading towards my own fellowship experience and say, “You’ll love it.” Every one of them. I had no idea what to expect at our first meeting of The Pattern Fellows. [...]

Sunday, August 2nd, 2020 If I had a chance ... my farewell to Dave MacFarland. I had gotten a number of calls and emails letting me know that Dave had passed away. Some of you on the Pattern Board knew him and for the others, he was someone you would have liked. During this period of COVID, there has not been much of a chance to wrap my head around it. There have [...]

Sunday, July 26th, 2020 In my previous blogs, I have discussed the impact of a demographic shift from NYC to the Hudson Valley on the real estate market, the need to expand housing options, and the synergies between housing and economic development. This week I am focusing on the Housing Cost Burden for homeowners as it relates to potential foreclosure. The history of the “Housing Bubble” and subsequent crash 12 years ago is [...]

Monday, July 20th, 2020 The fall semester is rapidly approaching and the question is whether and how schools should reopen.   As we consider the issue, let us not forget that a lack of internet access has been and will continue to be an issue for many families.  Students without broadband and devices to connect to the internet are sadly cut off from virtual education opportunities.  While the world is fortunate that virtual learning [...]

Sunday, July 12th, 2020 An Artistic Approach for Revitalizing the Physical, Fiscal, and Social Fabric of the City of Newburgh The successful revitalization of communities must incorporate a multifaceted approach that combines community and economic development programs, incentives, a wide range of housing options, and leverages private investment. There is no single pathway forward. Like many Legacy Cities, the City of Newburgh faces many challenging issues in terms of socio-economic and financial conditions. [...]

Sunday, July 5th, 2020 I worked long and hard trying to capture the moment of this July 4th.  Instead, I offer a quote from historian Jon Meacham: “To know what has come before us is to be armed against despair. If the men and women of the past, with all their flaws and limitations and ambitions and appetites, could press on through ignorance and superstition, racism and sexism, selfishness and greed, to create [...]

Sunday, June 28th, 2020 When Governor Cuomo announced the phased reopening plan for New York State in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of New Yorkers flocked to the Regional UnPause Dashboard to check the status of the metrics in their region. Before a region could begin reopening, every county in that region was required to hit the designated benchmarks. This plan caused some frustration as businesses eager to reopen in counties [...]

Sunday, June 21st, 2020 Happy Father's Day!! We asked the Pattern team, "What does your father mean to you?" "My father was 88 years old when he died.  I brought him to the opening night of Bethel Woods, the performing arts center "my son built". He was very proud to be there, even though he was wheelchair bound.  He died several days later as he succumbed [...]

Sunday, June 14th, 2020 This is my third blog in a series on housing and real estate. Today I am providing a snapshot of how housing is intrinsically linked to economic development. The goal is for communities, residents, businesses leaders, and policy makers to understand that a strong affordable housing inventory is critical to the advancement of economic development and the attraction and retention of employment opportunities. When discussing affordable housing in most [...]

Sunday, June 7th, 2020 It was about a year ago when Pattern was preparing for the next class of Fellows. The Pattern Fellows Program had completed its 12th year of training mid-career professionals to think regionally about a variety of issues of importance to the Hudson Valley. Over 250 people have participated in the program.  Among the elements of the program are the group projects. We decided to try something different and announce [...]

Sunday, May 31st, 2020 Since the middle of March, a fairly, new term became part of our everyday language – the Essential Workers. Who are these people? What is essential? Do we know any of these people? Where do they live? If they are essential – they must live in a castle and make lots of money. Well it turns out – essential workers are the people we count on every day. You [...]

Sunday, May 24th, 2020 (This is mostly true) You and your family have been waiting to head to the Cape since last fall. You are lucky enough to have purchased a small cottage near P-Town. Your family has a husband and wife and two small children who have been home since schools were closed in New York. You waited until Memorial Day to head up to the beach as you have been screening [...]

Sunday, May 17th, 2020 There is a line in the movie, Draft Day, “We live in a different world than we did 30 seconds ago”. This could not be further from the truth than it is today. The region was primed and headed into a strong real estate market entering 2020. Today, although the demand to own a home is still strong and interest rates are at historic lows – there is doubt [...]

Sunday, May 10th, 2020 Happy Mother's Day!! We asked the Pattern team, "What does your mother mean to you?" "My Mom, was known to my friends as Mrs. D. They loved her. My father was on the road for three and out four weeks each month and for most of my childhood, she raised me. She was my moral compass. She died four months before I [...]

Sunday, May 3rd, 2020 As America weighs the reopening of our economy against the public health risks of doing so, another related issue is ringing alarm bells: food security. Even prior to COVID-19 millions of Americans faced food insecurity each year. The pandemic has only exacerbated this fact with more individuals and families looking for food assistance each day, stressing emergency food providers to keep up with the current need. Like a flashlight [...]

Sunday, April 26th, 2020 I read an article recently that referred to what we’re going through now as The Great Pause – a rare opportunity to be thrown from the hamster wheel of busyness where we’re constantly running, to be really still. A moment in time to know what our streets look like less trafficked, how our environment rebounds in the stillness, how unimportant some things in our lives may actually be. The [...]

Sunday, April 19th, 2020 The Hudson Valley, like many parts of the country, is home to an increasingly older population. As detailed in the recently released Out of Alignment report, this trend caused by the confluence of increased life expectancy, young people leaving the region, and the baby boomer generation entering their later years. While not unique to the Hudson Valley, the Silver Tsunami is more pronounced in our region relative to New [...]

Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 Dear Members of the Hospitals Staff of the Hudson Valley, Although I can no longer experience first hand what each and every one of you is going through every day, I have a fairly good idea of what it’s like: the crush of patients growing larger every day, the scarcity of needed supplies not to mention dwindling stockpiles of vents and PPE, the paucity of scientific knowledge about the [...]

Sunday, April 12th, 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWSpbWHyO7U When Jonathan asked everyone on staff at Pattern to take a turn writing a blog, I froze. I’m not a writer, not a researcher, but as Jonathan refers to me at times, I’m more “the person behind the curtain”. In these times we are all doing things we might not normally do. So when I sat down to write this I realized that you just have [...]

Sunday, April 5th, 2020 As Americans across the country adjust to the new normal of the COVID-19 pandemic, priorities are understandably shifting. For many, things that once seemed important have been eclipsed by the urgent need to respond to the unprecedented challenges of this pandemic. Despite these difficulties, we cannot afford to let the 2020 Census fall to the wayside. It may not feel important now, but the Decennial Census occurs only once [...]

Sunday, March 29th, 2020 A little over 11% of Hudson Valley households are vehicle-less. Households without a car may be reliant on public transportation as a primary means to reach important destinations such as work, health care services, or grocery stores. Given this fact, it is important to look at what is happening to public transportation during the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Around the country, public transportation providers are facing challenges to providing [...]