HGAR’s Orange County Day featured a Legislative Power Hour with County Executive Steve Neuhaus, who addressed a packed room with his trademark energy.
New York’s housing ecosystem is at an inflection point. Affordability pressures, development bottlenecks, small-property owner challenges, regulatory changes, and aging housing stock are all converging at the same time.
HGAR’s Orange County Day featured a Legislative Power Hour with County Executive Steve Neuhaus, who addressed a packed room with his trademark energy.
This fall, HGAR experienced a notable surge in civic engagement across Orange, Westchester and Putnam counties. Members were given multiple opportunities to connect directly with elected officials, ask meaningful questions, and engage in substantive dialogue about the issues shaping our communities. What emerged from these conversations was not only a clearer picture of local priorities but a reassuring sense of steady leadership during an otherwise turbulent political season.
HGAR’s Orange County Day featured a Legislative Power Hour with County Executive Steve Neuhaus, who addressed a packed room with his trademark energy. Coming just days before Election Day, the County Executive struck a confident and forward-looking tone, emphasizing what makes Orange County a place people want to live, work, and invest.
The conversation, led by HGAR Orange County Director Carole McCann, covered a broad range of topics, including how HGAR members can best highlight Orange County’s strengths to prospective clients and how the county and HGAR can continue to support one another at the local level.
County Executive Neuhaus highlighted several initiatives currently underway, including the county’s growing role as a hub for film and television production. He shared that major studios are actively developing lots and sets in Orange County, with productions already underway, including a film starring Angelina Jolie. Looking ahead, he also discussed plans for the adaptive reuse of the county’s rail assets, including the potential creation of a holiday-themed “Polar Express” train experience and also revealed that the county was within days of closing on the purchase of the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center.
In Westchester, HGAR recently hosted a robust, dialogue-driven discussion with several members of the Westchester County Legislature, including Chairman Vedat Gashi; Majority Leader David Imamura, and Legislators Ben Boykin, Jewel Williams Johnson, Emiljan Ulaj, Judah Holstein, and Shanae Williams, who chairs the Housing Committee.
The conversation, which was moderated by HGAR Westchester County Regional Director Crystal Hawkins-Syska, was particularly timely, as the County Legislature is currently in budget negotiations. Despite their busy schedules, the Legislators gave HGAR their full attention and engaged directly on the issues most important to our members.
This “mini Lobby Day” included the distribution of HGAR policy papers addressing Good Cause Eviction, taxes on real estate transactions, incentives for for-sale housing development, and related housing concerns. Legislators acknowledged the likelihood of a tax increase this year and discussed potential mitigation strategies, including a Unit Improvement Program designed to help small landlords make necessary upgrades in the face of rent regulations.
While perspectives varied, there was broad agreement on one central point: Westchester needs more housing. The discussion underscored just how valuable these in-person conversations are, with both HGAR members and county leaders who left the room feeling heard and better informed.
Putnam County’s engagement took place via an intimate Zoom Legislative Power Hour with Putnam, County Executive Kevin Byrne. Led by HGAR Putnam County Director Carol Christianson, the conversation focused on what makes Putnam County attractive to future clients while highlighting the county’s commitment to fiscal responsibility.
County Executive Byrne spoke proudly of Putnam’s safety, natural beauty and strong infrastructure. He noted that the county has successfully reduced long-term debt while continuing to invest in critical services and infrastructure, including bridges, while emphasizing that Putnam currently has no “red-flag” bridges in urgent need of repair.
HGAR President Vlora Sejdi joined the conversation and asked how the county has managed to achieve such strong financial and infrastructure outcomes. County Executive Byrne credited high levels of municipal cooperation and the use of shared services, noting that collaboration has been key to Putnam’s success. He also highlighted the county’s Micro Transit system, an on-demand, affordable county-wide transportation service. The program has proven so successful that it is now being explored by other counties, including Orange.
What stood out across all three counties was the steady, pragmatic approach taken by local leaders, even as national and state politics remain unsettled. HGAR met with one County Executive during a federal government shutdown, a County Legislature in the midst of budget negotiations, and another County Executive in the immediate aftermath of Election Day. Yet in each setting, there was a shared sense of “politics as usual,” focused squarely on governance rather than rhetoric.
County Executive Neuhaus, a Republican, spoke candidly about the potential impact of SNAP benefit reductions and the real families in Orange County who rely on those programs. Westchester Legislators addressed fiscal pressures without dwelling on federal uncertainty. County Executive Byrne, when asked about the recent New York City mayoral election, acknowledged that political trends often ripple outward from the city, while expressing confidence that Putnam would remain steady in the face of change.
Taken together, these conversations offered a compelling reminder of the value of local engagement. While headlines often emphasize dysfunction and division, HGAR’s recent experiences tell a different story—one of prepared, thoughtful leaders, addressing real challenges with realism and resolve.
For HGAR members, these events reinforced the importance of being present at the table, equipped with data, policy ideas and a willingness to listen. As we head into the next year, this season of civic engagement stands as a strong foundation for continued collaboration, informed advocacy and a shared commitment to the communities we serve.
About the author: Alexander Roithmayr is Director of Government Affairs for the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors.
New York’s housing ecosystem is at an inflection point. Affordability pressures, development bottlenecks, small-property owner challenges, regulatory changes, and aging housing stock are all converging at the same time.
The program could convert thousands of currently unpermitted basement units into legal Ancillary Dwelling Units (ADUs).
Owners who delegate rent-setting to third-party property managers, real estate brokerage firms and brokers that also offer property management services, or owners who use national “revenue management” platforms should review and update their contracts well before the Dec. 15, 2025, effective date.
The rally underscored our industry’s leadership in advancing housing policy and demonstrated the collective strength of Realtors when we unite around a common cause.
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