The overall increase in real estate sales lifted some Ulster County property prices more the others, and in some localities more than others. In Kingston, the median sold price of residential properties in 2019 was $191,750, up almost 20 percent over the previous year’s median price. In Woodstock, the median sold price was $420,000 in 2019, a hefty sum by most Ulster County standards but a gain of only four percent over the previous year.
“Mrs. Noble is more than likely going to be appointed on what is called a “provisional” basis,” writes a reader. “Having worked in human resources for New York State, I know that Mrs. Noble could very well sit in this provisional status for years before a civil service exam is scheduled.”
Sales tax makes up the largest share of county revenue, but it can vary from year to year, making accurate forecasting important.
How green is my Hudson Valley? Getting greener all the time, but pesky problems, most of which are universal to human societies, remain unresolved. For instance, how does a sustainable economy deal with the piles of waste it keeps accumulating? How can it learn to convert waste into waste products with a value above zero?
In this letter, a reader writes that rent control policies now being considered in Kingston have failed when tried in San Francisco and New York City because they cause investment to dry up and fail to address the reason for rising rents: more demand than supply. Instead, he writes, the solution is to build more rental units.
It has been nearly a year since the first draft of the proposed guidelines and practices related to the Kingston Police Commission was submitted to the Kingston Common Council. Since that time a concerned community group, supported by many community leaders of all kinds, has continued to work hard to listen to all sides, including the mayor, the Common Council, the Laws & Rules Committee members and others.
Rents are increasing across Ulster County. What, if anything, should be done?
In a letter, a Kingston realtor writes that rent control, which is now being considered by city lawmakers, is the wrong solution to the issue of affordable housing because it causes fewer new units to be built and leads to a spike in the cost for those units that aren’t regulated. Instead, the letter suggests, the city should encourage construction of new units.
How can cities ensure rising housing costs don’t displace residents? A new study aims to find an answer.
The best business deals are those that start out with two parties each needing what the other can offer. Jim Hyland, whose firm The Farm Bridge presently employs about 50 people in the TechCity facility in the Town of Ulster, intends to move soon. He needs about 40,000 square feet of space for his food processing business. Jim Hull, owner of 36 malls in the nation, has that much space — and more — available at the Hudson Valley Mall three minutes away across Route 9W. Will the two get together? They’re working on it.
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