I hope this piece gets shared far and wide and makes ripples. Becoming a landlord in Hudson in 2013 was the beginning of my awareness of possible interventions in gentrification that could be made BY gentrifiers such as myself. It’s so important for the dialogue and narrative around what it means to move to a new place include these ideas.
Thank you so much, Rebecca! I love hearing your reflections on this as someone newer to town who has tried to show up in right relationship with this community from the jump! So appreciate you — and thank you for reading along!
Reading this great piece brings back such great memories of growing up on 8th St. in Hudson. I lost my father a few months short of my 10th birthday in 1966. My mother never drove so we had no access to a car. Our lives revolved around the neighborhood. Walking distance to the A and P, First National ,the Grand Union as well as the Warren St. stores. Our extended Tomaso family occupied 3 of those homes on 8th St along with the Leiberman, Kittle, Moore, Funk, Williams, Zayak, Wallace, Graziano, Holoduk, Hathaway, Gentile, Friss, Edwards, Oliver, Pickett, McKenzie, Lewis, Harris, Story, Melnyk and other families over the years. Lets not forget long time businesses such as Jack Kehrer's motor shop, the crew at Deno Gazzera's Auto Body and the Harp family at Sausbier's Awning. Sadly the majority of those that I have mentioned are no longer with us..........never to return. Somehow the new and the old must find a way to coexist. At one time my family was all "new" to the area. My father was born here in 1912 to Italian immigrants, my mother was born in Brooklyn before her family moved to Columbia County in the 1920's even my wife relocated here from Forest Hills, Queens in 1967 and was quickly labeled a "city slicker" . Hopefully your insightful article will open some eyes on both sides . New folks need to reach out and meet those of us that came before and learn our history and locals need to cease using the "cidiot" term to describe EVERY newcomer. Keep up the great work , I just subscribed !
Thank you so much for sharing this, Bob! I love hearing Hudson stories, and especially when people surface names. How else do we remember?
Agreed about the term cidiot — it’s not helpful in any way. I feel the urge sometimes, to take my feelings out on people rather than the systems that cause divisiveness like this, but I try to check myself!
It was so great to run into you and your wife in the cemetery! I hope we cross paths again. Thank you so much for reading along — and for commenting and subscribing too! I so appreciate it.
Caitie, Thanks for the work here. Experiencing gentrification has been a lifelong road for us. First, Cambridge, MA, then Hudson, now West Palm Beach. I am compelled to add a note to your recommended actions for newcomers.
These problems cannot be addressed effectively through local action. We need to find and support politicians and political groups who will address the ongoing national disaster of income and wealth inequality in the US.
For example, a starter home in the suburbs in the 1970s cost three times the family's income. Today, it is approaching 8 times.
The median income for a worker in 1975 was $42,000 (2018 dollars), rising 16% to $50,000 in 2018. Over the same period, the top 1% income rose 321% from $289,000 to $1,384,000. This is an economy in which per capita GDP rose from $28,100 (2107 dollars) in 1975 to $58,900 in 2018. That's a more than doubling.
This phenomenon of stagnant wages for the majority and stupendous increases for the top of the pile didn't happen as a result of natural forces. The rich, corporations, and conservative politicians in both the Republican and Democratic parties changed rules and regulations to cause this.
Mark, I appreciate your comments but don't think I fully agree regarding the idea that local action is not effective. My experience so far is that things BEGIN locally and ripple upward to larger political reform. It is necessary for community members/constituents to experience their thoughts and ideas and translate them into action and THEN begin to call on political representatives to pay attention to issues and take their actions.
Poignant and beautifully written. A must read for Hudson residents both "old" and new.
I love you, Mom!
This will be the first article I send to someone who's considering moving to the area!
Ahhh, thank you so much for sharing! P.S. I saw you from across the gym this morning and tried to wave at you like 3 different times. lol.
haha me too you, but your ski lunges were looking FIERCE
I hope this piece gets shared far and wide and makes ripples. Becoming a landlord in Hudson in 2013 was the beginning of my awareness of possible interventions in gentrification that could be made BY gentrifiers such as myself. It’s so important for the dialogue and narrative around what it means to move to a new place include these ideas.
Thank you so much, Rebecca! I love hearing your reflections on this as someone newer to town who has tried to show up in right relationship with this community from the jump! So appreciate you — and thank you for reading along!
Reading this great piece brings back such great memories of growing up on 8th St. in Hudson. I lost my father a few months short of my 10th birthday in 1966. My mother never drove so we had no access to a car. Our lives revolved around the neighborhood. Walking distance to the A and P, First National ,the Grand Union as well as the Warren St. stores. Our extended Tomaso family occupied 3 of those homes on 8th St along with the Leiberman, Kittle, Moore, Funk, Williams, Zayak, Wallace, Graziano, Holoduk, Hathaway, Gentile, Friss, Edwards, Oliver, Pickett, McKenzie, Lewis, Harris, Story, Melnyk and other families over the years. Lets not forget long time businesses such as Jack Kehrer's motor shop, the crew at Deno Gazzera's Auto Body and the Harp family at Sausbier's Awning. Sadly the majority of those that I have mentioned are no longer with us..........never to return. Somehow the new and the old must find a way to coexist. At one time my family was all "new" to the area. My father was born here in 1912 to Italian immigrants, my mother was born in Brooklyn before her family moved to Columbia County in the 1920's even my wife relocated here from Forest Hills, Queens in 1967 and was quickly labeled a "city slicker" . Hopefully your insightful article will open some eyes on both sides . New folks need to reach out and meet those of us that came before and learn our history and locals need to cease using the "cidiot" term to describe EVERY newcomer. Keep up the great work , I just subscribed !
Thank you so much for sharing this, Bob! I love hearing Hudson stories, and especially when people surface names. How else do we remember?
Agreed about the term cidiot — it’s not helpful in any way. I feel the urge sometimes, to take my feelings out on people rather than the systems that cause divisiveness like this, but I try to check myself!
It was so great to run into you and your wife in the cemetery! I hope we cross paths again. Thank you so much for reading along — and for commenting and subscribing too! I so appreciate it.
Caitie, Thanks for the work here. Experiencing gentrification has been a lifelong road for us. First, Cambridge, MA, then Hudson, now West Palm Beach. I am compelled to add a note to your recommended actions for newcomers.
These problems cannot be addressed effectively through local action. We need to find and support politicians and political groups who will address the ongoing national disaster of income and wealth inequality in the US.
For example, a starter home in the suburbs in the 1970s cost three times the family's income. Today, it is approaching 8 times.
The median income for a worker in 1975 was $42,000 (2018 dollars), rising 16% to $50,000 in 2018. Over the same period, the top 1% income rose 321% from $289,000 to $1,384,000. This is an economy in which per capita GDP rose from $28,100 (2107 dollars) in 1975 to $58,900 in 2018. That's a more than doubling.
This phenomenon of stagnant wages for the majority and stupendous increases for the top of the pile didn't happen as a result of natural forces. The rich, corporations, and conservative politicians in both the Republican and Democratic parties changed rules and regulations to cause this.
I won't go on......Mark
Mark, I appreciate your comments but don't think I fully agree regarding the idea that local action is not effective. My experience so far is that things BEGIN locally and ripple upward to larger political reform. It is necessary for community members/constituents to experience their thoughts and ideas and translate them into action and THEN begin to call on political representatives to pay attention to issues and take their actions.