Yaro addresses the well-attended conference

POUGHKEEPSIE - The Hudson Valley needs a return to zoning plans that are more family friendly to fully obtain peak economic gains, according to an economic expert from Manhattan who spoke at a Pattern for Progress housing conference.

Robert Yaro, president of the Regional Plan Association, an independent metropolitan planning, research, policy, and advocacy group from New York City, told over 200 municipal and not-for-profit leaders at Marist College Wednesday that he feels “families have been zoned out of the Hudson Valley,” and that it is part of the housing problem here.

“The really important part of our population are households that do have kids and increasing communities have zoned out housing that are below the high end market, large lot, subdivision type of market,” he said. “They’ve done it, not with evil intention, but because the biggest proportion of every community’s budget is the school budget, and what they’ve done is use zoning to zone out families.”

Yaro noted that families are an “integral part of any economy,” and that other states, such as Massachusetts, have taken initiative to provide financial incentive to counties and municipalities that provide for family-friendly zoning regulations to help them offset added school district costs.

Yaro, called the state’s school funding plan “one of the last remaining English Medieval taxation practices alive,” and added it needs to change with the times. 

“What we need to do is just find a way for communities to afford the cost of schools and so forth for the families.  It’s a very simple idea.”

Along with the zoning changes, the Regional Plan Association leader noted an increased emphasis on infrastructure and transportation needs should also be on the top of the list for Hudson Valley leaders to help the region keep up with the increased volume of commuters, and future population projections.