Official Statement from Hudson/Catskill Housing Coalition and the Hudson/Catskill Regional Collective

We believed in something bigger. We still do.

In 2019, we made history in Hudson. We came together, stood shoulder to shoulder, and elected the city’s first Black and youngest mayor. That victory was never just about one person. It was about a belief. A belief that Hudson could be a place where everyone—Black, Brown, working-class—has a voice, a home, and a future.

But real change is not a moment. It is a movement. And that movement has to live in our everyday lives. It has to show up in paychecks and policies, in schools and job sites, in who gets hired, who gets heard, and who gets to belong.

Yesterday’s election made something painfully clear. Too many of our people no longer feel that change. Voter turnout was low. Not because we are disengaged, but because we are disillusioned. Promises have been made, but progress has not been felt.

There has not been a single Black police officer hired in Hudson since 2013. The Department of Public Works does not reflect the people of this city. The jobs that should go to our neighbors keep going to people who do not live here.

Yes, there has been progress on housing. But housing alone is not enough. What good is affordable rent if you cannot find work? What good is a new program if it only helps a few people and leaves the rest behind? Our people do not need handouts. We need power. We need policies that allow us to care for our families, build our communities, and shape our own futures.

We are not asking for favors. We are calling for justice. We want a city that stops talking about equity and starts building it.

And still, we hold on to hope. Because in every chapter of struggle, Black women have led the way. Claire Cousin is advancing. Lola Roberts continues to lead with vision and strength. We know their leadership will carry us forward, and we will be right beside them.

This moment is not defeat. It is a turning point. A moment to look inward, to recommit, and to rise. We do not have the luxury of time. We cannot afford to wait for the next cycle or the next speech. We must act now. We must listen to our people. We must get serious about what matters and who matters.

The window for real change is closing. But it is not closed yet.

We are organizing now. We are building now.

We are not finished.

We are just getting started.

In solidarity,

Hudson/Catskill Housing Coalition | Hudson/Catskill Regional Collective