Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, and the right to share them is very American. Indeed, it’s in the First Amendment of the Constitution. But this doesn’t mean some won’t try to shut down or cancel opinions they find disagreeable. So is the case with me and my column after last week’s edition touched on the third rail of local politics — land use.

Not surprisingly, I received some pushback, as well as support, on my article about housing development and the challenges of building created in part by one-issue environmental advocates. As an apparent proxy for the Woodstock Land Conservancy, the officers of Kingston Citizens, a local anti-development group, sought to portray me in false and deceptive ways to delegitimize and cancel me as a columnist. Indeed, some officers of KC have campaigned to de-platform me. They claim, without substantiation, that I must be a plant for developers. But the real reason is more simple — I believe there must be room to build housing during a housing crises, and it must be all-hands-on-deck to solve, including environmentalists.

Over the years, some of my diverse clientele has included local developers. To be perfectly clear, I wouldn’t write about a client’s project in this column without disclosing that to my readers for transparency, and I am not retained to work for the developers of Zena or Winston Farm projects, referenced in last week’s column. With local rents too damn high, and the cost to buy a home out of sight, squeezing the middle class, which is consistently outbid by new monied interests … it’s an issue on which I have a strong opinion. Based on Kingston Citizens’ logic, given that I have also worked with environmental groups, non-profits, governments and local businesses of all kinds, maybe I’m in the pocket of everyone, in perpetuity!

For those who may be new or have forgotten or do not follow these things, Kingston Citizens prides itself on taking down developers and stopping housing construction. It’s their raison d’etre. The Kingstonian project is a perfect example — one that KC fought, found common cause with very rich gentrifying forces and, as individuals, supported numerous lawsuits to stop its construction. And although I have never met the officers of Kingston Citizens who penned the Kingston Wire letter to the editor, I am friends with some who associate with the group and know them to be well-intended individuals who care for our community.

There are so many straw man and dissembling arguments presented by the KC officers that to respond to them all would bore you, my gentle readers. But I will point out a few of their distractions intended to deflect from the core of my premise — we have a housing crisis made worse, in part, by one-issue environmental advocacy groups. I did not say New York State or Ulster County procedures, such as the SEQR process and the county planning board, are the problem. (Although the approval process should be streamlined; something even Gov. Hochul has suggested for housing approvals.) But the weaponization of the process at the town level by advocacy groups has become so commonplace, its collective impact has resulted in little new housing built in the Hudson Valley.

According to independent research organization Pattern for Progress, over the last 10 years the Hudson Valley has seriously lagged in building new housing to meet demand. This is caused by many reasons, including rampant NIMBYism, well-organized activist groups, and home rule (something that didn’t always exist in this state). Developers seek greener pastures elsewhere, unwilling to go through the gauntlet of organized hazing, lawsuits and exceedingly suspicious local press. But if you believe in climate change and rising oceans and increasing flooding, the Hudson Valley will be even more attractive to downstaters in time, adding even more pressure.

Let me share with you a recent example of how advocacy groups work to shut down proposals and gain outsized influence in the application process. Most town-level governance boards are comprised of volunteers who are often neighbors or even friends of activists. Last week at a Woodstock Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, 100 or more showed up. Most in attendance supported Woodstock Land Conservancy’s appeal of a decision related to the Zena Homes project, based on an arcane interpretation of use of an existing private road in Woodstock that will need some upgrades. The road will lead to the proposed housing project, which would actually be located in the Town of Ulster.

The large, organized group of concerned citizens arrived early and got on line to get in. Some people were visibly emotional and agitated, seeing the proposed development in existential terms. The group descended upon the volunteer board with glares, jeers, whistles, boos and hisses, and held signs demanding a stop to the proposed development. Dozens signed-up to speak in two-minute increments of public commentary, with cheers ringing out whenever anyone said something in support of their position. Note: It’s unclear in this case why there was even a public comment period on this specific matter, but local boards can and often do as they will, and activist organizations know this. This all took place in a room that had 30 seats max, so many attendees stood jammed together and many more were outside looking through windows. It was a very intimidating, circus-like atmosphere. In the end, the ZBA board decided to let more people speak at its next meeting the following month — further delaying the application process.

Kingston Citizens claims in their letter that the current housing crises of today is caused by past politicians not doing their job to push back against … groups like them! But now they say it’s all being taken care of, apparently without help from private developers. They cite approval of more ADUs (tiny houses in people’s backyards), punishing current landlords with rate freezes and clawbacks and subsidies from non-profits to build housing for the most vulnerable. I’m supportive of each of these individual actions.

But readers, this is completely inadequate to address the massive needs of the moment. Private developers are essential to building workforce and middle-class housing, as well as affordable housing, at the scale we so desperately need. Yet local rhetoric, actions and laws are driving developers to look elsewhere — and the data shows this. Developers still operating in New York State are mostly willing to build sustainably, smart and, where possible, green. They also have the patience of a saint and a deep bench of attorneys to carry them through.

Instead of trying to shout down voices on community matters, we should welcome robust debate. And at times, ask tough questions. But in order to move forward to address seemingly intractable problems, questions need to be asked and discussion encouraged. This is an essential part of our democracy.

Raleigh Green is a local business owner specializing in marketing communications consulting and services. If you enjoy this column, please “like” it on social media and share online.