News & Media

It may come as no surprise, but county executives in Westchester and the Hudson Valley have upbeat views of where their counties stand financially, in the recovery from Covid, as hosts to businesses and in helping residents enjoy the highest possible quality of life. The season for messages about the state of the various counties peaked recently with addresses by the county executives in Westchester and Dutchess.

When Hurricane Ida smashed into Mamaroneck in September 2021, businesses across the town faced some of the worst flooding in living memory. "We had six feet of water in our two front buildings and four feet of water in our shop building," recalls Michael Murphy of Murphy Brothers Contracting, a 50-year-old, family-owned and Mamaroneck-based general contracting firm. "That storm was a monster."

Leslie Hollingsworth has 16 years of experience teaching third grade in New York City. She enjoyed the position — it’s easier to mold their minds in third grade, she said of teaching young children versus teenagers — but circumstances have led her back to the job market. On a recent Thursday, she visited a job fair in Peekskill, where the Peekskill City School District’s table was among the longest

The labor market in this country has been a fast-changing landscape from high unemployment during the pandemic, then swerving to an overflowing job market with some 10.6 million job openings in this country. Today, the national unemployment rate is hovering around 4.0% and seems to be dropping; in Westchester, it’s about 3.7%. But what about all the folks quitting their jobs in unprecedented numbers? Last November, the number of people who voluntarily left their jobs spiked to a record 4.5 million — and that was in just one month according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. What’s that about? Reasons for those walking out are unreasonably low wages, poor working conditions, no career path, and no benefits. The message from workers: we want better jobs with decent pay and jobs that have a future.

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital bought a piece of the Platinum Mile in White Plains and plans to open an outpatient care facility on Westchester Avenue, the hospital announced Tuesday. The medical center bought the 25-acre property from Westpark Associates for $83.5 million on March 1, according to land records from the Westchester County Clerk's Office.

Gov. Kathy Hochul removed two controversial pieces of housing-related legislation from her proposed Executive Budget last week, both of which drew harsh criticisms from most municipal officials throughout Westchester and the state.

The Westchester County Association has launched a Healthcare Talent Pipeline Program to ease labor challenges in the region. The program, announced Thursday at the economic development organization's annual county executive's breakfast, is being funded by the county government. It aims to train and recruit 100 workers, especially individuals facing barriers to employment. The program is estimated to yield an annual economic impact of $3.5 million for the county, said Michael Romita, president and CEO of the association.

In her executive budget, Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed streamlined, as-of-right zoning legislation for both accessory dwelling units and transit-oriented development. The bills were criticized by many quarters as an assault on local control and they were pulled. Withdrawal notwithstanding, this draft legislation, coupled with other budget initiatives such as funding targeting affordable housing, have placed the issue front and center. There is a resurgent conversation surrounding statewide fixes to this serious problem and New York needs to act.

Five Westchester and Hudson Valley organizations have joined in a push for the New York State Legislature to pass legislation that could help create more housing in numerous communities. The organizations are: the Building and Realty Institute of Westchester and the Mid-Hudson Region (BRI); the Construction Industry Council of Westchester and Hudson Valley (CIC); the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors (HGAR); Nonprofit Westchester (NPW); and the Westchester County Association (WCA).

In Yonkers, N.Y., a digital opportunity zone — aptly named the Y-Zone — has been helping to level the playing field for those without consistent access to the Internet or the devices and know-how needed to make use of it.

White Plains, N.Y. (February 25, 2022) – During the Annual County Executive’s Breakfast hosted by The Westchester County Association (WCA) on Thursday, February 24, 2022 at the Sleepy Hollow Hotel & Conference Center in Tarrytown, New York, County Executive George Latimer and WCA President & CEO Michael N. Romita jointly announced the launch of the Healthcare Talent Pipeline Program (HTPP). Conceived by the WCA, the HTPP will help relieve the regional workplace challenges faced by our hospitals and medical groups by recruiting and training 100 job seekers and incumbent works for high-demand healthcare jobs.

White Plains, N.Y. (February 7, 2022) – The Westchester County Association (WCA) joined community leaders from Nonprofit Westchester (NPW), the Building and Realty Institute of Westchester and the Mid-Hudson Region (BRI), the Construction Industry Council of Westchester and Hudson Valley (CIC), and the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors (HGAR) to put forth an advocacy letter urging government officials to find statewide solutions to Westchester’s housing crisis. These organizations represent an array of interests throughout the Hudson Valley, and they call upon government leaders to pass legislation which expands housing supply and benefits our economy, our workforce, and our communities.

Yonkers, N.Y. – Today, the Westchester County Association joined community leaders, elected officials, and project partners in a press conference at the Yonkers Public Library to highlight the latest developments since the launch of the Y-Zone (Yonkers Zone), a broadband pilot program funded by US Ignite and Schmidt Futures as part of Project Overcome.

White Plains, N.Y. (December 2, 2021) – The Westchester County Association (WCA) hosted their Annual Fall Leadership Event: Driving Westchester Forward on November 30 at the Westchester Marriot in Tarrytown, New York. With over 400 people in attendance, the evening honored the achievements of organizations Skanska, Westhab, and WMCHealth, as well as outgoing WCA Chairman William P. Harrington Esq., Partner at Bleakley Platt & Schmidt who received the Alfred B. DelBello Visionary Award.

The Westchester County Association (WCA) is excited to announce that at today’s meeting of the Board of Directors, Susan Fox, CEO and President of White Plains Hospital, was selected to succeed Bill Harrington as the next Chairperson of the WCA. She will step up from her current role as Vice Chair to spearhead innovative ways the WCA can continue to make an impact on economic vitality throughout Westchester County and the surrounding region. Ms. Fox will begin her tenure as Chairperson of the WCA beginning on January 1, 2022.

White Plains, N.Y. (November 23, 2021) – The Westchester County Association (WCA), and Nonprofit Westchester (NPW), are hosting a free virtual event, An Open Conversation with US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, on Thursday, December 9, 2021 at 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. EST. This event will include an interactive dialogue, discussing the most pressing issues impacting businesses and the Hudson Valley community.

White Plains, N.Y. (October 21, 2021) – Today, the Westchester County Association in partnership with the City of Yonkers, STEM Alliance, Yonkers Partners in Education (YPIE), Fordham University, and Westhab launched the much-anticipated Yonkers Zone (Y-Zone). This project is made possible through support from US Ignite, the National Science Foundation (NSF) (Award # CNS-2044448), and Schmidt Futures. By utilizing Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum, the newly deployed, digital opportunity zone provides free internet access to approximately 250 to 400 need-based households in downtown Yonkers.

The Westchester County Association (WCA) is hosting their 2nd Annual Regional Workforce Summit on Friday, April 23, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. EST. Join the WCA and leaders from business, education, government, and nonprofits as they gather to discuss the mega shifts occurring in our region’s talent ecosystem. This event will showcase how businesses are leveraging the “new normal” in training, recruiting, and retention developments of the region’s talent.

The Westchester County Association (WCA) is one of seven lead organizations to have been selected by US Ignite, a national non-profit accelerating the smart city movement, to participate in Project OVERCOME. Project OVERCOME, a $2.7 million effort is designed to expedite the delivery of broadband services to underserved communities across the United States. The U. S. National Science Foundation (NSF) conceived of and is providing $2.25 million in funding for the project, with Schmidt Futures joining as a financial and strategic partner to extend Project OVERCOME’s geographic reach with an additional $450,000. The project explores novel approaches to connectivity in both rural and urban communities with an eye on replicating these efforts on a national scale.

The Westchester County Association (WCA), and Nonprofit Westchester (NPW), are hosting a free virtual event, An Open Conversation with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, on February 26, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. EST. This event will discuss the most pressing issues impacting regional businesses and nonprofits and will include an audience Q&A. Topics that will be addressed in this event include: • COVID relief and the rest of Senator Schumer’s 2021 legislative agenda • Economic development priorities in the lower Hudson Valley • The importance of nonprofits to the regional economy • The challenges of legislating in the current political environment