3 mayoral candidates in City of Newburgh face issues of housing crisis and antisemitism
Democratic Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey is defending his seat against Republican John Guidice and Independent Hael Stewart Fisher.
The City of Newburgh has a three-way contest in the race for mayor.
The main issues that the candidates face include the housing crisis and antisemitism.
Democratic Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey is defending his seat against Republican John Guidice and Independent Hael Stewart Fisher.
Harvey says on the housing crisis, he helped get approval for a 60-unit mixed-use development about to break ground on South Colden Street and several other projects like it.
"That's why we have six parcels in our city that have already gone through the City Council and or the city IDA," Harvey says.
Independent candidate Hael Stewart-Fisher, who is a renter himself, says to add more apartments more quickly, the city should offer grants to homeowners who want to build units on their properties. These are called accessory dwelling units.
"You're providing affordable housing for those in need and hopefully lowering the overall price of apartments, but also you're providing rental income for the homeowner themself," Stewart Fisher says.
Both candidates also discussed antisemitic comments online and during City Council meetings about Orthodox Jewish landlords with News 12's Ben Nandy.
"I think there needs to be a larger kind of mediation approach to this, whether it's a town hall or more of a one-on-one situation," Stewart Fisher says.
Harvey recently had a two-hour meeting with a group of landlords to try to improve owner-tenant relationships.
"We came to some very important compromises and agreements on both sides in terms of city codes and having a better communication," Harvey says.
The Republican in the race, John Giudice, had not responded to News 12's requests for an interview as of Friday.
Giudice was a City councilman in the early 1990s. He previously ran for mayor and the county Legislature.
