
The housing panel, from left, Steve Rosenberg, Jocelyn Ayer, Gordon Ridgway, and Michael Polemis.
Photo by Maud Doyle
SALISBURY — Both affordable housing and conservation initiatives require land, rely on local financial and social support, and are necessary for a healthy, thriving community.
This was the premise of “Housing, Jobs, and Conservation: A Roadmap for Action,” a panel discussion convened by the Salisbury Forum at the Salisbury School on Friday, Sept. 22, before an audience of some 200 guests from New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
Moderated by Steve Rosenberg, longtime leader in conservation in Hudson Valley and co-convener of Hudson Valley Affordable Housing and Conservation Strategy, the panel invited three representatives from local government, housing, and land trusts to discuss how these sectors could better work together in the broader region.
The context for the discussion was what Rosenberg described as the “crisis-level need” for affordable housing. Jocelyn Ayer, director of the Litchfield County Center for Housing Opportunity, noted that 1,100 households on affordable housing waitlists in Litchfield County may wait for 2-5 years, and that 28% of Litchfield County households are “cost burdened” by their housing situation.
“Housing has become unaffordable for almost everybody that our community relies on,” said Cornwall First Selectman Gordon Ridgway.
Litchfield County boasts the oldest population in the state, and the highest occurrence of 20-somethings living with their parents; declining school enrollments are putting pressure on educational resources; the prohibitive cost of housing excludes young people and families, as well as seniors who need to downsize—in Cornwall, said Ridgway, the average sales price of a house has climbed from $350,000 to $880,000 in just three years (at this, a collective gasp from the room).
Teachers, emergency services volunteers, qualified municipal workers and volunteers, healthcare workers (including young doctors), entrepreneurs and mid-level bank employees, as well as the perennial “man who works at the meat counter at LaBonne’s” were all identified as essential workers excluded from the region by housing prices.
“The historic motivation for a land trust was always protecting the land. We never actually had a good conversation about what were we protecting the land for—and more importantly, whom,” said Michael Polemis, chair of the Land Trust Alliance, which includes 948 land trusts across the U.S. “The ‘who’ has become critical.”
The regional emphasis on land conservation has actually become part of the problem, he said. “One of the unintended consequences of our success has been that, as we protect more and more land, the land values actually rise all around that protected area, which means it’s less affordable for people who have been living and working in any community.”
Meanwhile, as Ayer illustrated with an overview of completed local projects, affordable housing is typically the most sustainable housing built in rural communities: Affordable units emphasize energy efficiency and often take advantage of renewables like solar to keep costs low for residents; denser housing (i.e. half-acre lots or multifamily homes) is more energy efficient; robust village centers that can sustain grocery stores and shops are more energy efficient (they make for shorter or even walkable commutes).
Families raised in vibrant communities with greater outdoor access also create more meaningful, long-term civic engagement, and inculcate environmental stewardship in the next generation.
“Beyond giving tax breaks to wealthy landowners, which is the engine of land conservation,” said Polemis, “How do we, the land trusts, actually serve a community?”
“The funding ability of land trusts is—um—impressive to me,” said Ridgway. In Cornwall, he said, state forest comprises some 7,000 acres, and the land trust has acquired about 2,000 acres, whereas Cornwall and its housing non-profit own under 100 acres.
“The amount we actually need to make significant gains in housing is under 100 acres,” he said. “So it’s a very small percentage.”
Meanwhile, said Polemis and Rosenberg, property offered to land trusts as a gift or at a steeply discounted rate isn’t always best utilized for conservation efforts, due to its size, location, or prior use.
“I would like to see the common interest in the environment unite” conservation and the building of sustainable community, said Ridgway.
In response to the audience question of how to create change, Polemis was succinct: “Show up, volunteer. And if you’re a member of a land trust, tell them to get off their rear ends and get involved.”
The Salisbury Forum, a nonprofit organization based in Connecticut’s Northwest Corner, hosts speaker forums that address global and local issues from wealth inequality to climate change to cybersecurity.
The Mobile Health Unit will be returning to Millerton on April 9 to provide basic health services and guidance on insurance and addressing greater health needs.
MILLERTON – Dutchess County’s Mobile Health Unit is returning to Millerton. On April 9, members of the public can receive vaccinations, STI screenings and assistance with general health needs.
Public health education coordinators will be on-site to provide information on tick removal as well as hands-only CPR and Narcan training. For those in need of further care, guidance will be provided as will assistance with insurance navigation.
The Mobile Health Unit will be located at the rail trail parking lot from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., just down the street from the North East Community Center, located at 51 South Center St. in Millerton.
Paquito D’Rivera performs at the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington on April 5.
Natalia Bernal is the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center’s education and community engagement manager and is, in her own words, “the one who makes sure that Mahaiwe events are accessible to all.”
The Mahaiwe’s community engagement program is rooted in the belief that the performing arts should be for everyone. “We are committed to establishing and growing partnerships with neighboring community and arts organizations to develop pathways for overcoming social and practical barriers,” Bernal explained. “Immigrants, people of color, communities with low income, those who have traditionally been underserved in the performing arts, should feel welcomed at the Mahaiwe.”
Partnerships with organizations like Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires (VIM), the W.E.B. Du Bois Legacy Committee, and Community Access to the Arts (CATA) have helped bridge that gap. But for the Latinx community, there’s an even more targeted effort: the Spanish-language Community Advisory Network (SCAN).
“Six years ago, we started an advisory group of Spanish speakers in the community,” Bernal said. “They tell us what the community wants to see, how they’d like their culture represented. Today, SCAN has 12 members. We meet four times a year and are in constant communication. It’s because of them that we’ve hosted free Spanish-language film screenings and live performances.”
For Bernal, this work is personal. “When I first moved to the U.S. in 2003, it was because I got a Latin American scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music. That first year, I went home to Uruguay for Christmas and saw Paquito D’Rivera perform at a jazz festival. I was determined to meet him, and I did. Later that year, Paquito came to Berklee and invited me on stage.”
Now, two decades and 16 Grammys later, Paquito D’Rivera is coming to the Mahaiwe on April 5, and there’s a chance history might repeat itself. “He saw a post we made about his concert and commented, ‘Ay, chica, que maravilla, are you gonna sing a song with us?’ I almost died,” Bernal laughed. “I don’t know if it will happen, but it would be a dream.”
About the possibility of a guest appearance by Bernal, D’Rivera said, “Natalia is a very dear, valuable colleague, and jazz is about improvisation, so the surprise factor is always part of the fun here.”
D’Rivera’s concert is just one example of how the Mahaiwe is making world-class performances accessible. “My whole day has been about offering ‘pay what you can’ tickets for this show,” Bernal says. “We also issued a 50% discount to our partners. We work with ESL teachers, public libraries, literacy agencies, anyone who can help us get the word out.”
That kind of grassroots effort has been transformative. “Last year, we screened ‘Florencia en el Amazonas,’ the first opera written in Spanish ever performed at the Met,” Bernal said. “I sat in the Mahaiwe in tears. As someone who loves opera, it was the first time I heard one written in my own language. It was so powerful.”
Natalia Bernal, Mahaiwe’s education and community engagement managerPhoto by Martin Cohen
For Bernal, it all comes back to representation, on stage and in the audience. “My son is eight. I bring him to everything I can. Spanish shouldn’t just be something that happens at the dinner table. It should be in the world, in all these shapes and forms.”
And that’s what SCAN is helping build: a future where Latinx voices aren’t just included, they are central. “Our SCAN advisors are volunteers, cultural ambassadors,” Bernal said. “They help us distribute surveys, talk to the audience, and strengthen the community. Nobody should feel alone. Everybody should feel like they belong here.”
Education and outreach are central to D’Rivera’s work as well. He said, “It is an important part of our mission to plant and nurture the seed of quality music in our communities.” He continued to say, “Using our visibility and influence in favor of justice is always a very effective vehicle in denouncing violations of human rights around the world.”
This shared mission of education and social justice extends beyond the Mahaiwe. “We are one of the few arts organizations in a monthly meeting with BASIC (Berkshire Alliance for Immigrant Services). We have direct ties to the Berkshire Immigrant Center, VIM, and others so that we are well-informed and ready to serve,” said Bernal.
That commitment to community, culture, and access is why Bernal’s dream panel—Women in the Music Business—would feature Paquito’s wife and longtime manager, Brenda Feliciano. “She’s a tower of power. She’s been managing his career for at least 45 years. If I could organize an event one day, she would be the cherry on the cake.”
Until then, Bernal will keep doing what she does best: making sure the Mahaiwe is a place where everyone, regardless of language, income, or background, feels at home. And maybe, just maybe, she’ll find herself back on stage with Paquito D’Rivera, just like that first time, all those years ago.
For more info and tickets to Paquito D’Rivera, visit mahaiwe.org
There is magic in a home filled with the things we love, and Mary Randolph Carter, affectionately known as “Carter,” has spent a lifetime embracing that magic. Her latest book, “Live with the Things You Love … and You’ll Live Happily Ever After,” is about storytelling, joy, and honoring life’s poetry through the objects we keep.
“This is my tenth book,” Carter said. “At the root of each is my love of collecting, the thrill of the hunt, and living surrounded by things that conjure up family, friends, and memories.”
The creative director at Ralph Lauren for almost four decades, Carter began writing this book during the pandemic, a time of rediscovering comfort. “I found more time to appreciate those special things that give our homes warmth and connection.” Working with Ralph Lauren, she learned that the best spaces tell a personal story. “His desk was filled with toy cars, miniature shoes, superheroes, English dandies, cowboys on horseback. The walls? A gallery of his children’s paintings, iconic photos of Frank Sinatra and Gary Cooper. Everything told a story.”
Carter acknowledges how homes can become overwhelmed with stuff but sees a difference between clutter and collection. “To live happily, create environments that inspire and comfort rather than encumber you! Look around and ask, ‘What is truly meaningful? What makes you smile? What recalls the people and places you cherish?’” Then, she added, “weed out the rest with discipline and courage!”
Provided
Each home in Carter’s book reflects its inhabitant’s spirit. “The first time I walked into Bethann Hardison’s apartment, I knew right away how authentic it was to who she is.” Hardison’s walls are lined with artwork from friends Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Haitian paintings, testaments to a life well lived. “Though her mantra is, ‘the lighter the load, the freer the journey,’ she also admits some things ‘delight your environment’ and can’t be parted with. Amen to that!”
Having survived two childhood fires, Carter deeply understands what truly matters. “It’s not the things, but the people and memories they evoke.” She loves her collections, but they don’t possess her. “They make me happy, but they do not define me.”
She delights in how people showcase treasures. Paula Grief, for instance, lives in a ten-foot-wide house and had to part with many books. “She tucks the ones she can’t live without through the rungs of her staircase. I love that ingenuity!”
When asked about her most cherished possession, Carter tells a story of loss and serendipity. A childhood portrait of her in a blue velvet dress was lost in a fire. “Years later, the artist’s daughter found another version. Now, it hangs in our apartment, surrounded by flea market art and one of my favorite saints, Our Lady of Guadalupe.”
Adding to the cozy feeling of this book, Carter’s son, Carter Berg, took the photographs, and her sister, Cary, contributed the illustrations. “Cary once stayed in our apartment and painted a dozen objects from our cluttered kitchen. I hung them immediately. When I started this book, I knew she had to capture my favorite objects.”
Four of the featured homes are local to the Northwest Corner, including Carter’s in Millerton, Joan Osofsky’s in Lakeville, Robin Bell’s in Salisbury, and Paula Grief’s in Hudson. They all gathered at the White Hart/Oblong Speaker Series on March 27.
After perusing the richly colored pages of this book, you may feel tempted to shop. “You don’t need money to create a meaningful home,” Carter insisted. “Some of my favorite paintings cost no more than $10 or $25. Value is personal. It’s not about provenance but the story an object tells you or the one you make up.”
Carter’s advice? “Fall in love with the wackiest thing. Surround yourself with what matters, and you’ll live happily ever after.”