Tied to Success: Progress Worth Celebrating, a Marketplace Worth Protecting
As we enter the final months of 2026, I find myself reflecting on just how much we have accomplished together at the Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS®. When I began my presidency, I introduced a theme that I hoped would define not only this year, but how we approach our future: Tied to Success. That theme simply said that every goal we set, every service we offer, every resource we develop, must tie directly to the success of every single member.
And what a year it has been.
In advocacy, we have turned engagement into meaningful results. We expanded our Local Political Coordinator program, developed a more organized political engagement system, and brought extraordinary REALTOR® delegations to Washington, Albany and City Hall.
We celebrated significant legislative victories and progress, including passage of New York City's co-op transparency legislation, advancement of housing priorities through the state budget, and important progress on SEQRA reform. We also supported legislation to limit certain real estate listing and service agreements to two years and saw the Fair and Transparent Real Estate Listing Act pass the New York State Senate unanimously.
At the federal level, we passed the Housing for the 21st Century Act into law with bi-partisan support through both chambers of Congress, reinforcing the importance of keeping housing supply and affordability at the forefront of our national conversation.
In member value and professional development, we strengthened relationships and expanded opportunities. Our Broker Summit with NAR, Fair Housing Summit with the Urban League, AI Alliance with the Business Council of Westchester, and events with NAREB, NAHREP, AREAA, and Women's Council of REALTORS® demonstrated what becomes possible when we bring diverse voices and expertise together.
We expanded our community presence through BronxNet appearances, welcomed Grace Smith as our new CEO, and opened HGAR offices in the Bronx. These spaces opened opportunities for education, collaboration, and business development in the communities we serve.
Our global and commercial initiatives also gained momentum, including the APEMIP Portugal trade mission, NAR's 2026–2027 Diamond Accreditation for Commercial Services, and NAR's 2026 Platinum Global Achievement Award. Our Inclusion Summit, recognizing Housing Champion Barry Long, reinforced an essential principle: opportunity grows when more people have a meaningful seat at the table.
These accomplishments belong to our members, volunteer leaders, staff, and partners. They demonstrate what happens when we tie our work directly to the success of every single member. As our industry continues to change, HGAR will remain focused on serving every member and supporting a fair and professional marketplace for the consumers we serve. That is what it means to be… Tied to Success.
