Over our nearly three years in existence as a local nonprofit news outlet, we’ve written 200 stories relating to development and housing in Peekskill. When three documentary students at Marist College in Poughkeepsie were assigned to Peekskill to create a film, the subject they wanted to cover was housing and gentrification, a subject very relevant to our community. 

They spent time in Peekskill last October and encountered people on the street and asked them questions about the housing situation and why they were living here. 

The result is a six-minute film we will debut on Saturday, March 30. Since the subject of housing is layered and complex, we are screening the film in a context that includes voices besides the ones present in the film. 

Finding people to discuss the subject wasn’t difficult. There are people who live in this community and care deeply about what is happening here. They graciously agreed to sit on a panel sharing their knowledge and ideas. 

The panel will be moderated by Peekskill resident Jennifer Jaech, who is the rabbi at Temple Israel in Croton. Jaech, a member of the Peekskill NAACP,  has been a resident in Peekskill for 21 years. 

Carol Samol, Peekskill’s Planning Director since December, immediately said yes to the invitation to speak. Although she’s new to Peekskill, she has decades of experience in urban planning and brings a set of fresh eyes to all that’s occurring in Peekskill. 

Wanting the panel to represent more than just planning, we invited Alex Hanson, a five-year Peekskill resident who owns a community development company that has built housing for profit and non-profit models. 

Alexis Perrotta, a Peekskill resident who serves on Peekskill’s zoning board, is a professor at CUNY Baruch and lectures on housing and transportation. She will be offering a perspective from the academic lens. 

Conor Greene, co-founder of the citizen advisory group Peekskill Walks, is a graduate student in urban planning. He will offer insights from a citizen advocacy viewpoint. 

Trisha Jordan is a Peekskill resident of more than 20 years who was looking for housing late last year and was unable to schedule a time to meet with the documentarians. She has found an apartment in Peekskill’s workforce, affordable project at 645 Main Street and will share her experiences of trying to remain in Peekskill. 

Cynthia Knox is a Peekskill resident of 30 years and executive director of Caring for the Hungry and Homeless of Peekskill. In her capacity as director of the only shelter for residents in Northern Westchester, she has a perspective on what contributes to housing challenges in Peekskill. 

The three student filmmakers will be present for the screening. They enjoyed their time in Peekskill and look forward to returning here.  

The event, being held from noon to 2 p.m. at the Red Door Creative Space is free and open to those interested in learning more about Peekskill’s housing challenges. Although the event is free, an RSVP by Thursday, March 28 is requested at [email protected] because seating is limited. Red Door Creative Space is at 1016 Brown Street, off the parking lot alongside Paramount East.