A southeastern New York county on the Hudson, close to NYC
Kathryn Stockett has published The Calamity Club, a Depression-era saga set in Mississippi, amid renewed attention to her past reception after The Help. The novel, a 656-page doorstop, follows two white women surviving the Great Depression. Initial reception acknowledges long journey from rejection to publication, with ongoing debate about her previous work.
A Westchester couple’s century-old house, with a coffin door and an underground tunnel, has inspired novelist Pokwatka’s new horror novel Accumulation. Unusual phenomena include a haunted doll, music from walls, and moving objects, yet the family remains grounded, continuing to live in the home.
A mix of high demand and aggressive pricing has driven multiple U.S. housing transactions to record or near-record levels, with several properties selling well above asking prices after intense showings and strategic marketing.
New York City’s rent-freeze policy has moved from plan to action, with the Rent Guidelines Board freezing increases on one- and two-year leases for rent-stabilized units. This update follows controversy over how the policy is financed and implemented, including calls for ownership transfers to community groups and tenants. Legal challenges loom as landlords push back.