The Greene County Department of Economic Development, Planning and Tourism announced an expansion of outreach to individuals and families that own second homes across the county in response to the results of their survey of Greene County Second Home Owners conducted in 2016.
Approximately 18,000 families claim Greene County as their primary residence. Interestingly enough, there are over 8,000 second home properties across our mountain, valley and historic river towns. These 8,000 properties represent over $135 million in annual purchases in and around Greene County, creating both jobs and earnings for full-time residents. Add to that the sales and property tax revenue generated from Second Home Owners and their guests, and the impact on our local economy is like adding over 4,400 full-time residents.
“Almost 3,400 in-county jobs come from providing products and services to second home owners,” notes Warren Hart, Director of Economic Development, Planning and Tourism for Greene County. “That’s 21% of our total employment.”
“Our team is dedicated to growing the number and quality of sustainable, job-creating businesses in the communities we share”, Hart continues. “Every year, our Invest In Greene program engages and attracts new business entrepreneurs to establish and expand in Greene County. We recognize that Second Home Owners have a unique connection to the area, and their experience, skills, and resources can result in significant business and job opportunities. We have also found that many of our new businesses are opened by second home owners.”
The Economic Impact of Greene County Second Homes has been quantified by research conducted over the past year. The responses received from our survey of second home owners, together with the sales, revenue, and jobs numbers associated with them, provide a solid foundation for us to grow sustainable businesses and jobs across our county. You can read more about successful new businesses that have recently made Greene County their home.
“This growing community of entrepreneurs is adding new vitality to our local economy,” says Hart. “We want to make it easy for second home owners to explore all Greene County has to offer, identify opportunities to start a business, and access the programs we provide to support them.”
The Invest In Greene program has created a new on-line portal for people to learn more about living and doing business in Greene County, provide ideas and feedback, receive information on programs and opportunities, and connect with agencies and organizations that provide valuable services to prospective second home owners and entrepreneurs.
If you’re a full-time Greene County resident and want to share your ideas on welcoming and supporting new businesses and visitors in our communities, we want to hear from you.
Adapted from a story by Amanda Purcell’s on the Economic Impact of Second Home Owners from Columbia Greene Media, the article is no longer available online.
The Buy In Greene | Invest In Greene program is a Greene County Legislature initiative established in 2008 to connect businesses with consumers across the county, and attract, encourage, and support new business startups, relocations, and expansions. For more information contact Warren Hart, Director – Economic Development, Planning and Tourism at whart@discovergreene.com or 518-719-3290.
