WALDEN – Mid-Hudson News has learned that the Orange County District Attorney’s Office has issued multiple subpoenas as part of an investigation into the Village of Walden’s Housing Rehabilitation Program.
Sources said the probe is centered on select participants, including a local real estate agent and his family, who allegedly may not have been eligible for the low-interest loans. The subpoenas requested several pieces of documentation related to loans issued over the past several years, starting prior to December of 2025. During part of that time, Village Manager John Revella, who also serves as an Orange County legislator, oversaw and approved the loans.
Revella did not return a message seeking comment for this story.
The Housing Rehabilitation Program is administered through the Village’s Building Department. Former Walden Building Inspector Robert Wallner, who left the Village in January to take the same position in the Village of Monroe, did not return a message seeking comment for this story. Several sources allege that Wallner deleted files from his Village computer before departing.
Sources said some borrowers may have used the loans for properties ineligible for the program, allegedly treating them as real estate investments with the assistance of a property management company before flipping them for a profit. There are also questions about whether the loans were repaid. According to the Village of Walden’s website, mortgage rates for these loans range from zero to three percent.
The District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the matter.
The Housing Rehabilitation Program is intended to improve housing conditions and the overall appearance of the community. Village homeowners must have sufficient equity in their homes to qualify for a loan.
If any improprieties are found, criminal charges could be pursued by the District Attorney’s Office or other law enforcement agencies.
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