Mayors, Housing Monitor to Attend Affordable Housing Forum
The forum is sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
Amid legal wrangling between Westchester County and federal authorities, and local disagreements between neighboring towns, the League of Women Voters seeks to establish common ground on affordable housing issues with a forum next month.
The forum will feature several prominent figures in the ongoing affordable housing saga, including James Johnson, the federal housing monitor; Norma Drummond, Deputy Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Planning; and Mary Mahon, a senior assistant to County Executive Rob Astorino.
Also appearing on the panel: Port Chester Mayor Dennis Pilla and Rye Brook Mayor Joan Feinstein. Although Pilla has been more diplomatic in his language about the neighboring village, Port Chester's elected leaders and school board have opposed potential efforts by Rye Brook to build affordable housing in District 4, an area bordering Port Chester.
Johnson has also pushed back against Astorino, who has been vocal about the affordable housing settlement and his opinion that federal authorities are overstepping their bounds. Earlier this week, Johnson rejected a hard stance the county executive had taken in the ongoing battle, and said Westchester County can and should sue towns and villages that don't comply with the settlement.
According to the League of Women Voters:
The League has assembled a distinguished panel that brings together a broad spectrum of perspectives on this policy that will certainly have an impact upon our communities. The interaction of the panelists, both within the panel and with the audience, will help the public understand the policy and practical issues surrounding Fair and Affordable and Housing initiatives, including the community impacts and the on-going dispute between Westchester County and the federal government.
The forum is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 6 at the Rye Free Reading Room.
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John B
5:19 pm on Thursday, November 17, 2011
I think that Mayor Pilla should bring Ms. Lopez to the forum as his spokesperson.
Cadeyrn
7:25 am on Friday, November 18, 2011
I think he should bring Bart Didden and Sam Terenzi.
JJ
9:19 pm on Thursday, November 17, 2011
Port Chester needs to start standing up on these issues.
The City of Rye built all of that "affordable housing" on Cottage Street basically "in" Port Chester.
If there's ever a Police, Fire or EMT issue who do you think will respond there ; Rye?
Rye Brook is trying to swing the same deal.
Port Chester needs to remain FIRM on these issues.
Bob Zahm
10:16 pm on Thursday, November 17, 2011
@JJ - all services for the Rye City "affordable housing" on Cottage street including garbage pickup and education will come from Rye. This isn't like the Rye Brook location which would fall into a Port Chester school district. But that said, seems to me like Rye Brook's proposed site would meet the letter of the agreement. Tough buggies (technical phrase) if HUD may not believe sufficient integration has been achieved. This is about affordable housing, isn't it?
Yvette Segal
11:35 pm on Thursday, November 17, 2011
December 6th...I think I will clear my calendar. There's power in numbers PC!! Get out and express yourselves.
Peter Pascale
12:34 am on Friday, November 18, 2011
I agree about the point on the Rye building (all services provided by Rye). The Port Chester/Rye Brook situation is unique in the possible direct impact to Port Chester schools if Rye Brook builds affordable housing in District 4. However, this suit is not solely about affordable housing but about diversity as well. The Port Chester Board of Education has stood up and made a strong statement. I have a feeling they are not done standing up to this issue either.
George Datino
7:32 am on Friday, November 18, 2011
Can someone answer a question.....Once the units are built, how will they be assessed in respect to the other properties around them? Will they be assessed lower, therefore the property taxes be lower than if the units were built without the Affordable Housing tag?
Bart Didden
8:35 am on Friday, November 18, 2011
Good Morning George,
All units built under the "affordable" label are assessed at the sales amount, NOT THE MARKET VALUE.
This is how they are designed to remain affordable in their operation. When they are built they are subsidized through either government programs with real taxpayer dollars given to the developer or by local Laws that requires developers to make a percentage of overall units constructed "affordable".
Regardless of which method is used, it remains my position that the community subsidizes the unit going forward forever. This is my example to explain what I mean -
You have two unit in the same development,
The first unit is a market rate 2 bedroom condo and sells for 325,000 (just to use a number I picked 325,000)
The second unit which is "affordable" and in the same development as the first unit (in fact it could be right next to the first unit) sells for the "affordable" amount of 165,000 dollars.
The "affordable" unit gets all the same services as the first unit, but only pays half the tax!
Who makes up the difference in the cost of those services, everyone else in the community, hence my statement, "these units are subsidized by the community".
JJ
7:37 am on Friday, November 18, 2011
Bob Zahm............Thanks for the reply.
My point was that in an emergency situation Port Chester would most likely respond to the Cottage Street location.
However, I understand what you're also saying regarding Rye Brook.
It "is" about affordable housing but these are ways to circumvent the "service" issues like police, fire and schools.
Thanks again for the reply.