A recently completed Accessory Dwelling Unit on Finney Farm Road in Croton-on-Hudson. Photos provided by the property owners.
On Sept. 6, the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity, announced their partnership through the Plus One ADU program, an initiative designed to help homeowners create Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). This program aims to provide residents with affordable housing options while offering an opportunity to build generational wealth and maintain a strong community presence.
ADUs, such as backyard cottages and separate-entry apartments, are secondary units on the same property as a primary residence. Through the Plus One ADU program, eligible homeowners can receive financial assistance to build an ADU on their property, helping them stay in their homes, support their families, and contribute to the local housing supply. Currently, there are 52 communities participating in the Plus One ADU program, including seven in Westchester County.
The Plus One ADU program supports the FY 2025 Enacted Budget’s transformative housing package, secured by Governor Kathy Hochul to expand the state’s housing supply. Funded by New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), the program provides grants to municipalities and nonprofits to create safe, high-quality accessory dwelling units. In turn, these grants are made available to single-family homeowners whose income falls below 100% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Income thresholds range from $109,350 for a one-person household to $181,200 for a six-person household, with eligible homeowners outside New York City able to receive up to $125,000 per ADU.
To inform residents about this opportunity, a Virtual Information Session on the Plus One ADU program will be held on Monday, September 16 at 7:00 p.m. for Croton-on-Hudson residents interested in learning more about the program and its benefits.
“For our seniors fighting to stay in the community they call home or young people struggling to find a place to put down roots, accessory dwelling units can mean stable, affordable housing. I hope all interested residents will join the virtual information session on Monday, September 16th. Thank you to Governor Kathy Hochul, NYS Homes and Community Renewal and Habitat for Humanity for acknowledging the necessity of new housing solutions for our communities. Together, we can build a better future, by creating accessory apartments,” said Brian Pugh, Mayor of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson.
“The Plus One ADU program is one of many tools in our toolbox for addressing housing availability and affordability challenges in our community. The Town of Cortlandt has also signed on to the state’s Plus One ADU program and we will be rolling it out to our residents in the coming months. The Plus One Accessory Dwelling Unit is a breakthrough for our Town of Cortlandt residents living in the Village of Croton-on-Hudson. This program will create new housing options for senior citizens, young people and those with modest incomes that simply need a place to live. The addition of the Village Croton-on-Hudson to the Plus One ADU program will enable middle class residents to take advantage of this opportunity. While the Town of Cortlandt continues its review of this program for other parts of the Town, I encourage all eligible homeowners in the Village to look into this and join the Village of Croton-on-Hudson at their webinar on September 16th,” said Dr. Richard Becker, Cortlandt Town Supervisor.
“The Village of Croton-on-Hudson’s Housing Task Force advocated for the reform of our accessory apartment law to make it possible for more Croton homeowners to build an ADU on their property, providing additional income for them and desperately needed housing for family members or tenants. The partnership between the Village, NYS Homes & Community Renewal and Habitat for Humanity with the Plus One ADU program is a breakthrough that will help keep our community affordable for working and middle class people,” said Adam Decker, chair of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson’s Housing Task Force.
“At a time when more than 1 in 10 residents in our village, more than 400 households, spend half their income or more on housing, an Accessory Dwelling Unit is a lifeline. For cash poor homeowners, such as retirees living on social security, it represents a new income stream that can help them stay in our community. For a tenant looking for a place to stay, such as a recent graduate who wants to build a life in our village, it means a place to call home. Thank you to the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, Habitat and NYS Homes & Community Renewal for joining together for the Plus One ADU program,” said Nance Shatzkin, chair of the Croton Housing Network.
“In the face of our unprecedented housing affordability crisis, the advancement of accessory dwelling units is a beacon of hope for New Yorkers. These units provide much needed additional housing as well as enable homeowners to generate supplemental income, build generational wealth, and support family members in need. Habitat NYC and Westchester is proud to support initiatives that empower our communities to thrive and remain in the neighborhoods they love. This partnership with the Village of Croton-on-Hudson is a significant step towards creating a more equitable and sustainable future for all,” said Sabrina Lippman, CEO, Habitat for Humanity New York City and Westchester County.
For additional details about the upcoming Virtual Information Session and Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) regulations in the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, please visit https://www.crotononhudson-ny.gov/ADU.
A total of 7 Westchester communities have either moved forward with ADU’s in their communities, or are in the process of doing so. The Town of Cortlandt is proceeding with the plan, and several homes in The Town of Bedford and the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson has completed ADU’s.
