More than 4,200 Affordable Housing Units built, under construction or in the pipeline since 2018
Since Westchester County Executive George Latimer first took office in 2018, the availability of affordable housing has remained a top priority. With more than one million people collectively calling Westchester County home, Latimer has proven his commitment to affordable housing, with more than 4,200 units built, under construction or in the pipeline since the start of his administration. Through new construction and redevelopment, Latimer is ensuring affordable housing is available in nearly every town and village in Westchester.
Latimer said: “Our responsibility as a County government is to make sure that the opportunity for affordable housing is always there. It is our job to make sure that housing is available, that it is fair and accessible to everyone, and that it is at a price point that all people can afford. This is about filling a critical need that people have, and we are helping Westchester’s families when we can get them into decent housing that they can afford.”
With 357 affordable housing units completed or occupied, and 4,200 units in the pipeline, Latimer has allocated millions of dollars in the budget each year to develop and rehabilitate affordable housing units. A combined total of $50M that was allocated in the 2022 Capital Budget represents the largest single year commitment to affordable housing in the County’s history.
Watch this video on Fair & Affordable Housing with County Executive George Latimer.
The County’s infrastructure and land acquisition funding programs have greatly supported affordable housing development with an investment of over $76 million. Developments have been completed throughout Westchester, including Chappaqua, New Rochelle, Rye, Harrison and Port Chester. In Greenburgh, a ribbon was cut on the Mayfair Apartments, formerly known as the WestHELP Homeless Shelter on the Westchester Community College Campus. This development now represents 74 units of affordable rental housing for seniors ages 62 and older.
Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Planning Norma Drummond said: “Everyone should have an opportunity to live in a home that is decent, safe and sanitary. Finding that home should be a fair and equitable process. Affordable housing is hiding in plain sight in Westchester, and there are housing opportunities all over this County, from single-family homes to multi-family apartment towers. In Westchester, we try to make housing options available to fit every demographic and need.”
Please watch this video with Drummond and Deputy Commissioner of Planning Blanca Lopez,
What is Affordable Housing and How Can I Apply?
Affordable housing is available in nearly every town and village in Westchester County, with options to rent or buy single family homes, two-family homes, apartments, condominiums, or senior housing. William Balter, President of Wilder Balter Partners Inc. who redeveloped the iconic Readers Digest Building into housing said: “Every year it becomes more of a challenge to house the people that live and work in our communities. Every year it gets harder and harder. So we look at this as a really valuable service that we are able to provide.”
The Fallon family lives at Chappaqua Crossing with their four children. You can hear their story in the next video, Affordable Housing: Why is it so important?
The Westchester County IDA has been actively promoting the inclusion of affordable units in developments they are assisting, which has resulted in an additional 737 units. In addition, the County was awarded Lead Hazard Reduction grants from HUD in 2018 and 2021, totaling $8.2M. These grants have provided approximately 400 households with lead based paint remediation. The County also received a NYS Affordable Housing Corporation rehab grant for ownership units in low-income areas.
The County also contracted with 13 nonprofit agencies to advance its eviction and foreclosure prevention efforts. Through New York State’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), a total of 2,034 households were assisted with $28.7 million in rental arrears, and up to three months’ rental assistance. An additional $1.5M was secured through nonprofit agencies to assist low income homeowners with foreclosure prevention if they were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you are interested in pursuing a fair and affordable rental or homeownership opportunity in Westchester, visit the County’s Homeseeker Website. Homeseeker identifies the affordable housing units that are available based on location, and notifies those who qualify when a new home becomes available. For more information, contact the Westchester County Department of Planning at homeseeker@westchestergov.com
