Westchester County Executive George Latimer, pictured above and joined by Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins, gave his weekly briefing on March 13 and commented on Governor Hochul’s plan to build 800,000 units of housing across the state by mandating that local communities with a Metro-North station to increase their housing around their train stations by 3%.
Hochul’s New York Housing Compact has been met with opposition from almost every elected official but has been supported by local housing and non-profits.
“We in Westchester County recognized that we have a need for more housing, and specifically more affordable housing. But we also believe that the way to accomplish this is to work cooperatively with local communities.
“We do not believe in overriding local zoning. We do not believe in forcing a municipality to do something. We can get more done cooperatively than we can with mandates.
“We just proved that during the COVID crisis when we had a minimum of mandates in Westchester County. We think that local communities can work cooperatively to reach that goal. Setting that goal is fine, it’s an aspirational goal. The best way is to have the local governments come up with the plans to do it.
“Westchester County grew 6% from 2010-2020. More people are moving into Westchester. We have to have housing that the nurse can afford, for seniors and for young people living at home.
“As suburban decision makers, every community has the right to decide how their community will go, based on the people they elect and their zoning.
“I do not accept the premise that zoning is intrinsically racist and wrong. We have an open diverse society in Westchester. The problem is, in trying to solve the housing problem you will do more damage in that local community.”
Many local governments in Westchester have come out against Hochul’s housing plan. The Town of Yorktown, and its five republican members unanimously passed a resolution opposing the NY Housing Compact.
“All of Yorktown’s services, including police, volunteer emergency services, water, sewer and our school districts would be adversely affected by the governor’s proposal,” said Supervisor Tom Diana, who on Tuesday met with local officials to discuss their opposition to the governor’s proposal. “The governor’s housing quotas would negatively transform our community.”
According to a resolution adopted by the Town Board on February 28, the governor’s proposal would require extreme and substantial amendments to the Town’s local zoning. The changes would affect restrictions on minimum lot sizes, height limits, setbacks, parking, environmental reviews, planning board reviews and aesthetic reviews.
“The Town of Yorktown adamantly opposes the governor’s Housing Compact and urges the State Legislature to preserve and protect Municipal Home Rule and Local Zoning Powers by removing the Housing Compact proposal from the FY 2024 Budget,” stated the Town Board’s resolution.
