Westchester in Compliance with Affordable Housing Settlement
A federal judge recently concluded that Westchester County was in compliance with building more than 750 affordable housing units and a federal housing monitor was no longer needed.
U.S. District Judge Denise Cote terminated the Consent Decree that went into effect on August 10, 2009. In 2009, Westchester officials entered into a stipulation and order with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to increase its efforts to help provide fair and affordable housing in 31 of the county’s communities with the least diversity.
As of June 30, 968 affordable housing units have been approved in the region covered by the settlement.
“After 12 long years, Westchester County is finally able to close the book on the Affordable Housing Settlement,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer. “We did not do this alone, and we have to thank our non-profit housing organizations, the local municipalities and the many developers for all that they did to help get us here. We know that we have a long way to go, but I want to thank the Department of Justice for recognizing our commitment to this cause. We made every effort to satisfy the terms of the case, and I am thrilled that we are able to put it behind us.”
“I do not attempt to take credit for all of the affordable housing that was developed over the past 12 years. It was a long road, and much of it was traveled before I walked in the door as County Executive. But, I think we have proven time and again that fair and affordable housing is something that we believe in,” Latimer added.
“We consistently put significant money aside, we conducted a Housing Needs Study, and we understand fully how great that need is. More than 11,000 units are needed to satisfy the demand for young families and seniors on fixed incomes, and we want to see these projects come to fruition all across Westchester.”
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
