Astorino made the announcement to a packed audience
WHITE PLAINS – Westchester County has surpassed the fundamental benchmarks of the 2009 housing settlement with the federal government, County Executive Robert Astorino announced on Tuesday.
Under the settlement agreement reached with then-County Executive Andrew Spano and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the county has until December 31 of this year to have financing and building permits in place for 750 units of affordable housing in 31 mostly white communities.
As of now, the county is over the benchmark with 790 units, 40 more than required, and with another 100 units in the pipeline.
Missing the deadline could have results in hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.
“We had to fulfill our obligations within seven years, and we exceeded them,” said Astorino. “We met our goals because we worked cooperatively with our cities, towns and villages. That approach allowed us to succeed and push back attempts by the federal government to bypass home rule and take over local zoning,”
Two peripheral tasks remain – sign-off by HUD on an analysis of issues that could be impediments to building fair housing in Westchester and the enhancement of the county’s marketing and outreach efforts tied to the settlement. Astorino said the county expects both to be wrapped up early next year.
Because of the process on all fronts, the county has told the US Attorney that it doesn’t think it is necessary for HUD to appoint a new monitor, who serves at the agency’s pleasure. James Johnson, whose tenure as monitor dated back to the beginning of the settlement, resigned in August to run for the Democratic nomination for governor of New Jersey.
Should HUD appoint a new monitor, the county maintains the selection should be made by the incoming Trump administration.
