COMMITTEE ON HOUSING
MINUTES: March 15, 2004, 3:00 PM
IN ATTENDANCE:
HOUSING COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Legislators Lois Bronz, Chair, Legislators Jose Alvarado, Vito Pinto and Rob Astorino; Marsha Gordon and Thomas McGrath; Staff: Barbara Arrington Dodds; CEO: Jim Riley; Planning: Gina D’Agrosa, Director of County Water Agency; Nancy MacMillan; Others: George Raymond, Housing Opportunity Commission; Alexander Roberts, Community Housing Innovations, Inc.; Karen Schatzel, League of Women Voters of Westchester; David Schwartz, Working Families Party
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION:
• Rye Affordable Housing Site
• Workforce Housing Legislation
Meeting called to order by Leg. Bronz, Chair, with Leg. José Alvarado and Ms. Gordon making the quorum.
Item discussed: Rye Housing Site Proposal at Theodore Fremd location--regarding the letter received from the Health Department to Comm. Mulligan relating to environmental concerns about development on that site.
D’Agrosa: Because that site has been considered since early 1990’s for affordable housing and has been under remediation since the mid 90’s by the NYS DEC that remediation is ongoing and health department was asked to review reports sent by DEC and asked whether the site would ever be feasible for housing. The letter you have received is the response that they sent. In their professional opinion, the site will never be suitable for residential purposes.
Bronz: George Raymond indicates that he is familiar with that site,
Raymond: That letter seems like they have given up.
D’AGrosa: No remediation is still active. Systems on site include a high vacuum extraction system, ground water sampling, they continue to monitor wells and the levels of contaminants appear to be continuing to rise rather than decrease. There are two gas stations adjoining the property and the contamination source has not been identified.
Raymond: Well we’ve waited twenty years and we can wait a little longer.
Bronz: We will continue to monitor with the County’s interest but at this moment we are not talking affordable housing.
Bronz: The second item on the agenda is a Long Island legislative initiative in workforce housing.
Raymond: This bill is an expression of a belief we have shared for quite a while—that it will take legislation from the courts to make a difference in local attitudes toward affordable housing. Legislation has been passed in Connecticut and in New Jersey. This bill doesn’t go as far but it commits the county executive to cooperate and move things forward. The bill advances that every development of five or more units will have at least 10% of the units affordable. If the developer cannot provide them on site, they are allowed to provide a payment to a trust fund for affordable housing or to build on another site. Also the bill says the municipality will have one year in which to develop ordinances that will identify the land that is appropriate for development, separate from land for preservation, and the processing of the application. If this legislation passes, it moves this state forward.
Gordon: Where is this legislation now—is it just for Long Island?
Roberts: It passed the assembly unanimously last year and is now being debated in the State Senate. It is called the Long Island Workforce Housing Incentive Program so it only applies to Long Island.
Gordon: So it could be applied to Westchester?
Bronz: A bill like this would give us the kind of leverage we need.
Mr. Roberts described the development of the bill. Almost the same problems faced by Long Island are faced by Westchester. The bill goes considers adverse impacts and how they can be mitigated in some way. The community and the developer has an ability to opt out by contributing to a trust fund. But it establishes a policy that requires the region to take its fair share. Affordability is describes as 80% of median. That’s $72,000 in Westchester which it is why it is called “workforce” housing rather than “affordable” and the housing has to be of the same character as the other units in the development.
Bronz: Years ago, Greenburgh had a set aside policy and required developers to contribute to a recreation program. (Joined by Legislators Vito Pinto and Rob Astorino) We’re talking about an exciting possibility.
Gordon: What is the viewpoint of the developers? They are supportive.
Astorino: How long is this applicable? What happens if the owners income changes?
Roberts: It is thirty years—owner can remain if there is a change in income—limitations apply only when it is sold. There are only two ways to insure affordable housing. One way is to buy it as Westchester has done but the cost has gone way up over the years. This is a second way that doesn’t cost the taxpayers anything.
Gordon: We have an Area Development Council that I’d like to have meet with the players from Long Island to take this up so that we can have business and government working together.
Bronz: That would be an excellent approach and the committee will keep informed on this bill and its possibilities for us.
The meeting was adjourned by Leg. Bronz.
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