It has been over a year since the good people of Westchester first heard the statement “I signed whatever I had to in order to get money from HUD”. With that one single statement, Andy Spano lost his bid for a fourth term as Westchester County Executive. Mind you, skyrocketing taxes, high profile Legend seats at Yankee Stadium, grocery cart pushing bodyguards and the overwhelming dislike of Larry Schwartz and Susan Tolchin helped push Astorino to the finish line first, it was the Federal Housing debacle that lost Andy Spano the election.

It is a year later and the general public is now just starting to realize the facts surrounding this case. If you live in an area that has a very low percentage of African American residents and an even lower percentage of Hispanic residents, you are on the hit list to have affordable housing built in your neighborhood. However matching housing with a community is difficult. Municipalities have to have available land or existing structures that can be turned into housing units. Transportation to the proposed units also remains a challenge. Most of the potential residents use public transportation to get about. Putting housing in place is a great idea but it must be done within one mile proximity to either a bus stop or a train station. People need to work, shop, and attend to appointments. Sticking people in the suburbs of Westchester just to say that compliance with an anti-discrimination suit does not cut it any more.

Based on County records on affordable housing, it appears the Astorino Administration is seeking to meet the parameters set forth by HUD, and are bending over backwards to accommodate Federal Housing Monitor James Johnson. The new administration began meetings on the housing plan as early as January 4, 2010 and is still meeting as of this week. Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino had traveled to Washington to meet with representatives of HUD within days of his election. The County has even appointed an attorney, Mary Mahon, as the liaison between HUD and the County. And yet, nothing that is proposed is good enough for Jim Johnson (and Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Ken Jenkins too who seems to be loving his 15 minutes’ worth of fame he has earned from riding on Jim Johnson’s bigger than life HUD coattails).

So here we are a year later. No formal acceptance of anything the County has done by the housing monitor that we are paying (“Yes!,” we, the taxpayers are paying his 250K annual salary). Mr Johnson (and Mr Jenkins) keep sending any proposal back to committee stating it is too vague or it is not yet all inclusive. Say what?! The taxpayers in Westchester should call HUD and the BoL for their stalling tactics as what they are, BS. This is not about making it right for those who need housing, it is about sending a message to the current administration in Westchester, that Washington, D.C. is none too happy about Westchester going “red” last election day.

Rush Limbaugh may have coined the phrase “the Astorino effect” after a conservative Republican took down a liberal Democrat last November but it seems that Washington, D.C. was not so charmed. The little phrase that became the battle cry of the New York State Republican Committee has infuriated Democrats from Westchester to Washington. The residents of Westchester who had for so many years been liberal about spending and social programs finally said enough is enough. However it seems that Mssrs Johnson and Jenkins don’t quite know when to stop asking for more. I would like to hear, or better still read Mr. Johnson’s rebuttal. What about the housing plan is too vague? What isn’t fine tuned yet? Why is our affordable housing committee returned to the drawing board time after time?

As much as we hate to say this, acid-tongue bloggers think that these vague rejections are coming all the way from the top. It almost seems that with each rejection, Barack Obama is punishing the people of Westchester for failing to re-elect Andy Spano. Mr. Obama knew that had Mr. Spano been re-elected, sooner or later Andy Spano would have built the affordable housing anywhere that the Anti Discrimination Center wanted and at any price they named. What is frosting Mr Johnson (and his friend Mr. Jenkins) is that they are not meeting with an administration or a vox populi that will cave to their demands. The good people of Westchester have had enough with their veiled allegations of racism and elitism. So take that Mr. Johnson, all the way up to your boss.

The acid-tongued bloggers would be remiss if we did not touch on the irony of Ken Jenkins’ comments each time Mr Johnson waxes eloquently on how we are not hitting the mark. Ken Jenkins by trade is a real estate agent. He should know better than anyone else at 148 Martine Avenue what people are looking for in a residence. Hey Ken, I’ll give you a clue; its location, location, location. Surely Ken you should understand this; after all you keep your family in one domicile while you reside in a different one that furthers your political aspirations. Stuffing an individual in Pound Ridge or Rye or South Salem is not what that person ultimately wants. Sheesh, by now you and your buddy Mr. Johnson should know that you are only truly happy with your living environment if it suits your most basic need of being able to fit in with your environment and neighbors. We would also like to recommend to Mr Johnson, Mr Jenkins and Mr. Obama to bone up on Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in order to get the picture straight in their heads.

Although we are often critical of the current administration in this column, we applaud the County for attempting to right the wrong caused by former Westchester County Executive Andy Spano. The vox populi would also like to acknowledge those individuals who may be thinking that affordable housing is right for them. Do not fall victim to the “Housing Alive” video or the bus tour of potential neighborhoods. Move to a neighborhood where you will assimilate and be comfortable not to an area where you are not wanted. To Mr Johnson, please tell your boss in Washington that the folks in Westchester are smarter that you may have imagined and that he may as well accept our next proposal. We cannot wait until August 9th to hear what you have to say that time around. And to all who may have thought about signing their name while making a deal that seems too good to be true, be careful what you wish for, you could be making a deal that you will never be able to fulfill.

Housing Settlement

LAST UPDATED ON TUESDAY, 04 MAY 2010 13:46

Westchester County has submitted a revised implementation plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and to the federal monitor overseeing the county’s compliance with last year’s settlement of the fair and affordable housing lawsuit.

The revisions were produced after a series of discussions with James E. Johnson, the federal monitor overseeing the settlement, and representatives of HUD. Johnson asked for the revisions in February, saying the county’s initial submission lacked enough specific details in certain areas.

The settlement was entered into by former County Executive Andrew Spano and approved by a majority of the Board of Legislators. It requires the county to build 750 units of new housing in 31 communities and to undertake marketing that ensures outreach to racially and ethnically diverse households.

The submission, March 12, meets the deadline set by the federal monitor. He can now accept the implementation plan, reject it or ask for further modifications. No date has been set for when he will complete his review.

I. WESTCHESTER COUNTY FAIR AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

II. APPENDICES (see below)

A. INTRODUCTION

Appendix A-1:

(i) A copy of the County’s October 8, 2009 extension request letter;
(ii) A copy of the Monitor’s letter approving said request, dated October 21, 2009;
(iii) A copy of HUD’s letter approving extension of AI deadlines, dated December 18, 2009; (iv) Monitor's Report Regarding Implementation Aug. 10, 2009 - Feb 10, 2010

Appendix A-2:

(i) 2009 Master Housing meeting list

(ii) 2010 Master Housing meeting list

B. FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS

Appendix B-1:  Finance Department documentation of $30M wire transfer.
Appendix B-2:  Finance Department documentation of check issued to Relator’s counsel.
Appendix B-3: (i) A copy of 19-20 Capital Request Form; and (ii) 5-year Capital Program.
Appendix B-4:  Letter in response to its obligations under Paragraph 44(c), along with supplemental communication from HUD, and an itemized accounting of the Unallowable Costs.

C. LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS

Appendix C-1: A copy AFFH Policy legislation adopted by the BOL on November 23, 2009.
Appendix C-2: A copy of the First Right of Refusal legislative package now pending before the BOL on which a vote is expected to occur on February 22, 2010.
Appendix C-3: (i) A copy of the most current Source of Income legislation now before the BOL; (ii) letter from then-County Executive Spano to BOL members advocating for the adoption of this legislation, dated October 23, 2009; and (iii) letters from then-County Executive Spano to fair housing advocates urging continued support and advocacy for the law issued on November 18, 2009.

D. POLICY & PLANNING TOOLS

Appendix D-1: (i) Model Zoning Ordinance provisions; and (ii) documentation of outreach to local Westchester County municipalities re: Model Zoning Ordinance and proposed Discretionary Funding Policy.
Appendix D-2: Discretionary Funding Allocation Policy.
Appendix D-3: (i) Amendments to Westchester 2025 & Resolution of the Westchester County Planning Board, adopting the overarching goals of the Stipulation and required policy statement, adopted on January 5, 2010; and (ii) Resolution of the Westchester County Planning Board endorsing the substantive provisions of the Model Ordinance, as approved on February 2, 2010.

E. PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT OF FAIR & AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS

Appendix E-1: (i) Methodology for the identification of Eligible Municipalities/areas (narrative); (ii) Chart outlining Eligible Municipalities/area by tiers of eligibility under Paragraph (7) of the Stipulation; and (iii) Map of Eligible Areas.

Appendix E-2: (i) Flow chart of traditional fair and affordable housing development process; (ii) Summary and outline of historical funding sources, affordability terms (sale price, rental price, taxes), and timelines for completion of projects; and (iii)Summary ands outline of Green Technology in fair & affordable projects.

Appendix E-3: (i) Memo from B. Connolly to E. Buroughs identifying data layers for maps; (ii) Map of Current Use of Land in Eligible Communities; (iii) Map of Transportation Features in Eligible Communities; (iv) Map of areas within one mile radius of Metro-North Railroad train stations and a Bee-Line bus route in Eligible Communities; (v) Map of County Sewer Districts and Private Sewage Treatment Facilities in Eligible Communities; (vi) Map of Major Water Suppliers in Eligible Communities; (vii) Map of Environmental Features in Eligible Communities; and (viii) Map of FEMA Flood Zones in Eligible Communities.

Appendix E-4: (i) List of Disallowed Projects; (ii) December 10, 2009 letter from NYS DHCR re: 37 Wildwood/Katonah project; (iii) New 37 Wildwood Proforma showing need for FAH funding; (iv) Somers Senior, LP, (Mews at Baldwin Place) Proforma showing need for additional FAH funding.

Appendix E-5: Map of Lowest Concentrations of African Americans and Hispanics.

Appendix E-6: (i) NYS definition of ‘households’ approved by HUD; (ii) Westchester County occupancy standard; (iii) List of current/active fair & affordable housing projects; and (iv) List of County-owned parcels.

F. FINANCING THE FAIR AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS

Appendix F-1: Report on Revolving Loan Fund Feasibility Assessment.
Appendix F-2: November 4, 2009 letter from then-Commissioner Mulligan to NYS DHCR.

G. AFFIRMATIVE MARKETING & OUTREACH

Appendix G-1: Westchester County Fair & Affordable Housing Affirmative Marketing Plan.
Appendix G-2: Centralized Intake & Housing Outreach Plan.

H. GENERAL OUTREACH & EDUCATION EFFORTS

Appendix H-1: Fair Housing Outreach & Education Plan.

I. ANALYSIS OF IMPEDIMENTS

Appendix I-1: (i) A copy of HUD’s October 23, 2009 comments on County’s May 2009 draft AI; (ii) the County’s December 8, 2009 extension request; (iii) HUD’s December 18, 2009 extension approval letter; (iv) a copy of the County’s RFP, dated December 23, 2009; (v) a copy of the resolution of the Westchester County Board of Acquisition & Contract approving the AI consultant; and (vi) a copy of the County’s contract for services with W. Frank Newton, Inc.