Construction begins on $40M senior affordable housing development in White Plains

Mt. Hope Plaza, a $40 million affordable housing project for seniors at 65 Lake St. in White Plains has now moved from a project that has been in the planning stages for more than five years to a project that is under construction.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, White Plains Mayor Tom Roach, State Sen. Shelley Mayer, and Assemblyman Chris Burdick were among the officials lending their names to a joint announcement that shovels are in the ground for the project as of April 12.

Mt. Hope Plaza will offer 56 apartments for adults ages 62 and older who earn at or below 60% of the Area Median Income. There will be 20 units for homeless seniors who also will be able to receive support services through an Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative award administered by the New York State Office of Mental Health. The supportive service provider is Community Housing Innovations, Inc.

The six-story apartment building is being constructed on a parcel adjacent to Mt. Hope A.M.E Zion Church on Lake St. The church sold the land to Westchester County, which contributed it to the project. The County Board of Legislators had unanimously approved the county’s acquisition of the 0.75-acre site for $2.1 million dollars. The county transferred the property to the Mount Hope Community Development Corporation with the stipulation that the housing built there remain affordable for at least 50 years.

“It’s vital that our efforts to combat the housing crisis include the types of investments that allow our seniors to live independently in the communities of their choice,”  Hochul said. “Thanks to our strong partnership with faith-based groups across the state, we are working together to ensure more New Yorkers have access to a safe and secure place to live, and are provided with the services they need to thrive.”

The building is designed to be all-electric and solar-ready. Residential amenities include a green roof, a community room, central laundry room, and free internet for the residents with at least one wired connection in each apartment. The development will include a structured parking garage with 72 spaces, of which 47 will be shared with the church.

State financing for the development includes $18.8 million in Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits and $8 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR). Westchester County is providing $2.8 million from the Housing Investment Fund. Mt. Hope A.M.E Zion Church is providing $1 million, and the City of White Plains is contributing $400,000. Additional financing is being provided by Webster Bank. The project’s developers are the Mt. Hope Community Development Corporation and Community Housing Innovations, Inc.

Latimer said, “We are thrilled to finally be breaking ground on Mt. Hope Plaza in White Plains, which took years of working cooperatively with local religious institutions, housing advocates and key community members.”

Burdick congratulated Rev. Dr. Gregory Robeson Smith of the church for his leadership in making the development a reality.

Smith said, “Our seniors are the crown jewels of the community with the greatest need for affordable adequate living accommodations. Unfortunately, they are most forgotten. Our mission is without question to minimize and or eliminate this atrocious situation. Mt Hope Plaza design will provide a comfortable living space during their maturing golden years.”

Roach noted that the city has an affordable housing fund, which is where the $400,000 for this project came from. The fund collects money from developers who opt to pay for affordable housing to be developed elsewhere rather than providing affordable units in their own projects.

“In White Plains, we demonstrate our commitment to affordable housing through our zoning and land use policies and our affordable housing program,” Roach said. “The funds contributed by the city to the all-affordable project came from developers not the taxpayer.”