County to provide $5.7M for affordable housing land

Westchester County Executive George Latimer on Feb. 7 signed into law two Land Acquisition Acts that had been passed by the County Board of Legislators to provide funding to acquire land for two affordable housing projects. A signing event was held at the County Office Building in White Plains where Latimer was joined by members of the Board of Legislators and members of his administration. These were the first two legislative acts signed into law by Latimer in 2024. After the county takes title to the real estate, it will turn it over to the developers of the projects.

One of the actions approves bonding for up to $2.7 million to acquire approximately 0.4-acre of property at 305 and 309 Warburton Ave. and 254 Woodworth Ave. in Yonkers and then convey it to Conifer Realty LLC based in Rochester. Confier plans to build a project with 94 residential units for rental to senior citizens. There also would be a unit for the building’s superintendent and 49 parking spaces for use by the residents. Other property that the developer is getting through the Yonkers Industrial Development Agency would form part of the development site. Rents would be affordable to seniors earning at or below 30% of the Westchester Area Median Income.

The other legislative act signed into law by Latimer approves Westchester purchasing approximately 0.8-acre of property at 136 Croton Ave. in Ossining for a price not to exceed $3 million. The county would subsequently convey the property to MacQuesten Development LLC of Mount Vernon, which plans to build a project with 74 affordable rental units including one unit for the building’s superintendent. The units will be marketed and leased to people age 62 and up who earn at or below 40% and up to 60% of the county’s Area Median Income. There would be retail and events space and two levels of underground parking as part of the development. The affordability requirement for the units will remain in effect for not less than 50 years.

“Our responsibility as a county government is to make sure that the opportunity for affordable housing is always there,” Latimer said. “This legislation is about filling a critical need that people have across our county, and when we allocate significant funding towards the construction of affordable units, we are helping to improve the quality of life for many of our residents and families.”

County Planning Commissioner Blanca Lopez said that in the six years since the Latimer Administration took office, more than 1,100 units of affordable housing were built and are fully occupied, an additional 1,500 units are currently under construction, an additional 530 units have obtained their land use and funding approvals and are waiting to close by either state or local entities, and an additional 3,200 units are either pending approvals or are in the planning stages of construction development.