Greenburgh Officials Meet with HUD About Community Development Block Grants

Communities like Greenburgh have counted on CDBG funded to be used for programs that are benefitting low/moderate income areas. Among the projects we had counted on to receive funding was sidewalks on 9A (there was a pedestrian fatality this year on the street), a street revitalization on Manhattan Ave - across the street from Union Baptist Church, a church that serves many lower income members of our community. Union Baptist Church is celebrating their 100th anniversary in May, 2014 and we hoped to dedicate the new street revitalization in time for their celebration.

During our meeting I indicated that  the federal government is not requiring Greenburgh to build more affordable housing units.  Unlike other communities in Westchester we have voluntarily approved the construction of affordable housing around the town.  Earlier this year WESTHAB dedicated a new apartment building that serves lower income residents. We recently sold foreclosed property that the town owns  to a developer to build affordable housing apartments in Ardsley. We turned over a foreclosed property to Sheltering the Homeless is Our Responsibility (SHORE) for affordable housing. The town sold another foreclosed property to a Hastings developer for affordable housing apartments and we continue to approve more rentals that are affordable around the town.

Greenburgh also requires that 10% of units in multifamily dwellings be affordable. And, we're known for our affordable homes that are located throughout the town--homes that have been in existence for decades. We will continue to support the building of more affordable housing.

I believe that the federal governments policy is hurting towns that should not be punished. I don’t think that Greenburgh should be punished because of county action.

Some suggestions I made to the Deputy Secretary:

HUD should authorize communities like Greenburgh to accept CDBG funds by  transferring the funding to the State of New York for its administration of programs in Westchester. The state now administers small cities CDBG programs in other counties. I suggested to the Deputy Secretary that HUD not punish innocent communities like Greenburgh.  Another option: The fed’s should release CDBG funds if specific local communities show that they are doing more that the federal government is requiring when it comes to approving affordable housing units.