Saturday, October 31, 2009

Don't apologize for helping create affordable housing

From: LoHud.com
September 26, 2009

Perhaps only in the upside-down world of Westchester would county legislators, in the midst of rampant unemployment, gripping recession and widespread economic dislocation, feel compelled to issue apologia for agreeing to build affordable housing. A half-century ago, John F. Kennedy (and doubtless his ghostwriter) gave the world "Profiles in Courage"; here in Westchester, following the Board of Legislators' approval this week of a $51 million settlement of a False Claims Act/fair housing lawsuit, taxpayers get treated to profiles in regret.

"We all know that we were in a bad situation, and we had to choose the best of a bad situation," said Legislator Michael Kaplowitz, D-Somers, a reluctant "Yes" vote for the settlement, which was approved, 12-5, Tuesday night. It obliges the county to help build some 750 units of affordable housing over the next seven years, most of it in communities that have thwarted such accommodations.

His colleague John Nonna, D-Pleasantville, who earlier had objected to any of the units coming into a portion of his district, issued a 1,250-word essay explaining his "difficult" vote for the agreement. "The important point is that we move forward to try to accomplish the settlement in cooperation with our towns and villages, the (government-appointed) monitor and federal government and be mindful and attentive to the concerns of our residents."

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Affordable housing laws aren't stopping segregation

From: washingtonexaminer.com
By: Rigel Oliveri // September 24, 2009

Affluent New York City suburb Westchester County recently agreed to spend more than $50 million to build or acquire 750 affordable housing units in order to help desegregate some of its almost entirely white towns and villages. It only did so because it had been sued.

In February, a federal court determined that Westchester had taken virtually no action to fulfill its promise to use millions of dollars in federal Community Development Block Grant money to further fair housing.

The level of residential racial segregation in the United States is pronounced. Of the 50 U.S. metropolitan areas with the largest black populations, all show a moderate to high level of segregation. Westchester is unusually high.

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Westchester County, NY Agrees to Add Housing in Landmark Settlement

From: Affordable Housing Finance
By: Donna Kimura

New York’s Westchester County will make a $51.6 million investment in affordable housing, under an agreement announced by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Justice Department.

The deal, which settles a three-year lawsuit, is expected to result in the construction of 750 units of affordable housing in overwhelmingly white neighborhoods in the county.

The agreement could have a sweeping effect on other communities nationwide.

“It’s very good news for developers, for-profit and not-for-profit, who have been interested in developing in communities that have been closed,” said Craig Gurian, executive director of the Anti-Discrimination Center of Metro New York (ADC).

Westchester County receives an annual Community Development Block Grant allocation from HUD, and as a condition of receiving this fund, it agrees to “affirmatively further fair housing.” From 2000 to 2008, the county certified that it had complied with this requirement.

ADC disputed the certification. A federal court then ruled that the county failed its legal obligation to explicitly analyze “the existence and impact of race discrimination on housing opportunities and choice in its jurisdiction.”

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St. Bernard Defers Actions Following Judge's Ruling

From: WVUE Fox 8 New Orleans
By: Shelly Brown // September 18, 2009

St. Bernard - After meeting in executive session for more than two hours, St. Bernard Parish Council members decided Thursday to take no action to pursue legal options following a federal district court judge's contempt of court ruling last week.

St. Bernard complied Friday to avoid facing thousands of dollars in fines, but Parish President Craig Taffaro said the council and administration are buying time for now.

Taffaro said, "we still believe that as a municipality, the parish council and administration has the right to govern our own parish and to make land use and zoning and planning decisions at a local level and that we deserve some protection as long as we are in the scope of law and we believe we are."

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St. Bernard Parish - Judge Rules in Provident's Favor

From: Dallas Business Journal
By: Katherine Cromer Brock // September 11, 2009

Dallas-based Provident Realty Advisors Inc. has won another victory on the road to building $60 million worth of mixed-income housing in St. Bernard Parish, La.

A U.S. district court judge Friday found the parish in contempt of court — for the third time — in its efforts to “thwart, delay and derail the proposed developments.”

As previously reported by the Dallas Business Journal, Provident has built or started construction on more than $200 million worth of affordable housing in and around New Orleans. The four 72-unit apartment buildings proposed in neighboring St. Bernard Parish would include affordable housing and market-rate housing.

In court documents, the parish is accused of imposing a racially motivated moratorium on apartment building to block Provident’s developments. The parish, whose resident base is about 90 percent white, has claimed that it has not yet rebuilt adequate infrastructure to support the apartments, but a judge has ruled that the parish is in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act and must lift the moratorium to allow the apartment project to move forward.

Parish leaders have continued to stymie the developments, according to court documents.

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Cincinatti -- Uptown neighborhoods oppose Vernon Manor’s conversion to low-income housing

From: Business Courier
By: Dan Monk // September 11, 2009

The neighborhoods surrounding the Vernon Manor are lining up to oppose the conversion of the former luxury hotel to low-income housing.

Avondale Community Council President Patricia Milton said neighborhood leaders in Clifton, Corryville, Mt Auburn and Clifton Heights met Tuesday to discuss the prospect of a low-income conversion. They emerged unanimous in their opposition to the project, according to Patricia Milton, president of the Avondale Community Council.

“Community support is vital to receiving city, state and federal funding for low income tax credits to support this type of project. We will not support any tax credit applications or zone changes for this proposed project,” Milton wrote in a Sept. 11 letter to Belvedere Corp. co-owner Alex Warm.

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Commission could revisit affordable housing issue

From: Panama City NewsHerald.com
By: Matt Dixon // August 27, 2009

PANAMA CITY — Developers of a proposed affordable housing apartment complex again are asking the city to relinquish its interest in a portion of a street that runs through the proposed site, according to letters obtained by The News Herald.

At its Aug. 11 meeting, the city commission voted not to vacate its interest in the portion of 10th Court that lies between Elm and Sherman avenues in Millville. That portion of the street intersects two plots of land where the Paces Foundation, a Georgia-based nonprofit group that “provides affordable housing and services,” is trying to build a 92-unit apartment complex.

Paces has secured a $12 million state grant and a $75,000 commitment from the city to help construct the complex.

If the city vacates its interest, the apartment could be built as one building across what is now 10th Court. If it does not, the complex will have to be built as two separate buildings with the street running between them.

The proposed vacation of 10th Court was met with fierce opposition from community members who said the multi-level housing could be a magnet for crime and attract an element they did not want in their community.

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Whether in New Orleans or St. Bernard Parish, the poor aren't welcome anywhere

From: New Orleans Times Picayune
By: Jarvis DeBerry // August 22, 2009

Eastern New Orleans has often been a battleground for this kind of intra-racial class warfare because that part of the city has included beautiful mansions and huge unsightly apartment complexes -- one of which I used to call home. Councilwoman Cynthia Willard-Lewis gave the impression soon after Hurricane Katrina that she spoke for the entire area when she trumpeted the phrase "right to return."

She's fought mightily for homeowners -- that is, those who have already acquired some semblance of wealth. However, she has shown herself to be indifferent -- if not outright opposed -- to the interests of low-wage residents who require affordable-housing options to return to the city.

In leading the opposition against a developer looking to build 36 affordable single-family houses near Lake Carmel at an average cost of $200,000, Willard-Lewis said the interests of current residents are her chief concern. So much for everybody else returning.

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