The Westchester County Housing Flex Fund will help facilitate the development of affordable housing that are shovel ready. The development must serve households earning at or below 65% of the County Area Median Income.
Learn more.
Affordable, mixed-income housing and racially and ethnically diverse neighborhoods are a benefit—both economically and socially—to all our residents. If a community shuts its doors to people of any income-level, race, or ethnicity, that community cannot prosper.
In 2014, the Westchester County Executive turned to 50 community leaders for their insights about the economic future of the county. To them, the greatest opportunity to attract new businesses was the opportunity to recruit talent, and the greatest opportunity to recruit talent was to offer a larger variety of mixed-income housing choices. On the other end, youth flight—or, the inability to keep young professionals in the community where they grew up—is seen as one of the greatest threats to the county’s economy.
Moreover, the social benefits of mixed-income and racially and ethnically diverse neighborhoods are great as well. Increasing diversity across economic, racial and ethnic spectrums leads to better education for our children, improved tolerance of others, and greater cultural awareness.
Below, you can find some of the benefits of mixed-income housing and racially and ethnically integrated communities, as well as links to sites that contain additional information you may find helpful and informative.
Benefits of Mixed-Income Housing
Benefits of Racially and Ethnically Integrated Communities
Resources
Fair Housing Ad Campaign, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
National Community Reinvestment Coalition
National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders
Note: These resources and links are being provided for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the County of Westchester of the information or opinions expressed therein. The County of Westchester bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external sites or for that of subsequent links.
Despite the best efforts of federal, state, and local governments, discrimination still exists. However, as Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino has repeatedly stated, there is no place for discrimination in Westchester.
About the Human Rights Commission
The mission of the Westchester County Human Rights Commission is to combat discrimination through the enforcement of the Westchester County Human Rights Law and Fair Housing Law, to engage in education and outreach to educate the public on its rights and obligations under these laws, and to help promote positive racial and ethnic relations among Westchester’s diverse population.
The Human Rights Commission is dedicated to ensuring that everyone has a full and fair opportunity to housing because diverse, inclusive communities with access to good jobs, schools, health care, transportation, and housing are crucial to our nation’s prosperity in the 21st century.
The Human Rights Commission is further committed to fighting discriminatory practices in housing which have perpetuated segregation in our communities and resulted in significant disparities between white and non-white households in access to good jobs, quality education, homeownership attainment and asset accumulation.
Fair Housing is Your Right
The Westchester County Fair Housing Law, which is broader and more comprehensive than federal law, recognizes 16 different protected classes (federal law only recognizes 7):
Race, Color, Religion, Sex/Gender, Familial Status, National Origin, Disability, Age, Alienage/Citizenship Status, Ethnicity, Creed, Sexual Orientation, Marital Status, Victim of Domestic Abuse, Victim of Sexual Abuse, Victim of Stalking, Source of Income
If you feel that you have been discriminated against on any of the above bases by a current or prospective housing provider/real estate agent in Westchester County, please contact the Westchester County Human Rights Commission at:
112 East Post Road 3rd Floor
White Plains, New York 10601
Tel: (914) 995-9500
Affordable, mixed-income housing and racially and ethnically diverse neighborhoods are a benefit—both economically and socially—to all our residents.
In 2014, the Westchester County Executive turned to 50 community leaders for their insights about the economic future of the county. To them, the greatest asset for attracting new businesses was the strength of the county's talent pool and the best way to recruit and retain that talent was to offer a larger variety of mixed-income housing choices. On the other hand, youth flight—young people leaving Westchester for better jobs and housing opportunities—was seen as a potential threat to the county's economic prosperity.
Benefits of Mixed-Income Housing
Benefits of Racially and Ethnically Integrated Communities
Resources
Mixed-Income Housing and the Home Program, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Mixed-Income Living: Anticipated and Realized Benefits for Low-Income Households, Diane K. Levy, Zach McDade and Kassie Bertumen
Promoting Neighborhood Diversity: Benefits, Barriers and Strategies, Margery Austin Turner and Lynette Rawlings.
Cosmopolitan Masala: Diversity Enriches Us All, Phillippe Legrain
Do We Know More Now? Trends in Public Knowledge, Support and Use of Fair Housing Law, Martin D. Abravanel
Housing Discrimination Against Racial and Ethnic Minorities, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Rethinking the Effects of Immigration on Wages, Gianmarco I.P. Ottaviano and Giovanni Peri
Benefits of Diverse Communities, National Fair Housing Alliance
The Benefits of Diversity: What the Research Tells Us, Daryl G. Smith and Natalie B. Schonfeld
How Diversity Makes Us Smarter, Katherine W. Phillips
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
National Community Reinvestment Coalition
National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders
Note: These resources and links are being provided for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the County of Westchester of the information or opinions expressed therein. The County of Westchester bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external sites or for that of subsequent links.
Affordable, mixed-income housing and racially and ethnically diverse neighborhoods are a benefit—both economically and socially—to all our residents. If a community shuts its doors to people of any income-level, race, or ethnicity, that community cannot prosper.
In 2014, the Westchester County Executive turned to 50 community leaders for their insights about the economic future of the county. To them, the greatest opportunity to attract new businesses was the ability to recruit talent, and the greatest opportunity to recruit talent was to offer a larger variety of mixed-income housing choices.
Below, you can find some of the benefits of mixed-income housing and racially and ethnically integrated communities, as well as links to sites that contain additional information you may find helpful and informative.
Benefits of Mixed-Income Housing
Benefits of Racially and Ethnically Integrated Communities
Resources
Promoting Neighborhood Diversity: Benefits, Barriers and Strategies, Margery Austin Turner and Lynette Rawlings.
Cosmopolitan Masala: Diversity Enriches Us All, Phillippe Legrain
How Diversity Makes Us Smarter, Katherine W. Phillips
How Non-Minority Students Also Benefit from Racially Diverse Schools, Genevieve Siegel-Hawley
Diversity and Economic Development in Urban Neighborhoods, Melissa Kay Jones
Note: These resources and links are being provided for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the County of Westchester of the information or opinions expressed therein. The County of Westchester bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external sites or for that of subsequent links.
Wildwood
37 Wildwood Road
Bedford, NY
Located on 2.5 acres overlooking the hamlet of Katonah, this seven-unit building is a mix of affordable studio and one-bedroom apartments. Bridleside is walking distance to the town park, Metro-North railroad and a Bee-Line bus stop.
More information:
122 Nelson Avenue
Peekskill, NY
Foreclosed and abandoned, this one family Victorian house was rehabilitated and sold to a household with annual income at or below 80 percent of Westchester’s annual medial income. The affordable property is walking distance to schools and public transportation.
More information:
Comstock Heights
445 North State Road
Briarcliff Manor, NY
This affordable 14-unit townhouse complex was built in 2014 on 0.78 acres. Each 1100 SF duplex has two bedrooms and 1.5 baths and provides onsite parking. The site is less than 0.2 miles from public transportation.
More information:
Freedom Gardens
1680 Strawberry Road 
Yorktown, NY
Located on five acres in the hamlet of Mohegan Lake, this affordable residential rental complex has 13 one-bedroom units for physically disabled individuals. Three of the 13 units and a community room were constructed in 2013. Residents meet the annual incomes requirements of 30-60 percent of Westchester’s annual median income.
More information:
The Mews at Baldwin Place
Clayton Boulevard (Route 6)
Somers, NY
Built in 2011 in the hamlet of Baldwin Place, this garden-style affordable rental housing complex for seniors has 72 one-bedroom apartments in two elevator buildings. Households of persons 62 years and older with annual incomes between 30-60 percent of Westchester’s annual median income qualify to rent. The buildings have onsite laundry facilities and parking and are walking distance from the Somers Commons Shopping Center. A Bee-Line bus stop is within 500 feet of the site.
More information:
West End Town Homes
First Street and Union Avenue
New Rochelle, NY
Phase I of this affordable housing development was built in 2007 and includes 25 two- and three-bedroom townhomes available for purchase to households earning at or below 80 percent of Westchester’s annual median income. Phase II is a 102 unit rental complex for seniors with incomes at or below 60 percent of Westchester’s annual median income. Residents can walk to transportation in nearby Pelham and to the New Rochelle Metro-North station.
More information:
Scotts Corner
29 Westchester Avenue
Pound Ridge, NY
Built in 2008 in Scotts Corner, these are two affordable rental housing buildings with onsite parking. There are six affordable rental apartments in each of the two-story elevator buildings. Each unit includes a bedroom, bathroom, and living-room with a small refrigerator and sink area. The three units on each floor share a large country kitchen, a living-room and laundry facilities. The units are available to households with persons age 55 and above and with annual incomes of 50-60 percent of Westchester’s annual median income.
More information:
Bridleside
256-258 June Road
North Salem, NY
These eight two-story buildings are located on 40 acres in northern Westchester’s "horse country." The 65-unit affordable rental complex, with a 3,200 SF clubhouse, a recreation field and onsite parking, is comprised of 20 one-bedroom, 40 two-bedroom and five three-bedroom units. Regularly scheduled transportation is available to local health care facilities, shopping areas and to public transportation. The units are available to households with annual incomes at or below 50-60 percent of Westchester’s annual median income.
More information:
Cottage Landing Town Homes
42 Cottage Street
Rye, NY
This eighteen-unit affordable townhouse development was built in 2013 and is nearby public transportation. It offers 11 one-bedroom units, and seven one-bedroom units with a den. Households with annual incomes at or below 80 percent of Westchester’s annual median income qualified to purchase a townhouse.
More information:
Pinebrook Condominiums
2101-2105 Palmer Avenue
Larchmont, NY
Tthese affordable condominiums are offered to households with annual incomes at or below 80 percent of Westchester’s annual median income. The two buildings include 10 one-bedroom and 41 two-bedroom units. Residents can walk to transportation and downtown.
More information:
Grant Park Apartments
1 Loer Avenue and 9 Vinyard Avenue
Yonkers, NY
These three and four-story elevator buildings, located on four acres in downtown Yonkers, were built in 2012. The development offers 100 affordable rental apartments - a mix of one, two and three-bedrooms - to households with annual incomes at or below 60 percent of Westchester’s annual median income. Residents can walk to transportation and shopping, and onsite parking, laundry facilities, a playground, community room and an exercise room are available to tenants.
More information:
Riverpointe at Drumhill
100-102 Ringgold Street
Peekskill, NY
Built in 2010, this affordable rental complex for seniors has 43 apartments - 37 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom, plus seven units for the frail elderly with available supportive services. Amenities include onsite parking, laundry facilities and a fitness room. The apartments are available to seniors with annual incomes at 50-60 percent of Westchester’s annual median income.
More information: