Westchester County has provided funding for over 20 years to many types of housing developments. The county must ensure that all of these properties:
- Meet initial and ongoing affordability requirements
- Provide appropriate housing for those that are eligible
- Market the units and select the residents pursuant to an Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan
- Remain in compliance with requirements that permitted the creation of the units
It is important for Westchester to conduct initial and long-term monitoring of county-funded fair and affordable housing developments. Monitoring ensures that properties are being sold or leased to income qualified households. Ongoing monitoring for homeownership properties include verification that the home is the household’s primary residence and that the home may not be resold, transferred or refinanced in excess of the affordable sales price and the resale of the home must comply with any other requirements included in the deed restrictions filed with the deed to the home.
Rental properties must be maintained and rented to the intended income populations as their primary residence on an ongoing basis. There are specific monitoring requirements for developments that receive federal funding such as the HOME program. Westchester has adopted similar requirements for its housing funding programs under the Housing Implementation Fund and New Homes Land Acquisition Fund.
There are four primary areas that long-term monitoring of rental property focuses on:
- Unit condition: The property must remain in decent, safe and sanitary condition to ensure health and safety of the tenants.
- Equal treatment of applicants: County-funded affordable housing must be made available to all applicants irrespective of race, color, sex, age, religion, ethnic background, disability or familial status.
- Income-targeting and rent-setting: Monitoring ensures that rental units remain occupied by low-income households and that the rents charged to these tenants are affordable.
- Future investment decisions: Monitoring of existing properties helps the county assess the performance of property owners and is a factor in future funding decisions.
Additional responsibilities:
- Ensure that property management and other personnel understand and implement program rules related to income, occupancy, rents, utility allowances, leases, affirmative marketing and fair housing
- Submit annual reports and other documentation to show compliance with HOME and other county housing program rules and requirements
- Ensure that the property is maintained in accordance with Housing Quality Standards
- Provide information and reports to the county as requested or required
- Provide notice to and making arrangements with tenants whose units will be inspected
- Provide files for review, as requested by the county
- Take any corrective actions that may be identified by the county in response to findings through the monitoring activity
Compliance and monitoring requirements:
- Tenant file for each tenant
- Annual certification of household income for each tenant
- Setting rents in affordable rental projects
- Tenant selection policies and criteria
- Occupancy standards for rental units
- A property’s standard lease
- Housing quality standards
- Lead-based paint removal requirements
Developers are obligated to create and implement an affirmative and fair marketing plan in cooperation with a marketing consultant selected by the County. The marketing consultant is primarily responsible for developing such a plan with the Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan Requirements. The requirements outline the roles and responsibilities of both the developer and the marketing consultant in preparing and implementing the marketing plan.
The plan's purpose is to promote fair housing by ensuring outreach to all potentially eligible households, especially those least likely to apply for assistance in the nine-county region comprised of: Fairfield County CT; Putnam Rockland and Westchester Counties; and all five boroughs of New York City. The plan must comply with all federal, state and local fair housing laws, rules, guidelines and regulations.
Download and use the Fair and Affordable Housing Development Program Application Guide below to assist in preparing the required application materials when seeking funding assistance to pursue a fair and affordable housing development.
The county's Department of Planning provides these resources to assist you in preparing your application and evaluating the proposal’s feasibility. Below are links to sample workbooks created in Microsoft Excel. These workbooks integrate detailed development information and feasibility analysis information.
The Development Application Workbooks are intended to be a useful tool in conjunction with an application for funding. Project specific information entered will aid in calculating development budgets, estimating financing gaps and calculate cash flow and mortgage expenses. In addition, the workbooks will assist in illustrating affordability of the development to the target income groups and the levels of affordability which are achievable.
The workbooks are intended to be user-friendly, but do require a degree of housing development expertise. Feedback or suggested improvements are welcome and should be e-mailed to .
| Fair and Affordable Housing Development Program Application Guide | |
| Guide to Westchester's housing assistance programs, fair and affordable housing application requirements, and application documents. | |
| Rental Development Application Workbook | |
| Single-Family Homeownership Development Application Workbook | |
| Two-Family Ownership and Rental Unit Development Application Workbook | |
| Condominium Ownership Development Application Workbook | |
| Development Project Costs spreadsheet | |
| Preliminary sample worksheet | |
| Sources and Uses or Gap Analysis spreadsheet | |
| Preliminary sample worksheet | |
| Operating Pro Forma spreadsheet | |
| Preliminary sample worksheet | |
Westchester County encourages everyone to take steps to protect the environment as well as to consider integrating new technologies to enhance our way of life and reduce our carbon footprint. The Westchester County Climate Change Action Plan outlines ways in which we all can all participate in reducing our carbon footprint through energy efficiencies. Building environmentally friendly structures will certainly contribute positively to this end. Structures designed to take into consideration the needs of an aging population or those with disabilities will also be welcome innovations.
There are a number of incentive programs available at both the federal and state level that encourages the use of green building materials and techniques. For more information, go to the Tax Incentives Assistance Project (TIAP).
What is Green Technology?
Green Technology refers to new environmentally sound methods for constructing, renovating, and operating homes and buildings. Some of these new standards include:
- Using natural products for exterior and interior building materials
- Opening up buildings to use natural light
- Using the latest energy efficiencies
- Recycling water from rain and condensation for building needs
- Creating “green” roofs through plantings and vegetation.
What is Smart Technology?
Smart Technology refers to innovations that can make a home or apartment a better place to live for all people including families, senior citizens, or disabled people. Some of these new improvements can include:
- Enhanced security systems for homes and apartments
- Wireless thermostats to control heating and air conditioning
- Home design that includes accessibility elements such as an elevator, accessible porch, and wheelchair-friendly backyards
- Use of building materials that are “green” or environmentally sound
- Designing residences to minimize energy consumption and use natural resources such as sunlight or geothermal air to heat and air condition residences
- Installation of the latest communication methods for seniors to call for emergency assistance
Where can I get further information?
The section of this Web site on Global Warming has useful information and links about what is happening in Westchester County.
Are there any examples of green building projects in Westchester County?
Several new projects in the county incorporate the latest green technologies.
- Ossining Library
- The Gateway Center at Westchester Community College
- Office of Walter Sedovich, Architect
- 422 Division Street in Hastings
Are there any examples of smart technology developments in Westchester County?
Energy-efficient affordable homes can be constructed using such smart techniques as high-efficiency boilers, photovoltaic panels, and insulated concrete forms. Visit Smart Communities Network for more information. Another good source is Affordable Housing Design Advisor which provides a wide range of tips and guides for developers and housing professionals to assist with the planning and development process.
| American Society of Landscape Architects | |
| ASLA is a national, professional organization representing landscape architects. ASLA provides information, programs, and resources on many topics including green technologies to its membership and the general public. | |
| Digital Home Magazine | |
| Digital Home magazine offers readers the latest news on digital and wireless smart technologies such as smart thermostats, lighting control systems, green homes, and home automation. | |
| Duke University Smart Home Initiative | |
| The Duke Smart Home Program encompasses a 6,000 square-foot residence and research laboratory that explores smart technologies for homes. | |
| Enterprise Community Partners | |
| Enterprise helps build fair and affordable housing for low-income Americans by providing financing and expertise to community and housing developers. Enterprise Community Partners is a national nonprofit that provides loans, grants, and information resources. | |
| Green Communities Online | |
| Green Communities provides funds and expertise to enable developers to build and rehabilitate homes that are healthier, more energy efficient, and better for the environment, without compromising affordability. | |
| Green Buildings: Affordable Housing | |
| Provides guidance to design and implement green technologies within affordable housing developments. | |
| New York State Energy Research Development Agency | |
| NYSERDA’s principal goal is to help all New York State utility customers with residential efficiency and affordability programs and energy efficiency services. | |
| Smart HomeOwner Magazine | |
| Smart Homeowner Magazine provides the latest information on new smart technology home-building techniques. Subscribe to the magazine through their Web site. | |
| U.S. Building Council | |
| USGBC is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy places to live and work. Membership of USGBC is composed of leaders from every sector of the building industry. | |
Community Capital New York is a non-profit community development lender located in Elmsford which provides feasibility loans of up to $25,000 to explore the viability of potential affordable housing development projects located in Westchester County by assisting with up-front due diligence costs including environmental studies, zoning analyses, architectural and engineering plans, and contract deposits. Eligible expenses include appraisals, engineering analysis, architectural drawings, financial proforma modeling, purchase deposits, surveys, land use zoning analysis, and other reasonable due diligence expenses.
For more information contact:
Elissa A. Bard
VP Housing
Community Capital New York
44 Executive Blvd. Suite 203
Elmsford, NY 10523
(914) 815-2123
www.communitycapitalny.org
The New York State Department of Housing and Community Renewal offers programs that provide feasibility funding. The Low Income Housing Trust Fund offers “seed funding” and the Housing Development Program offers “pre-development funding.”
For more information contact:
New York State Homes and Community Renewal
Hampton Plaza
38-40 State Street
Albany, New York 12207
Phone: (518) 473-2526
Regional Office:
25 Beaver Street
New York, N.Y. 10004
Phone: (212) 480-7644